The Ancestral Places Geneameme

Thanks to Alona from Lone Tester for this geneameme.  Using the alphabet how many letters can you name ancestral places for?

  • A – Adelaide, South Australia (Willison, Scadden, Buring)
  • B – Berlin, Prussia (Buring)
  • C – Cornwall, England (Scadden)
  • D – Draughton, Northamptonshire, England (Heeps)
  • E – Elmore, Victoria, Australia (Heeps, Boyd)
  • F – Flaxley, South Australia (Willison)
  • G – Geelong, Victoria, Australia (Welsh)
  • H – Hindmarsh, South Australia (Willison)
  • I – Ireland (Plunkett, Hayward)
  • J – Jamaica (Carousa, Caransa)
  • K – Kettering, Northamptonshire, England (Bodger)
  • L – Littlehampton, South Australia (Weller, Wigzell)
  • M – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Welsh)
  • N – Nottinghamshire, England (Wigley)
  • O – Oxford, England (Tibbatts)
  • P – Prussia, Germany (Buring)
  • Q – Queenstown, South Australia (Welsh)
  • R – Richmond, South Australia (Chapman, Weller)
  • S – Scotland (Reid, Willison, Burnett, Boyd)
  • T – Tylden, Victoria, Australia (Humphrey)
  • U –
  • V – Victoria, Australia (Heeps, Boyd)
  • W – Westminster, Middlesex, England (Chamberlain)
  • X –
  • Y –
  • Z –

Preparing For The Researching Abroad Roadshow

How do you prepare before attending a workshop or conference?  I haven’t always done this as well as I could have so this time I would like to be more prepared.  The two principal speakers are Chris Paton and Dirk Weissleder.  Chris will be speaking on the UK and Ireland and Dirk on Germany.  I have ancestors from all of these areas so their presentations will have significance for me.

It’s easy to look at a conference program and be overwhelmed by all the talks on offer.  I’ve done here what I’ve previously done with the OzComicCon program.  I pull out the main speakers and topics I am interested in. Below are the presentations from Chris and Dirk the key speakers.  This is taken from the Adelaide roadshow program.

Chris Paton

  • British and Irish Newspapers
  • Scottish Research Resources Before 1800
  • British Censuses and Substitutes
  • Irish Family History Resources Online

Dirk Weissleder

  • Primary and Secondary Sources on Genealogy in
    Germany
  • Introduction to European Research
  • The International German Genealogical Partnership
  • Archives, Libraries and Institutions for Genealogical
    Researchers in Germany

I will also review the information I have on my Scottish, Irish and German ancestors and make notes to take with me of surnames, era of dates of birth, and birth places/counties or parishes. Eg. Buring/Biering, Berlin, Prussia early 1800s.  Willison, Galston, Ayrshire, Scotland. Reid, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 1800s.

What I will do next is prepare any questions, I might have, for the speakers.  It’s best to ask generic questions at a presentation and keep specific questions for one on one time. Eg. What might have happened to an ancestor if they disappear from records in 1840s in Germany?

Lots of other bloggers have mentioned the things to take to a conference so here are just a few: pencil, notebook, drink bottle, fully charged electronic gadgets, comfortable clothes and business or geniecards.

I’m looking forward to two great days of learning, catching up with friends and meeting new people.

DNA Results

I woke up this morning to find that my DNA results are in and one person has contacted me already!!  I’m excited to get stuck in to checking out all the matches and following the leads they bring!  I chose Ancestry DNA because I’m already an avid Ancestry user and also because I can download my raw results and upload them to other DNA testing providers such as Family Tree DNA to get even more matches and interpretation tools.

Hopefully there will be more blog posts to come about my matches and the knocking down of brick walls.

Unlock The Past Roadshow


This is the first time I’ve been an ambassador* for a genealogy event.  I’m excited to be attending the roadshow in Adelaide to hear Chris Paton, Dirk Weissleder and other presenters speak.  I have both Scottish and German heritage so this event is perfect for me.

The Adelaide event is on the 23rd and 24th August, 9:00 to 4:30 at The German Club, 223 Flinders Street, Adelaide.

To book your ticket go here http://www.unlockthepast.com.au/events/researching-abroad-british-isles-european-ancestors-adelaide scroll down to the middle of the page and click Book Now.

The full Adelaide program can be found here and the dates and times for all other locations here.

*As an ambassador I receive a complimentary ticket to Researching Abroad: Finding European & British Isles Ancestors.

Uncle Bill

There are many stories I could tell about my Uncle Bill.  I was reminded of one yesterday when I visited a friend who has backyard chooks (chickens).

Bill Willison

President of Southern Districts Poultry Club Bill Willison on right.

We had chooks at our house also and Dad and Uncle Bill often gave some to each other.  I had a pet bantam I named Wobbles because it had a deformed foot.  Now one night Uncle Bill came to pick up some bantam hens from Dad.  It’s easiest to catch them at night when they are roosting.  You can probably guess what happened.  Wobbles was picked up with the other bantams and taken to Uncle Bill’s.  I was heartbroken the next day when I went to feed the chooks and Wobbles wasn’t there.  I don’t recall how old I was at the time maybe about seven or eight.  All was made right again though when Uncle Bill returned Wobbles shortly thereafter.  So many fond memories of my uncle, William Henry Willison.

A Heartfelt Letter – The Coffey Brothers

Maurice James Coffey, my 1st cousin 3 times removed, wrote to the officer in charge of base records of the AIF in 1932.  I found this letter in his service records held by the National Archives of Australia.

A brief transcription is as follows:

Dear Sir

Please supply me with the Regimental Numbers and units of my four brothers

Louis Johnstone Coffey Killed at Messines June 1917

Sylvester Plunkett Coffey deceased

Edward Daly Coffey died TB hospital Adelaide March 1921

Arthur Thomas Coffey enlisted at Albury NSW under the name of Arthur Everard and gave as his next of kin his cousin Thomas Plunkett of Bowna near Albury.  I am his next of kin being the eldest and only surviving brother.  Arthur died about 1923? after his discharge from the AIF in December 1919.

I wish to perpetuate the memory of my dead brothers who served in the AIF

Yours faithfully

Morris James Coffey

Late Lieut 10th Bn Inf AIF

Such a sad letter, to have four of his brothers who served in World War One all die at war or shortly after.

Photo courtesy of WikiMedia Commons

They all got into some sort of trouble during their military service, whether it was going AWOL for a night, talking back to an officer or something more serious.  Several of the brothers neglected to mention on their enlistment forms that they had been convicted of criminal offences prior to their military service also.

There were seven brothers in the family altogether.  Christopher Augustin Coffey died when he was fifteen so didn’t serve and it doesn’t appear that Michael Francis Coffey (commonly known as Frank) served either.

Sylvester Plunkett Coffey’s wounds were such that he ended up with hemiplegia, the paralysis of one side of the body.  In one description it says that one eye was permanently shut, his mouth drooped, he drooled and had no use of his arm and that his leg was slightly improved.  It certainly paints a bleak picture of poor Sylvester.  I have found very little more information other than he returned to Adelaide and died in 1920.

So far I have been unable to find a reason for Arthur Thomas Coffey to enlist under a different name.  He must have used the name Arthur Everard after his military service as well, as his probate documents note both names.  I have yet to find any evidence that he used the name Arthur Everard prior to World War One.  In the above letter Maurice is under the impression that Arthur died in 1923 however this isn’t the case.  Arthur didn’t die until 1938.  Maurice must have found out his mistake as it is him who notifies Base Records of Arthur’s death.

Private Louis Johnstone Coffey

Louis Johnstone Coffey died in the Battle of Messines.

Edward Daly Coffey was in trouble with the law before and after his military service.

1920 ‘IN THE COURTS. SUPREME—CRIMINAL.’, Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 – 1931), 31 July, p. 34. , viewed 03 Jun 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165906753

Edward died not long after this on 22 Mar 1921.  His time in prison may have worsened his tuberculosis but it may also have prevented him from drinking which it appears was a problem throughout not only his life but that of his brothers as well.

As I find out more about the five Coffey brothers I am adding it to the RSL Virtual War Memorial.