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.

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).

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.

When you’re next on a cemetery ramble please let the office or local council know if you see any graves which have significant damage, overgrowth of trees, weeds etc. We need to speak up to protect our cemeteries.

This is important the world over as more cemeteries are falling into disrepair, there is greater vandalism and grave reuse is happening more and more.  We’re losing our historic buildings, places and cemeteries at an alarming rate.  Soon we will have nothing left to pass on to our children and grandchildren….

Not far from where I live in Felixstow, South Australia is the River Torrens.  I have always loved rivers and spent many hours watching the River Murray when I lived at Murray Bridge.  The recent flooding in South Australia has provided for some interesting viewing and photography.  I’m no great photographer and I use my phone camera but I still love to record my life and local area in photos.

On the 14th of September, just a little over a week ago, we had extensive flooding in parts of the Adelaide Hills, South Coast and Adelaide suburbs.  Here are some of the photos I took on the 15th.

 

 

 

 

The local news has reported extensively on the flooding:

• http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-14/adelaide-homes-without-power-as-strong-winds-rain-hit-sa/7842780
• http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-14/sa-homes-flooded-creeks-and-rivers-still-to-peak-ses-warns/7845572

I couldn’t help myself but check Trove to see what was reported about other times the River Torrens had flooded in my area.

Saturday 13th August 1870 the River Torrens flooded, this report stating that the water at Felixstow and Marden was nearly bank high.  It is hard to tell how much water that is as the river is very different today from how it was then.  This picture below shows how differently the river looked at Felixstow in 1910.

 

This photo shows the river as much wider than it is today.

Here is a transcript of the above newspaper clipping from the South Australian Register 30 August 1889.

Deputations
Felixstow Bridge
“On Monday morning Alderman Solomon, M.P. introduced a deputation representing the Districts of Payneham, Campbelltown, Teatree Gully, and Yatala South, to ask the Government to put a sum of money on the Estimates for the restoration of the Felixstow Bridge swept away by the recent floods in the River Torrens.  It was pointed out that the bridge was not only a convenience but a necessity to the people of the districts named and the fruitgrowers and cultivators in the hills and country beyond.”

I’m glad that our road bridges are much sturdier than they were in days of old.  Here is the footbridge where I take my grandchildren to feed the ducks.  I think we’ll be waiting a fair while for it to be fixed.

 

 

Wheal Watkins is an old lead and silver mine in the Adelaide Hills of South Australian near Glen Osmond.  I went to an open day on Sunday held by the Burnside Historical Society.  Dave Monceaux was the knowledgeable guide who gave us a surface tour.

 

You can go in a couple of metres to a gate and with torches we could see quite a way back into the hill.  The Cornish miners liked to make tunnels into the side of hills where they could.  Lead was first discovered on a neighbouring property in 1840 and mining started there in 1841 it was named Wheal Gawler.  Mining commenced at Wheal Watkins in 1844.

When I got home from visiting the mine I started doing some research into it.  I found that a James Heneker was the first to find lead in the area.  I recognised the name as one I had researched for a friend and yes James is her 3x great uncle.

In the September newsletter of the Burnside Historical Society is a report on the state of the mine site and what they are doing to preserve and protect it.

 

Last Thursday my daughter and I took the grandkids to the zoo.  I hadn’t been for about fifteen years so I was very pleasantly surprised by the changes and happy to see some familiar buildings and enclosures too.

 

The Adelaide Zoological Gardens was opened on 23 May 1883 by Sir William Robinson.  Just lately I’ve been enjoying looking up Trove for information on historical places I have visited in Adelaide, South Australia, where I live.  I love thinking about the history of the museum, the zoo, the state library, and the universities which were all places my ancestors would have been to and visiting them now and also sharing them with my grandchildren makes these experiences even more special to me.  Josiah is only three but I talk to him about how Mummy went there when she was a little girl and so did Grandma and also Grandma Bette (my Mum).