LMFHG Genies cross the Border

In our first outing since the onset of Covid19 LMFHG members crossed the border into the neighbouring Central Coast Council area to visit Alison Homestead Museum at Wyong. 

Genies from Lake Macquarie had a successful excursion

The items on display in the several buildings at the venue provided stimulus for our conversations as we wandered around the site. Many members remarked that they have, in their homes and garages, treasures similar to those on display.

Alison Homestead and its gardens are beautifully maintained by a team of volunteers, the Central Coast area is fortunate in having such a magnificent site from which to tell their history. The many artifacts which are displayed across a number of buildings  are in good condition and are clearly labelled. It is definitely worth crossing the border to visit this venue.

Our thanks go the volunteers from Wyong District Museum & Historical Society who look after the site. Volunteers served us a Devonshire Tea on arrival and lunch at the conclusion of our tour. We are grateful to our member, Jean, for organising this outing and look forward to future opportunities to get out and about, learn about our history and enjoy the fellowship of our members.

Following are a few snaps from the site.

Trove Tuesday - Robert Hartley

As we  celebrated ANZAC Day this week we are today remembering a WW1 Digger who lived in Buttaba Hills.

1954 'OBITUARY', The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder (NSW : 1913 - 1954), 22 October, p. 3. , viewed 28 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article100726057

Private Hartley was wounded in action.

1919 'CESSNOCK.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 1 January, p. 6. , viewed 28 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139653621

Private Robert Hartley was awarded the Military medal in 1919.

1919 'Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation', Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973), 15 September, p. 1364. , viewed 28 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232512260

Details of Robert's award from The AIF Project page:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the operations of 26th, 27th and 28th August 1918, which resulted in the capture of FOUCAUCOURT and the advancing of our line beyond ESTREES. The platoon to which this man belonged came under very heavy machine gun fire during the attack on the village, and was temporarily held up. This man went out alone to a forward position and sniped four enemy machine gunners thereby putting the enemy guns out of action and allowing the advance to continue with a minimum of casualties. Later in the operation he went out with two other men across country swept by machine guns to link up with the English troops on the right flank who were out of touch. The work of this man during the whole of the operation was of a very high order.' 

Trove Tuesday - Volunteers

 In today's post we remember the work  of volunteer fire fighters in our community.

1928 'HARD FIGHT', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 9 November, p. 7. , viewed 20 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163975291

1933 'VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 14 January, p. 3. , viewed 20 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165328816

1936 'Newcastle', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 6 November, p. 5. , viewed 20 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166544573

1951 'Fire-fighters Praised At Valentine', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 27 November, p. 4. , viewed 20 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140339921

Killing off the ancestors

Most family historians in Australia use The Ryerson Index in their hunt to find or verify death details of their ancestors.

At our general meeting last Saturday Bob Atkins, a Ryerson volunteer, gave two presentations to our members and guests on the history of the Ryerson Index, how to search the index and new innovations from Ryerson.

Bob Atkins addressing our Members

Bob emphasized that the Ryerson index which currently has 7,785,728 entries from 391 newspapers and websites is maintained and managed by a group of volunteers. If you can spare some regular time to support this organisation you can find more information on this page on the Ryerson site, So you want to be in indexer. Our members at Lake Macquarie are hoping that some of our members and friends will consider joining Ryerson as an indexer.

Bob's sessions, presented to a live audience, were also shared with members remotely via Zoom. Bob indicated that this was a first time a Ryerson presentation had been presented to an online audience via this medium. We, at Lake Macquarie Family History Group, are proud to have facilitated this first online event.

Bob Atkins presenting on Zoom

Thank YOU

The free Blogger platform that hosts this and many other blogs provides some statistical information about blog visitors.

Some time yesterday this blog, which endeavours to relate stories about Lake Macquarie people, recorded a milestone, we had our 5,000th visitor in just ten months. Even if only half of the visitors who call by our blog read a post that's a significant interest in the history of the people of the Lake.

We, at Lake Macquarie Family History Group, thank all our readers for contributing to the success of our blog.

Image - Carey Bay, Lake Macquarie

Trove Tuesday - Elsie Heuston of Coal Point

 This short obituary for a Coal Point resident appeared in Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, 'OBITUARY Miss Elsie L. Heuston', Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 11 April 2021 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-706601389

Elsie Letitia Heuston's birth was registered in 1884 at Patrick's Plains, Her father was John and her mother Letitia (NSW Birth Index: 30615/1884).

Further digging in Trove found several more mentions of Elsie.

The Sun newspaper reported that Elsie Letitia Heuston was awarded her Bachelor of Arts degree on 14th April, 1918. "The ceremony was performed in the Great Hall of the University In the presence of the Governor (Sir Walter Davidson), Lady Davidson and and the members of the senate."

(1918 'THE UNIVERSITY', The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), 14 April, p. 8. , viewed 11 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221949351) 

Elsie actually retired in 1942 not 1940 as stated in the obituary above.

1942 'RETIREMENTS.', Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), 16 January, p. 170. , viewed 11 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225118008

Several other articles in the New South Wales Government Gazette follow Elsie's career through notices of her appointments to schools in New South Wales.

Once she retired Elsie went to live with her sister at Coal Point. 

1950 'IAN HEALY'S Suburbia, This Week', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 11 February, p. 5. , viewed 11 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140634475

Elsie and her sister were given a farewell party in Coal Point before embarking on their overseas holiday. 

1950 'Coal Point Party For Sisters', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 17 February, p. 5. , viewed 11 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140633705

Elsie must have had an interest in genealogy as is explained in this lengthy article that details the story of her ancestors and how, in the mid 19th century some came to Australia and some to the US. In several overseas trips Elsie visited her cousins in the US and ancestral places in Ireland. That article can be found here: An Exile's Letter To An Exile.

Elsie passed away in 1959 so her death notice is not within the Trove collection. It was published on March 16th, 1959 in the Sydney Morning Herald Archive that is available as an eResource from the State Library of NSW.

Sydney Morning Herald Archive, Monday, March 16, 1959

Change of Program - 17th April 2021

Please note the change of times for our program on Saturday. Our guest speaker Bob Atkins from the Ryerson Index will be presenting two sessions at our meeting on Saturday.

Sunny Ball

Our current houseguest, Sunny Ball, is settling in for his holiday.

Trove Tuesday - Citizens of Eraring

 This week we remember some former citizens of Eraring.

1937 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 5 July, p. 9. , viewed 06 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134940496

1940 'MR. T. JOHNSON.', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 5 June, p. 10. , viewed 06 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133580694 

1942 'OBITUARY', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 19 January, p. 4. , viewed 06 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140419788

1945 'OBITUARY', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 17 December, p. 4. , viewed 06 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134374306

1954 'Family Notices', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), 17 May, p. 2. , viewed 06 Apr 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134662399