Chinese ancestry, more travels and other news - my genealogy weeks 1-30 Nov 2025

 Well November went by in the blink of an eye. It took us longer to get over the dreaded virus than we thought so Yeppoon was more of a rest and relax holiday. 

Still had a good time but returned to Bribie Island just as it was hit with the 'nuclear' storm that left most of the Island without power for days. There must have been dozens and dozens of trees down all over the Island, roads blocked and power lines down. Even telecommunications went down. A week later we still have gangs of workers going around cutting up fallen trees and cutting down dangerous trees or branches. 

Traffic has been a nightmare not helped by those who came to sightsee. Fortunately we had no damage to the house but our potting shed was blown over, some fence palings went along with some bamboo panels around the BBQ area. Others were not so fortunate and lost roofs. Without power for days, most people lost the contents of their fridges and freezers. 

Books

So excited to be given a  review ecopy of Nathan Dylan Goodwin's new book The Hop Pickers Murders which is number 11 in the Morton series. Just in time for a good Christmas read. Although usually I finish Nathan's books within a day or so of starting as I can't put them down. The paper back is not out until next year. 

Conferences

Attended the Dragon Tails conference in Brisbane and stayed over three nights in George Street. Brisbane has changed a lot since I last visited the city centre. 

The conference was good and I learnt about more Chinese sources to try when researching my incarcerated women in colonial Queensland. Even met a descendant of one of the women I am interested in. 

That was the third conference this year where I spoke about different aspects of my PhD thesis. It has really helped focus my thoughts on what I want to say.

Museums

While in Brisbane took the opportunity to visit the MacArthur  Museum. It is where Douglas MacArthur ran his war office during WW2. His office and desk are recreated and the original war boardroom desk is still there. Also surprised  to see in one of the display cases a photo which included Max's mother who was in the WAAF during WW2. 

New Resources

Watched after the event, Andrew Redfern's talk on AI for genealogists hosted by Genealogical Society of Queensland. This is such a fast moving area and Andrew always amazes me with what he gets AI to do. In the coming weeks, the quiet time of Christmas when you don't have family living near by, I hope to try some of the suggestions on my own research and draft family history stories.

Talks

No more talks this year, thank goodness. It was busier than I anticipated with all three conference proposals accepted.

I have agreed to do some talks already in 2026. These are listed up on the Events page of my website.

What's coming up?

Christmas tree King George Square Brisbane

The December and January period are set aside for more writing of biographical sketches of my incarcerated women.

 Plus I am hoping to use AI to tidy up my draft family histories so that I can complete them, or at least the first edition of each. They will be uploaded into Trove through NED and free to access. That is one way to ensure that my research is not lost if I meet the proverbial bus.

Try to find a little time for family history research especially if you are visiting relatives. Have a wonderful and safe Christmas with family and friends. Although I am hoping to do another post before Christmas

Until next time, Shauna

History in Darwin and Broome & other news: My genealogy weeks 6 - 31 October 2025

Darwin conference

 Another month gone and now only two months left in 2025. I'm not alone in thinking this year has gone quickly. There has been lots of travel and conferences/talks for me. Keeping busy seems to be the key. No time for boredom.

Books

Discovering lots of interesting books and articles for my Ph D that are also relevant to my family history research. Local history of an area also plays a big part in understanding what was going on in the local community too. 

Only bought two new books at the Historians conference, although there was a lot of temptation.This was only $5 in the second hand section.

Conferences

I had already planned to go to the Dragon Tails conference in Brisbane in late November, but now I have to go as my session proposal was accepted. Looking at the relations between some of my incarcerated women and Chinese men in colonial Queensland. This will be my third talk this year connected to my PhD topic.

My session on vagrant women in colonial Queensland went well at the Darwin Professional Historians Conference. Lots of relevant questions and comments. I submitted an expanded version for peer review for the professional journal Circa. 

After Darwin we headed off to Broome in Western Australia to tick off another one of my must visit bucket list places. Sadly we picked up some dreaded virus and brought it home with us which is why this is a bit late. But we had fun while we were there.

Chinatown in Broome

New Resources

Ancestry has been busy with new DNA ethnicity reports and thanks to a new DNA match I have narrowed down my search for the unknown biological father of my great grandmother on my father's side. It's great when the pieces start to fit together and you see similar family names on the matches trees.

Plus there are new Australian collections. Too many to retype so forgive the snippets but there are some interesting series to follow up.

Talks

How exciting - my talk on post office directories in MyHeritage made the 2nd runner up list. See the top 10 for Legacy Family Tree Webinars here.

The last session of Genie Chats for 2025 is next week. We have focussed on Thomas MacEntee's Genealogy Do Over book all year. I am surprised at how much I have achieved by simply planning the monthly sessions and using my own examples to inspire others in the group. 

For example, a long neglected task was tidying up my location references to make them consistent. Should it be Brisbane, or Brisbane, Queensland or Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. I went with the latter as my research is global and not everyone will know where I am from if I just say Brisbane. After all, it could be Brisbane, California, USA.

What's coming up

Another trip believe it or not. This time to Yeppoon where we will have two weeks exploring the Capricorn Coast and doing some fishing, weather permitting. Taking the laptop so I also hope to be doing some thesis writing and reading for the literature review. 

Until next time happy searching. Shauna

Conferences, webinars and DNA finds: My genealogy weeks 1-15 October 2025

Spring is sprung and the hippeastrums are out. Only wish they bloomed more often. Lots of colour in the garden.

It has been incredibly dry here in recent months and the local wildlife is also feeling the lack of water and lush green grass in the surrounding national park. 

The kangaroos and wallabies are coming into residential areas especially where people water their lawns. Caught this rather large visitor the other afternoon at the neighbour's place. 

Books

All my book club suggestions have arrived at the library and now madly reading 'in my spare time'. One of the books has 18 reserves so no chance of an extension on that one. 

Also doing a deaccession of my family history books and looking to give them a new home. On our next trip to the Capricorn Coast I will be taking up a big donation to the Central Queensland Family History Association. 

They were really helpful with unique sources on some of my incarcerated women for my PhD thesis. Some are a bit dated but the information and context is still relevant. And yet the bookshelves don't have any noticeable gaps despite dozens of books in the box!

Conferences

This week I am off to Darwin for the Professional Historians Conference and my session on homeless women in colonial Queensland. I love Darwin so much history and then I will be off to Broome to cross off another bucket list destination. Another place with so much history.

This must have been my year for conferences as I have just been selected as a speaker at the Dragon Tails Conference in Brisbane in November. Another Ph D related session on some of my incarcertated women who partnered with Chinese men. It will be my fourth conference this year, genealogy in March in Brisbane, PhD related history in Townsville in June, the Darwin conference in October and the Chinese one in Brisbane next month. Great opportunities to catch up with friends and colleagues while travelling.

DNA update

My next DNA challenge is to identify my two unknown great great grandfathers on my father's side. I have finally identified two common families (Blakeley and Hardman) in my unknown matches for the one in Brisbane which links to my Brennan family. This gives me six potential suspects so now I need to narrow down to just one family if possible. 

At least it is not a total unknown as my Toorbul great great grandfather remains. But then someone might test and all will become clear. Hope is eternal as they say.

New Resources 

FamilySearch continues to add amazing record numbers to its collection eg over 21 million new records from seven countries as per their October newsletter. Countries include Italy, the Phillipines, American Samoa, Brazil, Haiti, Ukraine and the USA. They have also expanded their FindAGrave index with nearly four million records in the world collection.This made me think that I usually only use FindAGrave for Australia when in fact I should be using it for other countries especially in the UK and Ireland. Another thing on the 'to do' list.

Findmypast added a substantial collection of Suffolk coronial inquest records and more Middlesex baptisms from 1657-1841 which I will be searching for the very generic Walker family! More records for London included the Greater London Burial Index 1530-1812 and Archdeaconry Court of London willis index 1570-1582.

Talks

James Carnegie and Mary Finn

In addition to conference sessions, I still do genealogy talks and the annual seminar day at the Genealogical Society of Queensland was a great day. My session on prison and convict records was well received. 

A few days later I did a live webinar for Legacy Family Tree Webinars onpost office directories in MyHeritage. That session is free and you can watch it by clicking the link. I use Australia, New Zealand, England and Ireland directories as examples.

What's Coming Up

Another birthday, Christmas and 2026. Time does fly when you are having fun. 

I am booked to attend the Founding Families Connect Group for the old Caboolture Shire in November. My Carnegie family was one of the founders so I am looking forward to finally getting to one of their meetings.

Until next time, stay safe and keep researching. 

Shauna