GSV News

GSV’s very popular Zoom sessions ‘DNA and Family History’ are starting again in March 2023.

The sessions will help you use DNA with your family history. Whether you are looking to break down a brick wall, 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. They are relevant to which ever testing company you have used but the sessions use examples mainly from 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.

The online sessions are presented by Alan Rhodes and involve a presentation on Zoom, followed by time for questions and discussion. 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.

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

It is recommended that you do a DNA test and preferably have your results to get best value from the sessions. The sessions start in late March so there is still time to organise a test and have the results for the early sessions. There is a $5 registration fee for each session.

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

A big welcome to GSV’s newly appointed Library and Resources Manager, Rebecca Landy. Rebecca started with us on 7 February and she is sharing the management role at GSV’s Library and Research Centre (Level 1, 10 Queen St, Melbourne) with our Library and Digital Resources Manager, Meg Bate.

Rebecca comes to us very well qualified for this position. Her formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (with Majors in History and Jewish Studies) and a Master of Education and she has over 20 years of experience at a Secondary College as a librarian and teacher of History, Geography, English and Literature. Rebecca’s depth of experience in engaging and enthusing students through remote learning during the Covid pandemic will bring new approaches, and be a great aid, to our online education and discussion circle activities. Rebecca also has a depth of experience with preparing and using websites, blogs and vlogs, wikis, apps, social media and knowledge management, all of which will help GSV creatively promote our resources and facilitate their use by our members and the family history community.

Rebecca has been actively engaged in family history research for 15 years and tells us she still clearly remembers the thrill of her first big discovery bent over a microfiche machine in the GSV’s basement library in Collins St. She finds genealogical research an enchanting puzzle, while exploring family, history and place through an array of information sources. Her curiosity about her family’s history has taken her to numerous places around Victoria and to the UK. Rebecca has enjoyed working with students to help them learn how to critically examine sources to make informed decisions about their ancestors and she now looks forward to helping our members discover their own world of family history.

Please do join us in welcoming Rebecca next time you are visiting GSV.

At the next meeting of the GSV British India Discussion Circle to be held on Tuesday 21 February, starting at 7.30 pm, Clare Claydon will be presenting a short and idiosyncratic look at what we can read and view on film to increase our knowledge of India. This will be followed by a group discussion.

Everyone is welcome, whether you have ancestors who spent time in India or not. But why would this session be of interest to non-Indian descendants?

Well, lots of reasons. Among them, that India is set to become the largest source of migrants to Australia this year (overtaking the Chinese). India has just overtaken China in population. And by decade’s end, India is predicted to have the 5th largest economy in the world.

Clearly, it will be useful to know more about this country that also has a fascinating history and culture.

Join us for a lively and very informal discussion by Zoom! Please register via the GSV website.

Talk - How I Manage My DNA Matches in Family Tree Maker by David Stephen – Thursday 9 February 2023 at 10.30 am by Zoom.

DNA is a powerful tool to help with your family history research and a DNA test can set you on your way to finding cousins, common ancestors and solving family history mysteries. DNA results list thousands of people who share DNA with you.  These matches could be immediate family, or cousins, close and distant. Your DNA matches are the key to using DNA in your family history.

David Stephen will explain how to set up a source template in Family Tree Maker (FTM) to track your DNA Matches. He will also explain how he uses the smart filtering in FTM to let him know how many DNA Matches he has in FTM.

David is the current President of VicGUM.  VicGUM is Australia’s leading association helping genealogists better use their computers, associated equipment and genealogy programs as part of their family history interest.

This talk is for GSV Members only and there is a $10 charge to attend. Book via the GSV web site.

David Down

A free trial British Library Newspapers: Part VI: Ireland has been set up for members of the GSV until 03 February 2023.

British Library Newspapers: Part VI: Ireland 1797-1950 includes both National and regional newspapers from Dublin,Cork and Galway as well as more rural towns like Waterford, Tuam, Ballinasloe, and Birr.

It also includes newspapers and periodicals that cover various aspects of Irish history, society, economy, politics and religion.

The trial is for unlimited access.

The link for you to access the newspapers is available in the GSV members area under Commercial Databases, and the link and access code is available to members when they contact the GSV office during office hours, 10am - 4pm, Monday to Fridays.

Further information about the Newspapers is available at

https://review.gale.com/2022/09/27/launch-of-british-library-newspapers-part-vi-ireland-1783-1950/

If you are researching Irish ancestors, do make use of this offer. Newspapers can be a fantastic resource for details of your family story.

As Christmas approaches, the thoughts of many of us turn to giving – to our families, important causes and to supporting activities which interest us.

We hope that the Genealogical Society of Victoria fits into that last category. Indeed, as a member of the GSV you have demonstrated that!

The GSV only exists for its members, providing valuable services and facilities for current and future members and researchers. We are developing ways and means to enhance and expand our services to you and all our family history researchers. We want to ensure we are here and ready to help you.

Would you consider a gift to the GSV this Christmas? Whether it be $10 or $10,000, we are enormously grateful for all donations – and they are tax-deductible for you. They can be made online through the Donate Now link on the GSV website homepage, by a call to the GSV with your credit card details, or by a cheque in the mail.

You might also like to consider purchasing a GSV gift certificate for a friend or relative to introduce them to the joys of family history research. The certificates provide for 12 months membership of GSV and include a $20 saving as there is no joining fee for these memberships. The certificates can be purchased through the A perfect Christmas gift link on the GSV website homepage.

Thank you for considering a donation or gift certificate purchase – and a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2023 to you all.

About the Genealogical Society of Victoria

The Genealogical Society of Victoria is a leading Australian family history society and exists to assist members in tracing and researching their ancestors and to promote the study of genealogy.

The GSV welcomes and supports members by providing the skills and experience to assist them to discover their family story. The Society’s objectives are to:

• provide focussed educational programs that are attractive to family historians,
• maintain and develop our in-house research skills and knowledge in order to provide a service to our members and the wider community,
• provide advice on the use of family history resources, and
• catalogue and make accessible historical records of genealogical interest.

Our centrally located Research & Education Centre at Level 1, 10 Queen Street, Melbourne, includes a significant library of books, journals, publications, maps, films etc., and a large and rapidly expanding collection of digitised records/documents and online databases.

Members are guided and assisted by experienced volunteer research assistants. Other services include presentations, classes and discussion circles (accessible from home via Zoom), forums, commissioned research and more.

The Opportunity

The GSV is seeking a highly motivated professional, passionate about working in the genealogy field.

This position is a permanent 0.4 FTE (14 hours over set days per week, Tuesday to Friday, days to be negotiated). This is a shared management position (both 0.4 FTE) with some distinct areas of responsibility.

Salary $28,000 ($70,000 FTE) plus 10.5% superannuation with 4 weeks FTE annual leave.

Key Responsibilities

• To manage, develop and promote the library’s research and education resources.
• To organise and support library research volunteers by mentoring and assisting them to develop their skills in information service provision.
• To proactively engage with members to maximise their use of resources, databases, equipment, technology, and online platforms.
• To provide high-quality service to ensure members have a positive experience characterised by active engagement.
• To contribute and work effectively within a team environment with other staff and volunteers.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will be a ‘people person’ with enthusiasm and high-level communication skills to effectively work within a team and/or individually with members.

Highly desirable is knowledge and/or experience of family history resources and database searching.

Familiarity with Lucidea Inmagic Presto software would be an advantage.

You will also have

• Relevant tertiary qualifications and/or equivalent combination of relevant experience and education/training.
• Relevant experience in developing and maintaining local or family history resources, digital collections and databases.
• Ability to creatively use a range of social media and multimedia technologies, including collaborating on the creation of web pages, blogs, wikis or multi-media communications.

How To Apply

If you require further information about the position, please contact Stephen Hawke at president@gsv.org.au

Applications must include a resume and address the key responsibilities outlining your suitability for the role. Please supply contact details for two referees.

Applications close on Thursday 12 January 2023 and must be submitted to president@gsv.org.au

Join the International Settlers Group on Saturday 19th November at 1pm on Zoom.

Maria Picyk is going to talk about her enforced overseas adventure and all the amazing genealogical research she was able to do in Poland. Learn about life and research in Poland, past and present. Sometimes the best trips/finds are those you didn’t expect.

Did you know that many cities that were German prior to WW2 are now in Poland? The names of those cities have changed but the records may still be there. For example, the archivist in Boleslawiec is mainly cataloguing German records.

New members are most welcome.

All discussion circles are free to members and on Zoom.

Please go to the Activities>Events page of the website and register.

Our next meeting is by Zoom on Friday 4 November, 1:30 to 3:00pm.  

Women in the English Civil War (the presentation delayed from September) will open this meeting. This is a great topic - too often the place of women in our history has been neglected and this is an opportunity to hear their stories and learn about researching and placing them in that time of war and change.

We will then start looking at records from the 1700s that will be useful in your research. There are many useful records available that can help us identify and locate our ancestors despite not having a National Census every 10 years.

Finally, we will hear how using DNA test results together with traditional research helped break through a brick wall allowing a family story that was stuck in the early 1800s to extend back to the early 1700s. Not a talk on how to do DNA but how DNA results coupled with records are a powerful research resource. The family was from Suffolk but the method can be used anywhere.

GSV Discussion Circles are free for members but don’t forget to register.

I never miss an opportunity to collect family stories.

A couple of years ago I was with my parents near Melbourne Cup time. My grandfather owned a large racehorse transport company. Dad worked with him for several years, including driving trucks on busy days like Cup Day. I have fond memories of travelling in the truck with Dad when he transported Rain Lover to one of the Cups that he won.

I asked Dad about his time as a driver. He mentioned that he saw Jean Shrimpton, and was only a couple of metres away from her.

Dad had a bit of a chuckle as he remembered the reactions and the ‘fuss made by all the old matrons over this young bird who had no hat, no gloves and a very short skirt.’

He said she was a ‘very pretty slim girl’ but he wasn’t that interested, he was already married to a ‘very pretty slim girl’.

This lighthearted questioning then prompted Dad to expand on his time driving. He talked about how early they had to start, how hard the work was - so much pressure to get horses transported with tight deadlines and keep them calm, and with no mobile phones. He told me sometimes he’d get a ‘good feed from an owner or trainer in their posh tent, or champagne and fancy food out of the back of their Rolls Royce.’

Do you have family memories of Melbourne Cup time?

Perhaps this is a good time to record some stories of your own.

Jackie van Bergen