My sister and I are doing research for our rellies which we will print up with pictures and stories for Christmas presents. Today I came across this incredible obituary. I’m not related to the subject, William Kither, but the obit is so good I wanted to share it. I’m not sure if William is buried in St Judes cemetery in Brighton, South Australia or if the headstone is a memorial.
William and his wife Elizabeth’s headstone
[trove newspaper=58611308]
For the last two months I’ve been working on the Saving Graves Australia website. A big thanks to Peter Applebee for hosting the site.
For many years cemetery authorities across Australia have undertaken the practice of removing headstones and memorials and re-using graves on which the lease has expired. Concerned citizens are now coming together to raise awareness about this practice, share their stories and lobby governments for legislation changes.
If you haven’t heard about this please check it out and join one of the Facebook groups.
I saw this post on Facebook by Alona from Gould Genealogy and thought it would make a good blog post.
While we all think about writing our own history, few of us actually sit down to do so, as it’s not an easy thing to do.
But rather than writing a book, why not write Life Notes! Break it down into topics or lists, and just write down things like the houses you lived in, the various cars you owned over time, the places you went for holidays and the pets you had and so on … and then even if your book never gets written, the information has been preserved.
I’m starting with some of the homes I’ve lived in.
16 Jenny Ave, Dernancourt, Adelaide, South Australia. 1969 – 1973.
This is what it looks like now but it’s not greatly different from 1969 just the garden is more developed and the fence is different.
Corner of Flaxley Rd and Strathalbyn Rd, Flaxley, South Australia. 1973 – 1987
This photo was taken circa 1986-87
If you click on the picture to see it bigger you can just see under the peeling paint where a previous owner had painted Flaxley Corner on the roof.
Flaxley Corner in 2013, to me it’s now unrecognisable as the house I grew up in.
This picture is of the opposite side of the house from the one above.
Uno Station, near Iron Knob, South Australia. Governess job 1987.
Uno Station Homestead 1987
Map Showing Uno Station Homestead, Uno Range, Lake Gilles and the start of the Gawler Ranges.
Flinders Island, South Australia. Governess job 1987.
Flinders Island, view from the house.
Aerial view of Flinders Island homestead 2013 Google Maps.
Callanna Station, near Marree, South Australia. Governess job 1987.
Callanna Station Homestead
Callanna Station homestead is towards the bottom left hand corner of the map.
Cawkers Well Station, near Wilcannia, New South Wales, Australia. Governess job 1988.
Cawkers Well homestead is right in the middle of the map
Hood St, Wilcannia, New South Wales, Australia 1988. I worked at the local school. It was at this house I learnt to chop wood for my wood stove which I used for heating and cooking.
I was very pleased and surprised to find out that my blog had been listed in this years top 50 as chosen by Inside History magazine. A big thank you to everyone involved in the selection process I’m honoured to have my blog chosen.
http://www.insidehistory.com.au/2013/07/50-genealogy-blogs-you-need-to-read/
For those who haven’t heard of this wonderful magazine,
Inside History is a bi-monthly magazine for people passionate about Australian and New Zealand genealogy, history and heritage. Jul-Aug 2013 edition (Issue 17) is out now and can be purchased through our online shop or from our stockists. Find us in the newsagents – click here to search the Australian newsagents stocking us.
Something that I only recently found out was that as well as being available in a digital edition via the Itunes store you can also purchase it via the Zinio store for Android, Iphone/pad or PC.
The National Archives of Australia Adelaide office holds records of the state’s early postal workers so I checked to see if either of my William Chapmans (father and son) were there. I found some of their pay records and a photo of my 2x great uncle William Chapman Jnr. The photo held by the National Archives appears to be the original as it is in an old cardboard frame with faded writing on it. I was able to take a photograph of it but unfortunately I can’t reproduce it here due to copyright restrictions. I can however show you what it looked like when it was printed in The Register on 18 March 1925 on William’s 81st birthday with a long article about his life’s recollections. William died in 1930 aged 86.
Newspaper Photo
View William’s profile in my family tree here: http://kyliesgenes.com/individual.php?pid=I1205&ged=WillisonFamilyTree16Nov2011.ged
I went to the National Archives Adelaide office today to view some records I had ordered. The WWII pay records of my uncle William Henry Willison didn’t yield much information but the records of my grandfather William Burnett Willison did. My grandfather died before I was born so I know very little about him. I have his WWI record which has been digitised but not his WWII record so I was very interested to look through his pay records.
Overseas Service Nil
Conductor On Ammunition Train From Port Augusta, South Australia to Bogan Gate Army Base, New South Wales
I felt a little emotional reading these records today but I’m not sure exactly why. It gave me some insight into my Grandfather but not much. He had a dangerous job and must have been a responsible man, so I’m proud of his efforts in both world wars. Maybe it was seeing my Auntie and Uncle’s names in print and the reminder that Dad is the only one left now………..
Terowie, South Australia To Broken Hill, New South Wales
I got some background information from this website which others might find useful – Introduction To Military Units and Ranks http://www.ipas.com.au/images/Units,%20History%20and%20Terminology%20of%20the%20ADF.pdf