GSV News

This Tuesday 27 January is forecast to be 42°C. The GSV have decided to close the office and library for the safety (and comfort) of staff and volunteers.

I can remember growing up in the Wimmera: everything (work, sport, even school, etc) would close or stop on the Total Fire Ban days or if the temperature went above a certain level. I can remember being excited when the forecast would be high because we would get sent home from school and could go swimming! 
Way out there in the dry north west, the closure was not really for the comfort of the workers or sports people but for allowing those people to be at their own properties to defend them if necessary. The biggest reason was so that there was not unnecessary traffic on the roads that could potentially block the path of emergency vehicles.

Do you have memories of past heatwaves? Did you get to skip school? Did you perhaps have a large veranda you got to sleep on? How did you keep cool? Perhaps this is a good time to share these memories. Write them down and talk to your children / grandchildren. 

Last November I tuned into a very interesting talk put on by the History Council of Victoria as part of their Making Public Histories series. This was in the form of a panel talk and discussion about heatwaves and history in twentieth century Australia. A mix of public and environmental historians talked about how heatwaves affected our ancestors decisions about housing, clothing, sleep, food and social interaction as well as professional and domestic labour. 

The talk series is at https://www.historycouncilvic.org.au/making_public_histories_seminar_se…, and the discussion "Talking bout the weather" is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV9xJunq_RE

So the advice from the GSV: stay home, stay safe, and access our resources and databases from home. But make sure you keep your devices charged up in case of power outage. 

Jackie van Bergen

First I want to apologise for a couple of incorrect dates in the last blog. There’s only one volunteer blog writer and no editor so please if you can help me, email blog@gsv.org.au 
The more of us who write blogs or check them, the less each of us will have to do.
I hope you have all managed to go to the Activities tab of our website and see the correct dates and details of our upcoming events. These events have been organised by volunteers who have been doing an amazing job putting the new programs together and revising previous years to ensure our offerings are up to date. 

The GSV is always looking for volunteers. We have so many opportunities I’m sure we can find something that suits your expertise or desire. Perhaps you have a skill from your working days that could really help us? Perhaps you worked in something all your life and don’t want to do anything like that anymore? Talk to us.

A couple of other areas we really want help with at the moment are:

• help with facilitating our discussion circles - assist other convenors to plan and run meetings, and to send out notices before and after each meeting. You don’t have to present, just help.
• an assistant course co-ordinator for our writing family stories course - liaise with the presenters and participants, answering questions and sometimes tech support.
• assistance with turning our recordings into webcasts - a computer based job but you will be trained. Maybe you will learn some good skills to turn some of your own memories into movies?
• social media posts including YouTube videos - we have a new YouTube channel and we’d love to get some more short videos up. You would work with Trena to do this.
• indexing and scanning with an established team. Training provided.
• promotional activities - help us identify opportunities to get our message out, perhaps you have skills in graphics or Canva.

Email membersupport@gsv.org.au if you can help with the above or have other ideas.

Please note: Phone bookings are now open.
Are you one of the people who have been itching to book but don’t like online bookings?
Linda is back in the office and ready to take your bookings for our fabulous events.
She can also help you become a member if you want to take advantage of the large discounts for members for our upcoming talks and courses.

Jackie van Bergen

We are starting 2026 off with a bang!

Only a day or two left to book! Our first event for the year is “I was given a DNA kit for Christmas. Now what?” This talk will answer all the most basic questions, even those you thought were too dumb to ask. Wed 14 Jan at 10.30am on zoom. Free for members. $10 for non-members.

Designed for those new to the GSV, or just needing a refresher, our regular Introduction to the GSV and its Resources is on Thu 15 Jan at 10.30am. Free for members.

Our library has a Saturday opening on Sat 16 Jan from 10am to 3pm. Yes, real people to help you find something new / break down that brick wall. Please book in advance. Of course you can visit us during the week: Tue - Fri 10am to 4pm with no need to book.

If you’ve been pining for a face to face meeting, consider joining our British in India discussion circle on Tue 20 Jan at 10.30am in Hawthorn. Many of us have ancestors or relations of ancestors who lived or served in the military or industry in India. This vibrant group for members only meets monthly.

“Setting the Scene” on Fri 21 Jan at 10.30am on zoom is the first VicTas discussion circle meeting of the year. Where did your ancestors live and what resources are available to learn about the town or region? Free event, for members only.

Looking forward to some special events:

• the new AI for Genealogy discussion circle will launch on Tue 10 Feb at 10.30am on zoom. Members only.
• Wed 18 Mar sees the return of the always popular ‘Using DNA for Family History’ course. Running once per month for 7 sessions, open for members and non-members. You can book individual sessions or get a discount for booking the full course.
• Our brand new Australian Family History course is open for members and non-members. There’s a few ways to book: for individual sessions or the whole course (with a big discount). This course launches on Sat 21 Mar with a full day hybrid seminar, continues with shorter sessions on zoom and finishes with another hybrid seminar in October.

You can find more details and book all these and more through our website, Activities tab. Remember to log in if you are a member so you get the discount.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your family history off to a great start in 2026 with the GSV.

Did you get a DNA kit for Christmas?
Did you gift a kit to a family member for Christmas?
What happens now?

If you are anything like me, you’ll have questions such as: 

• What do I do with the results?
• Do I have to have an Ancestry subscription?
• Can someone else look after my results? How does that work?
• How can GSV help me?
• How safe is it?

Genealogical DNA testing and interpretation is complex. Each provider tests differently and uses different pools of data to compare your DNA data to. There are a range of tools to help you interpret your data.

The GSV can help answer any questions you have about DNA testing.
If you’d like our help, and to begin to explore the unlimited potential of the DNA test, register for our introductory DNA Zoom session on Wed 14 Jan at 10am. 
This is free for members and just $10 for non-members. 
The recording will be made available to those who register but cannot attend at that time.

Online bookings only until 13 January via our website, Activities tab, Events tab.
https://www.gsv.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=2972
Please make sure you log in as a member to get your member discount.

In addition to this talk, GSV runs a course for those who have got their results. 
This course will begin in March and run for seven sessions. Watch our social media for the dates and booking information early in the new year.

There is also a monthly DNA study group that is free for members. This group has a private Facebook group where members share and discuss links and resources.

Note: Given the complexity of DNA testing and the variations between tests and processes used by different companies, our presentation will use ancestry.com examples. Much of the general information will be relevant to other DNA kit providers.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/gsv.org.au
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/familyhistorywithgsv/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GSVFamilyHistory

We’re very excited about what is coming to GSV in 2026.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be giving you a sneak peak.

The first is one of the biggest!
The Australian Family History Course: Research Strategies & Resources.

A big thank you to those who put their hands up in the recent survey. From this response, the Education team has been able to identify a course manager and gather together some amazing presenters. Just wait until you see what they have developed!

This course will be open to non-members and if ever there was a reason to join the GSV, this is it! 
Perhaps a membership or a course entry fee could be your Christmas gift?

So, why should you do a course such as this?
We all have gaps in our knowledge and skills. This course aims to give you a comprehensive guide to researching families in Australia, placing them in a framework of place and time.
Throughout the seven months, you will:

• gain an increased understanding of research skills and techniques
• achieve a broad appreciation of Australian history
• increase your knowledge of the types of records available
• improve your skills and application of where and how to access and use these records
• apply your findings effectively in your own family history

To kick things off, there will be a full day hybrid seminar on Saturday 21 March, and another full day hybrid seminar to close it on Saturday 24 October 2026. The rest of the course will be presented on Zoom.

Especially for Christmas, online bookings for the full course and session 1 (the opening seminar) have just opened. At this stage, bookings are only open online. If you prefer to book through our office, this will open on 13 January. A discount is given for GSV members so remember to log in to the website when booking. Priority is being given to those who book the entire course. 

Book the full course at https://www.gsv.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=2943
Book the opening seminar at https://www.gsv.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=2944
And don’t forget to tell us if you are attending in person or on Zoom for the hybrid seminar.

You will be able to book individual sessions through separate entries on the Events page from 13 January 2026.

If you have a question or would like a syllabus, you can email Michael, the course manager, at austresearch@gsv.org.au

The GSV has a large collection of aging and fragile microfiche and film records. We know they contain information which in some cases is not available elsewhere. Currently these records are only accessible through ageing microfilm equipment. With our current scanning equipment it would take more than a lifetime to convert them!

We are launching a special fundraising appeal to raise $20,000 for a new microfiche and microfilm scanner so that we can quickly and efficiently digitise and preserve this collection.

Your donation will allow us to create high-quality digital copies, safeguarding these fragile historical records, ensuring they will be preserved for the future and made accessible to GSV members. It will be possible to view, search, and use them with greater ease, helping our members with their family history research for many years to come.

Will you donate to this appeal?
Whether it be a small amount or a four figure donation, every gift will get us closer to the goal, enabling the equipment to be purchased and the collection preservation work to get underway.

Donations to the GSV are tax-deductible. They can be made:

• online through the Donate Now link on the GSV website homepage;
• by calling the GSV (on 03 9662 4455) with your credit card details; or
• by cheque in the mail (to Level 1, 10 Queen Street, Melbourne Victoria, 3000).

With very best wishes for Christmas and 2026.

Brian Reid
President

You only have a few days left to purchase DNA kits at the best price I’ve seen.
ancestry.com have a Black Friday price of $59 + postage
MyHeritage.com have their kits priced at $48 + postage.

Buy one for yourself, for your parents, siblings and/or cousins. Potentially confirm some relationships, knock down some brick walls or simply spark their interest in family history.

If you haven’t done anything with DNA before, don’t worry, early in 2026 the GSV will run a simple introductory session on zoom for members and non-members. 
This will include answers to all the questions you don’t want to ask because you think you’ll “look dumb”: 

• How do I do the test?
• What do I do with the results?
• Do I have to have an ancestry subscription?
• Can someone else look after my results? How does that work?
• How can GSV help me?
• What about my privacy and security?

This talk will lead in to a repeat of the “Using your DNA for Family History” course to start a month or two later and run for about seven sessions. This course is designed in separate modules and you can book for the entire course, or just modules where you feel your knowledge needs a refresher.

And don’t forget our DNA Study group aimed at the more intermediate or advanced level.

You can find more information about DNA and the GSV here:
https://www.gsv.org.au/dna-and-family-history-gsv

Watch our Activities/Events page, and follow our social media pages for the announcement of the dates.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gsv.org.au

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genealogyworld/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GSVFamilyHistory

Ancestry DNA Offer: https://www.ancestry.com.au/c/dna/offer

MyHeritage DNA Offer: https://www.myheritage.com/dna?utm_source=ppc_google&utm_medium=cpc&utm…

What might a hospital admission from 150 years ago reveal about your ancestor's life?

The Melbourne Hospital Ward Books reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary lives of 19th century Melbourne. As a GSV member you can access this unique index of patient histories through the GSV collection for free as part of your membership.

Since 2000, GSV volunteers have been painstakingly digitising and indexing these fragile, leatherbound ward books, the patient files of their time. Today, more than 103,000 records now feature in the Genealogical Index of Names (GIN) database. This index has been steadily expanding, with the latest 2000 records to be made available in November 2025, making it well worth revisiting as you may discover entries that weren’t there before!

Each entry reveals more than a name. You might find occupations, religions, addresses, arrival ships, marital status, or a remark made from attending doctors on discharge. Notes often describe admission and discharge outcomes, including whether the patient was cured, absconded or even “went out on a pass and did not return”. They can also reveal missing information if you can’t find death records. Together these fragments reveal everyday experiences of our ancestors such as the dockworkers injured on the job, the struggle of illness in “Marvellous Smellbourne,” and the children hurt in street accidents. Through these records, the hardships of ordinary lives are brought to life, turning medical history into human story.

Could your ancestor’s story be among them?

Access the records at the Research and Education Centre by clicking on the “GIN (Genealogical Index of Names)” link under “Research Library Resources” on the GSV Research Library Menu page.

At home log in to the GSV website, click on “OUR COLLECTION>CATALOGUE AND DATABASES” and then the Catalogue and Databases link. Select “Genealogical Index of Names (GIN)."

Enter at least a surname into the “Surname:” field, and “patients in the melbourne hospital” into the “Source title:” field.

“… Click for more” to see the details for an individual entry in either the Comments or attached pdf file.

GIN connects thousands of Victorian names across GSV collections, helping you uncover links that may have been missed elsewhere.

Elyse Carmel

Image credit: "Chelmer" [340 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, home of pioneering radiologist and amateur photographer, Dr Thomas George Beckett] 1920s. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gsofv/14247383661/

Did you know that at least 15 convicts on the first fleet were of African descent?
Did you know that by 1840, there were almost 500 black convicts?

Some of these lives were documented and their likenesses hang in places like the National Portrait Gallery, but others: even their descendants are unaware of their existence. By uncovering lives whitewashed out of our history, in stories spanning Africa, the Americas and Europe, Santilla Chingaipe's book, Black Convicts, traces Australia’s hidden links to slavery. Situating European settlement in its global context, Santilla shows that the injustice of dispossession was driven by the engine of labour exploitation. Black Convicts will change the way we think about who we are.

Want to learn more? Come along to the next Convict and Transportation Discussion Circle meeting on Thu 27 Nov at 1.30pm on Zoom to be part of a discussion with Santilla Chingaipe about her work on her book Black Convicts.

Santilla is a filmmaker, historian and writer, and would like to have people ask her questions as part of her presentation. Here is a great opportunity to ask about writing historical non-fiction, handling historical crimes and other issues sensitively, research processes and much more.
You can read more on the Convict Noticeboard section of the GSV website.

I heard Santilla talk as part of a panel talking about Writing Non-Fiction at the Sorrento Writers Festival. She shared some great insights into researching and writing history. 

Please register for the Zoom link on the GSV website under the Activities tab. This event is free and for GSV members only.

Jackie van Bergen

With so many of the most important records spread out among 3200 counties in the USA, and governed by the laws of 50 different states, searching for your family records can be difficult.

Thomas Nelson, a Content Strategist from FamilySearch will speak about the challenges of learning and accessing county records. He will focus on the tools, resources and organisations that can help people achieve success in finding their families in the records. There will be time for Q&A.

A couple of presentations, specific to Illinois and Massachusetts will be shown in the second half of the meeting. There will also be time to discuss your research problems and brickwalls. You might want to submit them in advance to isg@gsv.org.au

We hope you will support the inaugural combined GSV / SAG meeting of their respective groups: 

• International Settlers Discussion Circle, and the
• USA and Canada Research Interest Group.

When: Sat 22 Nov at 10am on Zoom.
Please note the earlier time due to the time zone of the speaker.

This is free for GSV members who should register on the GSV website through the Activities tab to receive the Zoom link.