I received this email, via my website, last week;

Hi Kylie, Thank you for your website. I was just wondering if you had come across a brief letter of inquiry written by a Miss May A Scadden of “Riverview” Buffalo, South Gippsland to the AIF about an Arthur Evans who died in France in 1916. This letter can be viewed at http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=1908431 (digital record page 19). Could this be your May Alice Scadden? and is there a story to be told here? (My interest is that Arthur Evans’ brother Horace Sidney Evans married one of my wife’s relations).

This message intrigued me and as I am currently researching the Scadden branch of my tree I followed it up straight away.  May Alice Scadden is my first cousin once removed.  My paternal grandmother was her Aunt.

Why did May write to the AIF on Arthur’s mother’s behalf?

May Alice Scadden’s letter to the AIF

I turned to Trove to help me find out.  I couldn’t find any evidence of May and Arthur being romantically linked however Arthur was living in Buffalo, Victoria, Australia, where May lived, when he enlisted.  

Was it part of her job or simply a helpful and good thing to do?
May and her sisters wrote to soldiers and sent care packages as the following article shows.

May and her sister Janet attended a fancy dress ball where May was dressed as a Red Cross Nurse. I wonder if May was a Red Cross nurse or she desired to be one. Either way it shows a concern for others and, with the letters written to soldiers, an interest in world events.

May and Janet attend a fancy dress ball

Maybe they were involved, maybe they weren’t. I don’t know, however it is sad that Arthur didn’t return from the war, he died at the Battle of the Somme and his grieving mother may or may not have received his personal effects.

May went on to marry a local chap, Malcolm McFarlane, in 1918.

(Unfortunately I had some problems with Trove this morning so I haven’t been able to include links to the two newspaper articles above)

1. Tell us about your favourite social media tool and why you like it.

My favourite social media tool for genealogy is Google Plus because I’m able to separate my interests into ‘circles’ and share specific information with each circle.

2. How do you use social media to further your genealogy career or business?

I try to share as much interesting genealogy stuff as I can find.  I also use it to read and learn from what others are sharing and talking about.

3. What advice would you give the cruiser who said “I must be living
under a rock” and is not sure about coming out from under it? (This came from my Social Media presentation)

My advice is to take a computer course suited to their needs or work one on one with someone who can give them a gentle introduction to social media and how it can help them with their genealogy.

4. What aspect of Social Media makes you grit your teeth?

SPAM

5. How does social media assist with your CGD (continuing genealogical development)?

As I said in number two – learning!!  Keeping up to date with trends, software, websites, societies, tips etc.

6. How do you fit social media time into your busy day?

I try and remember to check social media each morning after I’ve checked my email and throughout the day if I want a break from research.

7. Do you have a story of how social media enabled you to connect with a long lost relation or fellow  researcher?

A cousin in Victoria who isn’t computer literate had a go at searching the Internet and found my blog.  Not having an email account he contacted me by phone, via the group I volunteer with which was listed on my blog.

8. You have a minute to share a piece of advice about genealogy and social media. Go for it.

Join Facebook and Twitter, connect your blog to these accounts so that it automatically posts to them.  On Facebook send friend requests to all the rellies you can find.  I have several younger cousins who read my blog because of this.  Let your family know that you’re on Twitter too.  I also share my blog posts on Google Plus with my genealogy circle as well as with my family and the Google Plus public.

Thanks to my cousin Joanne reading this blog post https://blog.kyliesgenes.com/2013/01/headstones-memorials  I now have photos of James and Mary Chapman’s headstone.   Joanne had found the photos taken before this headstone was removed and the grave site reused.

James and Mary Chapman and family

Geneablogger love that is. It’s great to see awards being given out to various bloggers at the moment. We all love the comments, interaction, help and ideas we receive from other geneabloggers, the validation of what we do and why we do it is wonderful.

A big thank you to Jill aka Geniaus for awarding me the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award.