Our feature articles in this edition share varied and interesting stories. Lynne Sargent documents the difficult search for her ancestor Mary Ann Larter, who vanished from the records in the 1840s. Thanks to unexpected help and some inspired guesswork, Lynne discovered Mary Ann in an unmarked grave and a scandalous liaison. Claire Dunlap has explored the history of her relative Dorothy Hines, whose husband became Premier of Tasmania in the 1930s. Dorothy travelled widely with him, and though she had no personal political ambitions, she was influential in her own way. In 2014, a previously unknown American relative told Paul Gardner about their common ancestor, Herz. Paul shares the story of his subsequent detective work to discover the exact address where Herz lived in the 1790s and one of his remarkable achievements. Finally, Agnes Murphy follows her ‘Granny Frances’ article in our previous edition with the story of William McCoy, Frances’ brother. McCoys Bridge, on the Murray Valley Highway at Kotupna, is named after him.

The National Library of Australia’s Trove is one of the most useful resources for family historians with Australian ancestry. In this issue’s How-to feature, GSV Library and Resources Manager Trena Ronnfeldt provides invaluable tips to help you make the most of this literal treasure trove of information.

We also have three contributions from a recent GSV Writers Circle exercise about ‘An ancestor’s death’. Ian Penrose’s great aunt Annie, who contracted tuberculosis whilst nursing a sick patient, moved to inland Queensland for a more conducive climate, and was determined to return to rural Victoria for her final days. The poorly understood condition epilepsy plagued Victoria Spicer’s 2x great grandmother, Mary Guest. Against medical advice, her husband brought her home, while family rallied round to care for her and her children. Despite having a noted medical man in the family, Jane MacIsaac’s 2x great grandparents lost their child Alexander to an infectious illness. Jane tells their story and shares her reflections on visiting the local cemetery.

In ‘Research Corner’, Trena Ronnfeldt introduces us to the GSV’s exciting new YouTube channel, which is designed to share members’ stories and help you with your family history research. And in ‘Getting it write’, Alison Dennison discusses the process of writing family history for children, and draws on examples from a recent GSV Writers Circle exercise.

Emma Hegarty
Editorial team