The Scottish and English may be very similar in their approach to heraldry, however there are many subtle differences. Scottish heraldry has a simplicity and an openness to it that the British could learn from. For example in English heraldry you can add as many coat of arms as …
In today’s world we all expect vital records like births, deaths and marriages to be there. However marriages today are not how they always were. In the beginning, marriages were public commitments to a person and upheld more by the community knowing a couple was together. However the ability to …
When doing genealogy, a census is a great wealth of information. However in Australia, our census hasn’t provided us with the wealth of information that other countries have. It was really a task in counting off convicts initially and making sure there was enough rations. Then there is the fact …
I was searching for more information on my ancestor John Robinson. I knew his date of death was 1876 and he died in Balmain. However I was keen to find out what other information I might get from his will and probate information. I was very excited to see what …
An irregular marriage is a new term that I have come across in the last few weeks. I was curious of what ”irregular” meant. I found that today we would call it a ”de facto” marriage/relationship. It’s funny how old things become new. The idea of ”living in sin” is …
I can just imagine the fire that engulfed 50 years of census records now. All that paper with all those people and their lives up in smoke. It’s so sad to know that in Australia between 1971 to 1996 census records were routinely destroyed. All those census forms filled out …
Not even one convict. I can’t believe it. I am so ashamed that there is not one convict on any of my lines. Not even a convict that was pardoned or a marriage to a convict. I have searched my mothers side, and both her parents. I have searched my …
Happy Australia Day!! On Monday my brother in law became an Australian citizen. Another convert from dark old England, joining the lucky country. I explained to my six year old that we celebrate Australia Day to mark the landing of the first fleet but many people have come to settle …
Remembrance Day is my mother in law’s birthday. It’s always marked in our calendar, so I don’t miss it. I remember her birthday and then I remember to mark eleven o’clock. On the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour all the guns fell silent on the …
Tips for Melbourne Cup Barrier 11 is the luckiest barrier and barrier 18 is the unluckiest, no-one has ever won from barrier 18. On average the favourite wins the Melbourne cup every five years. (This means that in the hundred and fifty three years of the race running there have …
