Happy New Year....
A
friend asked me how many hours I put in each week. I don't know and I'm not
telling. But as for results I can tell you I am meeting my KPIs. My research
this year has come from writing my blogs or is it vice versa writing blogs
causes more research? Expanding my data base of “people in the tree” comes from
more research into elusive DNA matches.
My
blog has now over 80 block postings with nearly 20 this year. The big result is
the 13500 hits on the blog which nearly doubles the hits up to the end of last
year. So thanks for reading and sharing along with me this year.
"I can tell you I am meeting my KPIs"
This
year a number of people asked about researching their own grandparents etc.
Steve and I can't help ourselves when we get a chance to start on a new family.
So assistance has been given to an unrelated Gadsby family, the Hoarty family
of Iluka, the McKinnons of Grafton and my friend Sue’s grandfather.
I'm
still identifying unnamed photographs and have labelled even more. Take a look
at the blog identifying neighbours at Park Avenue. Do Something With The Photos
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| People in my tree have increased by 1300 to 7494 |
I'm
active in a number of genealogy Facebook pages and it's amazing the insight and
help people give with your Scottish, Irish or Aussie family members. People are
really generous with their assistance to struggling researchers on their DNA “L”
plates.
I
was despairing that I might need to cross off my Johnson and Strelley lines
from my tree. DNA results were not putting up much in the way of matches
despite exploring lots of avenues with these relatives who have departed the UK
and Scotland for Canada America, Australia New Zealand. As you have read I had
a dubious paper trail back to the Strelleys and Johnstons- two families I
rather like being attached to. A concentrated effort going back over old records
and channeling the relatives while writing a few blogs seemed to be enough to
stir up the genie angels and duly they sent me some clues.
Anyway the clincher was a DNA match to a
distant fifth cousin related to the Johnsons. If I was related to the Johnstons
everyone agreed that I had to be a Strelley. But the Strelley relatives were
not going to be outdone. It was sweet when a week later two matches to Strelley
rellies based in British Columbia clenched that dubious paper trail and put it
beyond doubt. Whatever the reasons the unmarried couples were trying to conceal
their relationships or deny their children they were no match for DNA.
So
out of my four grandparents Kerr, Strelley, Kelf and Gadsby only Gadsby needs
confirmation. I have this year found DNA
matches that stretch far and beyond the nearest grandparents not to mention
some good matches on Steve’s line. Beware, some of the brick walls still stand
especially on my Huguenot and Irish lines. Watch this space.
Blog
tags and online ancestry services connect me with people who are researching
similar people to those in my tree. One such case was that of Violet Harrison’s
great niece who wrote to me and shared stories and photos of my Mum’s long lost
uncle.
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| Violet and Tom Gadsby |
A
Strelley relative wrote to me in amazement that she was reading all about the
Strelley mysteries and myths she had grown up with. She had no clue how we were
related but I had been researching in cahoots with her brother and cousin for
years.
Others
contacted me regarding the Allan story I wrote. 6 Degrees of Separation- It's a small world for David Allan and Sophia Johnston As a result we have a collection of
people descended from Allan relatives each contributing their skills and
knowledge towards connecting the very impressive family in Australia and beyond.
One is writing a book and more blog stories are warranted for this fabulous
family.
This
blog is also dedicated to “cousins reunited”. A close relative match- Elizabeth
R had only five names on her tree and barely enough time to digest her results.
I immediately recognised the names. Her 2x great grandmother and my 2x great
grandfather were brother and sister. Not only that she had previously I had
previously corresponded with her long lost cousin. A swap of email addresses
and cousins were you reunited between Scotland and Canada. I got photos of my
grandfather’s cousin so I'm happy.
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| Maggie Revington Tinman and William Burbidge |
A
second new good news story brought tears to my eyes. After discovering earlier
this year that Steve’s grandfather’s brother Archibald have not died at sea but
married and had 5 daughters (4 still living
in their 80s and 90s) I was set to rewrite the Ford stories. A week or two later a fellow contacted Steve
through his DNA match he mentioned his grandfather's name Archibald. Mark comes
from a second cousin DNA match with my husband. Within hours we were able to
put him in touch with cousins he had never met. He didn't waste any time in
gaining a passport and meeting his aunts and cousins across the pond and then didn’t
waste any time travelling to southern parts of the USA to meet other cousins. Now
I have more photos to rewrite the true and correct part of Archibald Ford’s story.
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| Archibald Ford 1956 |
Finally
I scored a bingo when I discovered that my uncle’s step son is related to him
via the Johnston (Allan) family and so I’m related to my step cousin too. This
restored some of my credibility in the family. Look where the paper trail leads to...
Tip of the Year: Next year I hope to break through the brick
wall of my McLaughlin great grandmother. I received the smallest of hints from
a professional genealogist- use the wild card search. When I used a very wild
WILD CARD search on Scotlands’ People Yay! A small hole developed. Believe me I
had tried all sorts of permutations before and for many years. Finally, I found one mention of my grandmother
(using a different name) on a census and her mother with her. At last an age
and a place of birth for Mary McLaughlin. I now love the asterisk * and use it all the
time. #*** #usethewildcard
Technology Tip of the
Year:
I must say I love the “snipping tool”. Just download it to your tool bar, use it to
cut down screen documents, draw, highlight, edit, print and save. I use it
every day. #lovingthesnippingtool
Happy New Year to all
my readers, my collaborators, my Blogging buddies and my long suffering, eye
rolling relatives.
May your trees grow
and your mysteries resolve.
I hope 2018 lets all
your wishes come true.
Robyn xx
