GSV News

A quick reminder that the 30 June financial year end is fast approaching and donations to GSV are tax-deductible and very much appreciated.

The GSV is a place where members volunteer to assist other members to research their family histories, aided by a small but highly experienced team of professionals. It is fair to say we are a respected and well-loved organisation.

Whether you are currently seeking information about your ancestors, have yet to start, or think you may have finished, the GSV is here to assist you at every stage of your journey.

Our highly regarded quarterly Ancestor journal is probably the most visible of the GSV’s offerings, but there is so much more. Behind the scenes is a sophisticated, technologically advanced organisation with teams of dedicated volunteers continually updating the means by which you can carry out your research.

Then we have a number of discussion circles where members share their special interests, seek help, learn more and enjoy the company of other members.

Our volunteers are in at GSV five days a week, working for the benefit of our members and ready and prepared to help you with your research – or to point you to the multitude of GSV resources and other sources of information.

It is costly to maintain and to add to what we have to offer, to keep up-to-date with changes so as to be prepared to help you when you are ready.

For the GSV to continue to “be there” for you when you need us, we rely on donations.

We hope the approach of the end of the tax year, June 30, is a time when you might think about supporting “your” organisations and interests.

We ask - “Would you please consider a donation to the GSV to ensure a strong and healthy future?”

We hope your answer will be “yes”.

Donations to GSV are tax-deductible. They can be made online through the Donate Now link on the GSV website homepage, or by calling the GSV (on 03 9662 4455) with your credit card details, or by a cheque in the mail (to Level 1, 10 Queen Street, Melbourne Victoria, 3000).

We are looking for volunteers who have hidden talents and are willing to help us out.
Perhaps you have experience from your working life, or with another community group?
Perhaps you have a passion to learn a new skill? We’d love to talk to you.

Please note, you can do all these tasks from the comfort of your own home. Some training might need to be at GSV.

Marketing
We are reviving the marketing team with the aim of looking at what our members want, are we reaching enough of our members?, how do we attract new members? Perhaps you have experience growing membership, or in conducting member surveys? We’d love to talk to you about it. Please contact Jackie via gsv@gsv.org.au

Website
We’d love more volunteers to help us with creating and updating website content on a regular basis. You will need reasonable computer skills. It would be great if you have some writing and editing skills, basic image editing skills and the ability to create user-friendly content layouts. Some training can be provided. Please contact Tom via gsv@gsv.org.au

Blog creators
Content creators need some basic writing skills to write or edit info sent to them. As many discussion circles now share 350 word stories, that would be a perfect background for this role. Please contact Jackie via gsv@gsv.org.au.

Webcast editors
Do you have experience with editing videos? We have a backlog of recordings waiting to be edited and added to our webcast library. We currently use the Macintosh program iMovie and it would be great if you have some experience using this. If not, we can train you. Alternatively if you have experience or skills using a Windows video editing program we would love to hear from you. The editing can be done from home. Please contact us by emailing education@gsv.org.au

Ancestor contributions
We welcome the submission of articles from both GSV members and non-members on family history topics for possible publication in our journal. We especially encourage new writers and we look for, and appreciate, stories and research which break new ground. See the website for details: https://www.gsv.org.au/submit-an-article.   Editorial assistance  will be provided for articles accepted for publication.

Do you have some fractions of “exotic” DNA in your DNA profile? Has that been a bit of a surprise to you? Should you take these small parcels seriously, or are they a bit of an anomaly that it is best to ignore? Are you surprised, disappointed or puzzled by your ethnicity results? Or when you think about it, do they begin to make sense?

The British in India discussion circle talk by Alan Rhodes, “Fractions of ‘exotic’ ethnicities” will be on Tuesday, 18th June 730 – 9.00 pm by Zoom. All GSV members are welcome. Free of charge. Don’t forget to log in and register.

Alan’s talk is likely to be of interest to other GSV members who have small amounts of “exotic” DNA in their profiles or would like to better understand their unexpected ethnicity results. While the context is the mixing of Indian genes with European genes, the focus of Alan’s talk will be applicable to other ethnic mixes.  If you are interested, do join us!

Alan plans to cover:

• What is ethnicity?  And how is it calculated? Why do results change from time to time? Why does ethnicity differ from site to site?  Why do siblings’ ethnicity results differ?
• Why do ethnicity results often only partially or barely reflect known ancestry?    
• What do ethnicity results show and how do you read them?
• Are traces of ‘exotic’ ethnicity real parts of my inheritance?
• How can we use ethnicity to trace our family history?
• The session will present several case studies using ethnicity to research family history.

There will be a chance for questions but Alan would like to point out that he cannot give detailed responses to specific questions about participants’ DNA profiles.

The British India Discussion Circle is for GSV members researching their family history in India between 1599 and Independence in 1947.

The GSV is a place where members volunteer to assist other members to research their family histories, aided by a small but highly experienced team of professionals. It is fair to say we are a respected and well-loved organisation.

Whether you are currently seeking information about your ancestors, have yet to start, or think you may have finished, the GSV is here to assist you at every stage of your journey.

Our highly regarded quarterly Ancestor journal is probably the most visible of the GSV’s offerings, but there is so much more. Behind the scenes is a sophisticated, technologically advanced organisation with teams of dedicated volunteers continually updating the means by which you can carry out your research.

Then we have a number of discussion circles where members share their special interests, seek help, learn more and enjoy the company of other members.

Our volunteers are in at GSV five days a week, working for the benefit of our members and ready and prepared to help you with your research – or to point you to the multitude of GSV resources and other sources of information.

It is costly to maintain and to add to what we have to offer, to keep up-to-date with changes so as to be prepared to help you when you are ready.

For the GSV to continue to “be there” for you when you need us, we rely on donations.

We hope the approach of the end of the tax year, June 30, is a time when you might think about supporting “your” organisations and interests.

We ask - “Would you please consider a donation to the GSV to ensure a strong and healthy future?”

We hope your answer will be “yes”.

Donations to GSV are tax-deductible. They can be made online through the Donate Now link on the GSV website homepage, or by calling the GSV (on 03 9662 4455) with your credit card details, or by a cheque in the mail (to Level 1, 10 Queen Street, Melbourne Victoria, 3000).

England and Wales Discussion Circle
Tuesday, 28 May 7:30 – 9:00pm via Zoom

Caning, flicks to the ear, a dunce’s cap: I’d heard of those punishments being used in schools in the past. Being flung in a basket and hauled up to hang from the ceiling? That was a new one for me.

Stephen Hawke’s presentation ‘Educating our Ancestors in the 19th Century’ contains many descriptive nuggets to help us imagine what our English and Welsh ancestors may have experienced in school. While the focus is on education in the United Kingdom, relatives who attended Australian schools in the 19th century would have faced many of the same circumstances.

Stephen’s presentation examines the very fractured education system that operated in the first half of the 19th century and then the radical changes mid-century that led to compulsory education in England and Wales from 1870. He also explores a case study of an elementary school in Northampton in 1888 as an example of what children experienced at school.

This evening Zoom session is free for all GSV members. Register here to receive the meeting link by email. (You will need to log in first).

I hope to see you there!
Rebecca Landy

Note: this is a repeat of the session from Friday 10th May.

Are you up for something quite different on a quiet almost-winter evening?

Then grab a nice cup of Darjeeling tea and settle in to the next British in India Discussion circle zoom meeting on Tue 21 May at 7.30pm.

You don’t need a personal connection to colonial India to join this discussion circle. All GSV members are invited to enjoy a fascinating interview with someone who experienced the final years of the Raj in Bengal.

Our special guest will be Heather Spicer, born in Chandpur, Bengal, in 1936. She spent her first eleven years in India, with home at Comilla and school a four-day adventurous journey away at Darjeeling.

Heather will be in conversation with Janine Marshall Wood to tell us about her parents and why and what they were doing there at the time.  Just like India then and now, there are engrossing stories, surprises and stunning things to learn in store for us as we hear about her childhood. In 1966 Heather returned to Bangladesh for four and a half years with her husband and two children, with two more babies born there.

This meeting is open to GSV members only - what a great reason to join the GSV!

Please log in to the website and book. See you there.

GSV members can access the GSV library subscriptions to the databases My Heritage and The Genealogist from home.

MyHeritage provides access to over 20 billion historical records. It also includes a DNA testing service, online family trees, access in 42 languages, image editing tools (including Deep Nostalgia—a photo animator), and a website and apps. Recent additions to MyHeritage include their AI Record Finder, AI Biographer and MyHeritage Wiki features.

TheGenealogist specialises in records from the UK between 1127 and 2005. Many of the records are not available on the other major commercial databases. It includes their family tree builder TreeView, and  Map Explorer which overlays maps to help users search and compare modern and historic places and boundaries.

On Wednesday 24th April at 10:30am David Down and Rebecca Landy will present 30 minute reviews of these websites to help you identify how they can be of use in your research.

The presentations will include a review of the sites and include information like:

• how to access the site from home,
• the focus and strengths of the collection,
• an outline of recent changes,
• tips on how to navigate the site successfully.

The presentations will be followed by time for questions. If you have a question you would like addressed please submit it to fhtt@gsv.org.au in advance of the session.

Members can register for the event here. You will need to log in to register.

Meet like-minded people who share your passion for family history, research and writing. Within the circles, members share their knowledge, successes and brickwalls. I’m a member of many of them, and have found a friendly environment where no question is too simple (or too dumb).
It’s a wonderful format: some members will present well-researched history with plenty of time for questions and discussion. Some members contribute short tips and stories. Sometimes there are guest speakers. You can learn a lot just by listening to the energetic Q&A following the talks. The convenors and other members help you with preparing your presentation if you choose to do one.
If you are a country or interstate member it’s a great way to get more from your membership The discussion circles are run via zoom.

There is no obligation to go to all meetings, and no obligation to do a presentation. We all learn from each other and have a good chat along the way.

Best of all, they’re free as part of your GSV membership.
I’m hooked, why don’t you give one or two of them a try this month?
You can find the links to them here:
https://www.gsv.org.au/special-interest-groups

GSV’s very popular Zoom course ‘DNA for Family Historians’ is starting again on Monday 25 March 2024.  Sessions are presented by Alan Rhodes, a long-time GSV member and experienced genetic genealogist.

Whether you are looking to break down a brick wall, find an unknown close family member, extend your family tree, confirm your research, or find new cousins, DNA can help with your family history.  

The sessions start with the basics and progress through to more intermediate topics.  The aim is to help you understand your DNA results and use them to progress your family history research.  They are relevant to which ever testing company you have used but focus on Ancestry and My Heritage.

The early sessions assume people are just starting to use DNA for family history.  You can either follow the whole series of sessions or join for topics of interest.  Look at the GSV Events Calendar for the details of each session.

Detailed handouts are provided for each session which explain the main ideas and provide suggestions for further reading and follow up activities.  GSV also offers a DNA email where you can ask questions about the session or get advice on using your DNA test.

You need to register for each session you want to attend.  There is a $10 registration fee for each session.  Live Zoom sessions are at 11:00 - 12:30 on Mondays, with time for questions and discussion.  This year, a recording of each session will be available on Monday evenings at 7:30pm the week after the live session.  Register for the session and you can either attend the live session, the recording or both!  Just use the same link and no extra cost.

If you have not yet done a DNA test and wondering whether you should, why not look at the GSV’s three webcasts, listed in the GSV catalogue.  They cover the basics of:

• Should I do a DNA test?
• DNA Ethnicity results
• DNA and family history

If you have any questions about the sessions or how they might help you, email us at dna@gsv.org.au

A quick blog to tell you about one of my favourite GSV services.
And it’s all free (to members).

We have a happy team of skilled and willing research assistants who love to help you.

Do you get frustrated when you can see a record on Findmypast, Ancestry or The Genealogist but don’t have the subscription or subscription level to access that record? Remember you can search these without a subscription, just create a log in.

Send a Quick Look Up request with all the available details (perhaps a screenshot) of the record you want and the research assistant will email you the record.

Did you hear about a new book or journal obtained by GSV and not know if your ancestor is mentioned in it?
Send a Quick Look Up request detailing which book/journal and ask the research assistant to look in the index. If successful they will even scan the page and email it to you.

Can’t access that Family Search or Early Church record you want?
Found something in the British Newspaper Archive and can’t access it?
Send a Quick Look up request with as many details as possible and the research assistant will:

• as an affiliate library get the family search record for you
• send you a copy of the original early church record from the CD at GSV
• email you a copy of the news article.

Remember this service is designed for queries that will only take about 20 minutes to look up, but if the research assistants are having a quiet day, you might get lucky and get a little more.
It’s not an instant service, you might have to wait if they are busy.

You can only send one Quick Look Up request at a time but you can send another as soon as you get your answer.

To access this service:

• log in to the GSV website
• hover over the Research Menu and select Research Services (https://www.gsv.org.au/research-services)
• scroll down to the Research Services for GSV Members section
• and click on the Members - Quick Look-up Service - Free on the left hand side

Jackie van Bergen