Distance learning

My distance learning course started this week. So far I’ve accessed the online learning environment to find out more about the other participants and start the first session. I’m hoping it’s alright to write about it on my personal blog as well as through the Exeter Learning Environment.

We’re looking at three aspects of writing memoir and family history. These are:

  • Your ancestry: the history of your family before you were born
  • Your family story: the relatives and family who you’ve known during your lifetime
  • Your personal history: your life as an individual, but with special relevance to your place in the family story and your ancestry

I’m hoping to focus on the first one as this most interests me.

After beginning to read the course notes I discovered the course reading list. I had a quick google and loved the sound of most of the books so I admit I’ve ordered a few. Even if I don’t get round to reading them during the course, I know I will still enjoy them. Hopefully I can review them here too.

My first challenge is to write a a brief ‘pen portrait’ of someone from my family, the person should be significant and I should have met them. I have to write it in less than 250 words. Wish me luck!

Cousin catcher

I recently heard a phrase which suggested that family history blogs are cousin catchers! I have to agree. I don’t update this poor blog very often but the information is ‘out there’ and I recently received an exciting email from someone who I was very distantly related to.

Jane Bate very kindly filled me in on what happened to the Duncan family where my information left off at the 1911 census.

It was really strange reading about who they married and the children they had, but fascinating to fill in some gaps. Time to update my GEDCOM file and learn how to upload the latest version here I think!

Wooden box

I inherited this lovely wooden box which belonged to my paternal grandmother, Viola Margaret Benger. I presume it was originally for jewellery.

wooden box

I’ve had it a long time and still use it for storing my treasures. It has its’ original label on the bottom, stating it came from  the Landport Drapery Bazaar which was based in Commercial Road, Landport, Portsmouth and started trading in 1870.

Landport Drapery Bazaar

The Landport Drapery Bazaar was bombed in the Second World War and subsequently rebuilt a couple of times. It was brought out by United Drapery Group in 1965, in 1982 changed its name to Allders and in 2005 taken over by Debenhmas.

Free Griffith’s Valuation records

I was recommended a great free source for Griffith’s Valuation at www.askaboutireland.ie

By searching ‘Matthew Young Waterford’ I was able find the following:

Tenant – Matthew Young

House and garden

value of land 12 shillings

Landlord – Board of Works

County – Waterford

Barony – Decies without Drum

Union – Waterford

Parish – Killea

Townland – Dunmore

 

Immigration and emigration records

Ancestry recently gave free access to worldwide immigration and emigration records from the UK, North America, Australia, Europe and several other popular destinations. The records included passenger lists, naturalisation records, immigrant registers and convict transportation lists.

I don’t have a paid Ancestry subscription at the moment as I really can’t justify the price. I received an email reminder about the records last night and managed to squeeze in an hour of searching before free access ended.

I found a couple of records of interest:

1. Border Crossings from Canada to US [year?]

  • Rita St Clair Cole
  • age 22
  • occupation Housekeeper
  • Last permanent residence – illegible
  • The name and complete address of nearest relative or friend in country whence alien comes – illegible
  • Final destination – illegible

2. UK Incoming passenger lists

  • Name of ship Briton, steamship line Union Castle MSS?
  • Date of arrival May 28th 1910
  • Whence arrived Natal etc
  • Port of arrival Southampton
  • Port of embarkation – Cape Town
  • Mr Robert Cole, 3rd class
  • Profession Civil Servant
  • Irish, age 27

vintage postcard of the Union Castle ship Briton

I was more surprised that I couldn’t find any records relating to George Duncan who came from Canada to the UK (I think the records start after this date unfortunately).

I also couldn’t find any records of William Cole or his father, Robert Cole, who had a South Africa connection. It’s great to add two new records to my family tree though. I have never successfully used these records before and I’m really happy to have information other than census and BMD records!

 

Poor spelling!

I am always really grateful whenever I find transcriptions online. I feel really sorry for any volunteer that gives their time to read old records.

I came across a transcription of marriages in Elson, Gosport which included that of my grand-parents:

page 46 no 92 September 14 1929 Hery Harper YOUNG 32 Bachelor Salesman Fort House Elson & Kate Margaret BEGER 24 Spister Fort House Elson married after banns fathers Mansel YOUNG  Retired & George James BENGER Mechanic  in the presece of G J BENGER & W ANDERSON

My grandfather’s name was Henry Harper Young and my grandmother was Viola Margaret Benger and was a spinster. I think I would have used my judgement to change spister to spinster!