~14th May 2003 ~  

Copies of the current Hawkesbury Family History Group Meeting news sheet including archived copies can be accessed at http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/community/053.html

MEETING DATES 2003

TRIVIA QUIZ

A timely reminder that the Trivia Quiz will be taking place on Wednesday 11th June 2003. Members who have participated in this before are looking forward to making a big impression and are studying their general knowledge. Come along for some fun.

HAWKESBURY RACE CLUB

Looking for images of HRC officials for historical records, Arthur Dight chairman 1871-77 (also MLA for Windsor 1869, John Thomas Smith secretary 1871 (also Town Clerk 1871-74, Sydney E. Gosper chairman 1938, N. B. Thompson Chairman 1939-46; G. R. Williams Secretary 194-47. Please contact Melissa Weston at Hawkesbury Race Club on 4577-2263 or hawkraces@bigpond.com

RIVERSTONE FESTIVAL

The Riverstone Festival will take place this Saturday 17th May 2003. There will be a parade through the main town (Garfield Road) starting at 11am and then stall and displays adjoining the Sam Lane complex in Market Street. Riverstone & District Historical Society will have a stall and display and welcomes anyone who wants to drop in and say hello.

HAWKESBURY HOMECOMING - HAWKESBURY PIONEER FAMILIES REUNION

Everyone is welcome to attend the "Hawkesbury Homecoming - Hawkesbury Pioneer Families Reunion" to be held on the weekend of 29th & 30th November 2003, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm each day, to be held rain, hail or shine at Windsor High School Hall, Mulgrave Road, McGraths Hill. The reunion is being organised by Lesley Uebel ckennedy@bigpond.net.au Norma & Ian McLean and Coralie Hird. It is an ideal venue to meet previously unknown relatives or arrange to meet known relatives. Display your family history. Entrance Fee is $5, Children under 16 Free (Fee covers a person attending either one day or both days) For more information see http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/page154.html

200 YEARS

Cecily Ryan cecilyr@hotkey.net.au advised that the 27th April 2003 marked the 200th Anniversary of James Dunn's land grant by Governor King at Portland Head. She has been researching this family for many years and thought the date quite pertinant. Others grants in the same month in this area were given to Thomas Tyler, John Johnston, James Maine, Andrew Johnston, Abraham Yoular, William Kent jnr, Owen Cavanagh, James Davison, John Howe, John Turnbull, George Hall, Charles Marsden, Thomas Chestland, Henry Lamb, Mathhew Everingham, William Hubbard, William Addy and John Yeomans. (Source : Land Grants 1788-1809 / ed James Ryan)

EDUCATION RECORDS

Records of individual schools will be relocated from the Sydney Records Centre to the Western Sydney Records Centre meaning most NSW education records will be available in the one location at Western Sydney Records Centre at Kingswood.

REMINDERS

On Saturday 28th June 2003 from 12pm, the Centenary of the Official opening of the BRIDGE over the Macdonald River at St. Albans NSW will be commemorated. During the afternoon the Institution of Engineers will place an Historic Engineering Marker on the bridge. Anyone interested is welcome to attend.

Join other family historians in exploring what SAG has to offer at SAG'S SHOWCASE lectures, research, displays and stalls by other research facilities and vendors, & refreshments. $10 (advance purchase OR $15 @ door on the day! Friday 30th & Saturday 31st May (10am-4pm)

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. Richmond also has access, for bookings phone 4578 2002.

Buckinghamshire gaol records ~ Information regarding prisoners entering the County Gaol in Aylesbury in the 1870s are now available online ~ http://www.buckscc.gov.uk

Newspaper Indexes for Family History Researchers ~ Check out Looking Back in Time - extracts from old newspapers, quite a few from the Hawkesbury. This will be updated each month. ~ http://www3.ceinternet.com.au/~rgow

All Ireland Sources Newsletter AISN ~ AISN is a monthly 4 page newsletter distributed free by email to Family History Societies and interested researchers. The aim is to bring items of interest regarding Irish record sources to the Australian genealogist through family history societies and groups. ~ http://www.sag.org.au/new/aisn.htm

Old Bailey proceedings ~ This site aims to provide free access to the Old Bailey proceedings from 1674 - 1834. At present 1714 - 1759. (22000 items) are available to access. ~ http://www.oldbaileyonline.org

Scottish Genealogy Databases (ScotsFind) ~ ScotsFindŽ produces computer-searchable genealogical databases from old Scottish records. The databases include marriage registers, rolls of burgesses, guild-brethren, apprentice registers, registers of testaments (wills), church records, court cases etc. Other relevant records can also be found at this site. ~ http://www.scotsfind.org/

National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) ~ NARA in the USA has launched its AAD [Access to Archival Data Databases] Of primary interest to genealogists is the "Famine Irish Immigrants Database" covering 1846-1851 as well as databases relating to various conflicts etc. ~ http://www.archives.gov/aad/index.html

Hawkesbury City Council Library catalogue online ~ The library catalogue is now available on the World Wide Web. This now means that if a patron has a pin number they can access there borrowing record, history and renew and reserve items all from the comfort of their own home!! ~ http://catalogue.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/amlibweb/

Genealogy and Family History Internet Web Directory ~ http://www.academic-genealogy.com

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