~ February 2006 ~  

MEETING DATES 2006

Meeting held 2nd Wednesday of the month at 10am in the Tebbutt Room, Windsor Library

INFORMATION

ANCESTRY

The website ANCESTRY will be available to use free, from the Hawkesbury Central Library in the next few weeks. Records that will be available to search include : 1851 England Census; 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 English & Wales Census.

HAWKESBURY AT WORK & PLAY

Do you have any images of persons at work in the Hawkesbury? Places of employment in The Hawkesbury? Photographs of people enjoying their recreational time after work? An exhibition is planned during Heritage Festival at the Hawkesbury Central Library during April 2006. Images are being sought on the subject of work & recreation covering the 1860s-1960s. If you can assist please contact Michelle Nichols, Local Studies Librarian on 4560-4466 or email mnichols@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au

FIRE

Sadly the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Macquarie Street Windsor was set alight a few weeks ago and the interior burnt out.

AWARDS

Cathy McHardy received a special award from the Kurrajong & Comleroy Historical Society for her contribution to researching East Kurrajong. Jonathan Auld also received a "Citizen if the Month Award" on Australia Day for his work on the Hawkesbury on the Net website. Jonathan has been putting the group's "Meeting News" on this site for several years.

SAD NEWS

Member Fay Ongley passed away last week. She was 73 years of age. A card will be sent on behalf of the group.

TRACING YOUR ENGLISH ANCESTORS / Presenter : Martyn Killion

Saturday 8th April 2006 10.30am - 3.30pm Presented by the Society of Australian Genealogists for those who do not wish to travel to the city. A full day of an introduction to the main sources for tracing your English branches, BDMs. Probate, census & other sources. Western Sydney Records Centre, O'Connell Street, Kingswood. Booking essential, $50 ($40 SAG members) Morning/Afternoon tea provided BYO Lunch. Bookings can be made by phone on (02) 9247-3953 or www.sag.org.au

ST. JOHN'S COFE BAPTISMS WILBERFORCE NOW ONLINE

Kristine Woods has transcribed the baptisms for St. John's Church of England at Wilberforce covering 1826-1870....they are now online www.hawkesbury.net.au/church/stjohns_wilberforce.html

REPRINTING OF EAST KURRAJONG BOOK - EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

The Kurrajong East Public School History Committee is considering reprinting the publication 'Footsteps along the ridge: the first 125 years of Kurrajong East Public School' which was produced by the committee to celebrate the sesqui-centenary of the school in March 2003.
It is envisaged that copies of the book will sell for approximately $30.00 per copy with postage and packing at an extra cost. Please contact Cathy McHardy by email: cathy@nisch.org or by mail: PO Box 258, Kurrajong NSW 2758 or phone: 02 4576 3506 (evenings only) if you may be interested in purchasing a copy.

STATE LIBRARY OF NSW - CHANGE OF HOURS

From 3 January 2006 the Mitchell Library will close at 7pm Monday to Thursday. Both the Reference and Mitchell Libraries will close at 6pm on Fridays. Weekend hours remain the same. New hours are : Mitchell Library Reading Room - Monday to Thursday: 9am to 7pm; Friday: 9am to 6pm; Saturday: 11am to 5pm & Sunday: closed State Reference Library - Monday to Thursday: 9am to 9pm; Friday: 9am to 6pm & Weekends: 11am to 5pm. If you have any enquiries contact Elizabeth McKibbin emckibbin@sl.nsw.gov.au

WEB SITES FOR GENEALOGISTS - 9th edition by Cora Web.

Now available for sale. For all levels of researchers with 1,820 useful sites useful for family history and local history research. $21 + $5 P&H. Send orders to: Cora Num, 17 Pendred Street, Pearce ACT 2607. Phone: 02 6290 0246.
Email cora@coraweb.com.au
Don't forget to check Cora's great web addresses at www.coraweb.com.au

NEW LOCAL STUDIES ITEMS

New Local Studies items now available to consult in the Local Studies Collection at Hawkesbury Central Library. The Hawkesbury Family History Group recently purchased the English, Irish and Scottish Parish registers on CD. These are available to use on the Local Studies Computer. To book this PC ring 4560-4460.To check the Library catalogue online go to http://catalogue.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/amlibweb/

SURFING THE INTERNET**. SITES FOR FAMILY HISTORIANS

Members with internet access should check out the following interesting sites. The Library has free access to the internet, contact 4560 4460 for bookings at Windsor & 4578 2002 for Richmond bookings.

State Records ~ www.records.nsw.gov.au

Check out the updated website and see also the excellent worksheets ~ www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/how_to_start_your_family_history_2060.asp

North West Coast cemeteries of Tasmania, Australia, including newspaper articles & obituaries ~ http://tascoastalcemeteries.com/index.htm

Australian Dictionary of Biography ~ http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/00-dict-biogIndex.html

~ Let us know of sites, that you have tried with (or without) success ~