Social media from the ancestors

My answer:

Here in Australia we are so lucky to have lots of digitized newspapers where we can actually see what our ancestors posted on their social media of the day. My parents always used to check the hatch, match and dispatch as they called the births, marriages and deaths columns of the local paper. But nowadays less and less of these records are now found in the papers.

But my ancestors also had their divorces reported in the paper. If they were caught up in a court appearance, what they said was reported word for word. If they bought or sold land, it would often appear in the papers. Of course, after an ancestor passed there could also be an obituary telling their life story, often as they had told their children so not necessarily accurate especially if they had been a convict in the early years of our country.

Readers: What exciting news might your ancestors have posted on their social media?

Time Travelling

 

My answer

I would head to Enfield in London in the early 1850’s to chat with my great great grandfather William Chandler. I would ask him about his parents and where they lived, any siblings he had and why he decided to become a gardener.

I would also ask him whether he already knew his future wife Caroline Bryant before he came to Van Diemen’s Land in 1855.

Readers: Where and when would you go?

Genealogy bug


My answer:

Like many genealogists or family historians, I first got the genealogy bug back in primary school when we had to create a family tree as part of the social sciences curriculum. The bug continued by asking questions about family photos shared by mum and dad as well as looking at photo albums around the house.

But it developed more once I started visiting the local archives and library where records were kept for convicts I had found in my family. At this time I also started connecting with others through internet forums. Nothing was digitized at this stage and we were looking at original records in the actual books. Some though were on microfilm.

I am so glad the invention of the computer and ways of saving information have made it much easier for the newer generations of genealogists as they get the genealogy bug.