The March edition of the GSV's award-winning quarterly journal Ancestor is now out.
Members will receive it in hard copy by mail or can read it as a flipbook or a PDF in the Members Area of our website, thus saving paper and running costs for the GSV.
Back copies are also available via the website - helping you with your home de-cluttering!
' In the March 2021 we open with the runner-up from last year’s Writing Competition, Susan Wight’s article about her Webster forebears who made soda water in a number of locations in Victoria and southern New South Wales. Also included is one of the short-listed articles from 2020 and one from 2019. Bernard Metcalfe tells of the hard but eventful life of Jane Hughes and her family on the gold diggings of central Victoria in the 1850s to 1880s. Claire Dunlop invites us to consider how the life of her ancestor worked out after a most disadvantageous start.
We also feature the first two articles in a series on female publicans. Leonie Elliss writes about her widowed ancestor Mary Delany who successfully ran both a hotel and a drapery store in the former mining town of Gordon. Margaret Vines speculates on what prompted the widowed Johanna O’Donnell to take on the licence of the North Fitzroy Arms hotel.
Have you ever wondered whether to use the word baptism or christening? In our back page feature, Robert Gribben, explains the origin of the terms and how any perceived differences may have arisen.
Phillip Crane’s ‘DNA News and Notes’ explains how he needed to use conventional genealogical research techniques married to his autosomal DNA results to make sense of the true relationship to one of his ancestors.
Senior New Zealand genealogist, Bruce Ralston has generously prepared this issue’s ‘How to’ article on researching your New Zealand genealogy. It is a very comprehensive article and is sure to be referred to frequently. We particularly thank Bruce for this important contribution.
Submissions for Members Queries have been diminishing over recent times, so we have decided to discontinue this page. We advise members to use the forum membershelpmembersto get help with their queries.
Finally, be sure to read the President’s report about our new home. This is an exciting new development and we are looking forward to being able to visit, but please check the website for Covid-19 restrictions.'
- Barbara Beaumont, Ancestor Editorial Team
Entries are now invited for the
2021 GSV Writing Prize.
Closes 4 pm 27 August 2021.
You too may be published in future Ancestor journals.
Purpose of the Prize
- to encourage the writing of family history
- to provide an opportunity for recognition and publication
- to publish the winner as an example of quality family history writing
You can see details about the Prize on the website under 'ANCESTOR' here https://www.gsv.org.au/gsv-writing-prize
The Prize was first awarded in 2013. Past winners are:
2013 Kath McKay: Finding Shakespeare in family research
2014 Anne Cavanagh: Elizabeth and the Doctor elope: the story of Elizabeth Ware
2015 Marilyn Fordred: Every photo tells a story
2016 Emma Hegarty: Finding Mary Jane
2017 Helen Pearce: Thomas Owen: the skeleton in the family’s closet
2018 Helen Pearce: Daniel Elphinstone: his son’s secret exposed
2019 Louise Wilson: Masters of the Road
2020 Brian Reid: 'Tom were the naughty lad'.
The Judges's report on the 2020 Prize is available on the website to help you think about your entry this year.
There is plenty of time between now and August. But it is important not to leave your writing to the last minute, as it will benefit from having time to review and reflect on it, before your final rewrite.
Happy reading ... and writing!
Don't forget there is no family history without the writing part.