~10th September 2003 ~  

MEETING DATES 2003

MINDING THE PAST-CELEBRATE NSW HISTORY WEEK@HAWKESBURY LIBRARY

To celebrate NSW History Week 13-21 September 2003 the library has organised several activities. The theme this year is "Minding the Past" so aware of the fact the Library has custody of some of the district's local history, a talk has been organised to look at the holdings of the Local Studies Collection concentrating on some of the unique items such as newspapers, photographs and special collections. The talk, presented by Michelle Nichols, Local Studies Librarian will be held at Windsor Library on Wednesday 17th September from 6pm-7pm. The Library has a wonderful collection of photographs and an interesting array of historical images will be on display at Windsor Library and a small display at Richmond Library during library opening hours. The "Hawkesbury Images" database is also available to consult on computer at Windsor library. These events are free and anyone interested in local history is welcome to attend. Please ring the Library to book for the talk on 4560-4460.

THE SAG GOES WEST! SEMINARS

Family History Seminars at State Records O'Connell Street, Kingswood. Presented by Martyn Killion (SAG President) & Heather Garnsey (SAG Executive Officer) by the Society of Australian Genealogists

Saturday 15 November
(10.30-12.30) Everything you need to know about NSW shipping
(1.30-3.30) Sources for finding NSW BDMs

Saturday 29 November
(10.30-12.30) Successful surfing - Websites of archives & libraries in Australia
(1.30-3.30) Successful surfing - Websites of archives & libraries overseas

Cost: $20 per lecture ($15 for SAG members) or book a place at all 4 for $70 ($50 for SAG members) 

For bookings & payment contact SAG Phone: (02) 9247 3953 Email: info@sag.org.au Web: www.sag.org.au

PRESBYTERIAN & UNITING CHURCH ARCHIVES SEMINAR

The Presbyterian Church Archives & the Uniting Church Archives will be presenting a seminar as part of the Penrith Presbyterian Church Sesqui-centenary celebrations on Saturday 18th October 2003. The seminar will take place at the Church Hall, Doonmore Street, Penrith 10am - 4pm presented by Archivists Daryl Lightfoot & Sue Paccy. Cost is $10 which includes morning & afternoon teas. Bookings essential contact Randall Roberts 9623-0771 or Lorna Parr 4777-4451.

VOLUNTEERS

Is anyone interested in participating in the Carnivale Parade taking place in Richmond on Sunday 14th September, representing the Hawkesbury Family History Group, please see Michelle after the meeting.

CROSS-FLOOD-DESCENDANTS MAILING LIST

This is a list for descendants and associated families of Charles CROSS & Rose FLOOD, convicts to NSW on the Neptune 1790. This list is for descendants to chat with other descendants, to share our information, stories, our history, & to learn about the many of thousands of descendants that have been born in the last two hundred years. Check the Rootsweb page - http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/surname/c/cross.html archives can be browsed/searched and interested persons can subscribe. List owner Lorrae Johnson

HAWKESBURY RIVER CRUISE PLANNED SUNDAY 30th NOV 2003

Narelle Friar-Ryan is trying to gather a group of 40 interested persons to book a Hawkesbury River Cruise on Sunday 30th November or Monday 1st December. To check details on the Cruise Operators please check this website: www.windsorcruises.com.au Costs would be $27 for a cruise without lunch & $33 with lunch. If you are interested in making up the numbers for a group please contact (by the 30th September) Narelle Friar-Ryan, Jugiong Motor Inn, Riverside Drive, Jugiong 2726 NSW phone (02) 69454269 or email narelle@annforbes.org

ORAL HISTORY WORKSHOP 19th SEP 2003

On Friday, 19th September, in conjunction with Friends of Linnwood Hall, an Oral History workshop is being held. It will take place at Linnwood 10.30am to 3pm and will be conducted by Rosemary Block from the State Library of NSW. The cost is $3.00 per head. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided but bring your own lunch. Bookings can be made by calling Dorothy Warwick on 9632 9203 or Vicki on 9840 9789.

NEW LOCAL STUDIES ITEMS AVAILABLE TO CONSULT

Recent additions to the collection. (Title, author and call no. e.g. location on shelf) 

Web sites for genealogists / NUM **Copies also in lending** RL929.102854 NUM

Following Thomas Paskin's heritage / PASKIN RL929.20994 PAS

Finding your Irish ancestors : unique aspects of Irish genealogy / MITCHELL RL929.1072 MIT

World War 1 Hawkesbury heroes : Windsor & Richmond Gazette newspaper extracts, reports & letters../ GOW Vol. 2 RL940.41294 GOW **Copies also in lending**

Glossodia Public School : an historical comment RL372.99442 GLO

Glossodia Public School : a pictorial century 1898-1998 RL372.99442 GLO

NATIONAL REGISTRY ACCESS POLICY - YEARS FOR OPEN ACCESS

The following email was received on the and it was necessary to comment on it by the 3rd September.

I am participating in a research project looking at creating an National Certificate Access Policy for the various State and Territory Registries in Australia. At present the various Registries allow open access to the public to gain certificates after a certain period. These years are presented below.

As Genealogists rely on the use of Birth, Death and Marriage certificates as a source of tracing family history we would like to invite your comments/input on any changes to these policies. One particular option currently being raised is for Birth Certificates to be publically available after 100 years, Marriage Certificates after 50-75 years and Death Certificates after 30-50 years with the view towards greater controls over identity fraud.
If these change were to occur how may this affect the Genealogists? And are there any further considerations you would like to raise?

Unfortunately the draft report is due during the Annual Registrars Conference in early September so I would really appreciate any preliminary comments to this email address as soon as possible. Please note that this is only a preliminary discussion and that the various State and Territory Registries at present have not committed to changing their current policies.Please feel free to contact me to discuss this further my contact details at the Registry are 02 8306 8485 or via email Carly_Jackson@agd.nsw.gov.au 
Thankyou very much for your time.
Best Regards
Carly Jackson

The following response was sent on the 1/9/2003 :

Attention Ms. Carly Jackson
On behalf of the members of the Hawkesbury Family History Group, we would like to take the opportunity to comment on the National Public Access Policy for Civil Registration Indexes of BDMs. We agree that there should be one policy for registration introduced by all states and territories as soon as possible. We would like to see the following embargo period applied, eg births (75 years), marriages (25 years) & deaths (25 years).

It is already very difficult to do family history research in Australia with excessive privacy restrictions without making it more difficult to access one of the few available records necessary for our research. An equilibrium needs to be maintained between the right to know our history and a reasonable right to privacy for living people. Australian historical records already have excessive gaps because there is no national government policy to retain basic biographical data about every Australian for posterity. Australian national census records have not been retained from 1828 until 2000, many Australians are born overseas and pension records are only kept for 7 years.

So birth, death & marriage registrations are one of the few resources that are accessible, and are one of the few vital sources required for verification of an ancestral line, confirming information so as to be able to go onto the next generation. It is most vital that family historians are considered in this process for a National Access Policy and adequate time is allowed for discussion.
HAWKESBURY FAMILY HISTORY GROUP
Carly_Jackson@agd.nsw.gov.au  

REMINDERS

ROOKWOOD CEMETERY OPEN DAY 2003

Open day will be held on Sunday 19th October 2003 between 9am & 4pm. The theme is "More than 135 years of history at Rookwood" Enquiries to Friends of Rookwood Inc. (02) 9499-2415.

HAWKESBURY HOMECOMING - HAWKESBURY PIONEER FAMILIES REUNION

Will be held on the weekend of 29th & 30th November 2003, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm 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. 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

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.

Hunter Valley Genealogy ~ http://www.huntervalleygenealogy.com/

Hurst family information (links to Samuel Hurst Convict) ~ http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/u/r/Brian-R-Hurst/index.html?Welcome=1060587575

Irish Genealogy (co-ordinating the Irish Genealogical Project) ~ www.irishgenealogy.ie

Genseek (new address) Australian resources & information ~ http://www.hotkey.net.au/~jwilliams4/

Lancashire UK BDMs project ~ http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/

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