In this edition, we are fortunate to have an abundance of feature articles. In ‘Granny Frances’, Agnes Murphy tells of her fascinating grandmother, a retired farmer who left a surprise for the family in her trunk. In ‘Making memories’ Sheryl Ward pays tribute to her mother, who passed on her passion for family history and documented precious family stories. It’s not every day an ancestor receives royal correspondence; however, Elsie Dry Emerson, the wife of Johanna Ryan’s great-uncle, did indeed receive a letter from the King after she won a competition. Johanna traces the story and explores the life and written works of Elsie.

With Anzac Day approaching, we feature two stories of World War 1. In ‘The hunt for Jack’s medal’ by Louise Ryan nee Turnour, we learn of Jack Turnour’s courageous leadership depicted in Fred Leist’s painting of the ‘Battle of Polygon Wood’, and of her search for his medal. Louise has included some handy WW1 research tips. As happened in many families involved in the war, Margaret Vines knew nothing of her grandfather’s two uncles, who did not return home. In ‘Lone Pine and Passchendaele’, Margaret tells the stories of James Dunn, who was wounded in action at Lone Pine, and his brother Daniel, killed in action at Passchendaele.

Two ‘Juicy stories’ are presented as part of the GSV Writers Circle writing exercise series. Lesley Clementson reports on an unusual and unexplained second marriage of her 2 x great-grandmother, while Angela Rutherford’s investigations on Trove revealed hitherto unknown details of her grandfather’s secret child. We also hear from GSV office bearers. Jackie van Bergen presents ‘Pen of the Vice President’ as Brian Reid has been busy defending his property against the fires, while Treasurer Tony Swain shares his genealogical research journey.

It can be easy to lose track of decisions we make while working on large and long-term family history projects. In Getting it Write, Bill Barlow explores the value of keeping a book log or writing journal to record and clarify your thinking. Research Corner has tips on how to make the most of digital resources available in the GSV library.

Emma Hegarty
Editorial team