writing, editing & publishing family history: Australia Day Challenge, family history across the seas....

Family History Across the Seas has issued this dinkum challenge for Australia Day. So here goes........

A Ghost Gum, painting with light (well a torch actually held by a grandchild!)

CLIMBING YOUR FAMILY’S GUM TREE

My first ancestor to arrive in Australia was:

Joseph Butler – Neptune 1790

I have Australian Royalty (tell us who, how many and which Fleet they arrived with):

To date:

Joseph Butler – Neptune 1790

Robert Hobbs – Active 1791

Bridget Heslin (Eslin) – Sugarcane 1793

Mary Holland – Indispensable 1796

Matthew Elkin – Indispensable 1796

Mary Moss – Experiment 1804

John Rose – Somersetshire 1814

I’m an Aussie mongrel, my ancestors came to Oz from:

Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, England

Did any of your ancestors arrive under their own financial steam?

Don’t think so; either convicts or assisted immigrants

How many ancestors came as singles?

7 convicts - 3 female, 3 male

Two young Kyle brothers from Tipperary, Henry and Michael in 1841

How many came as couples?

My great grandmother Mary Kirkpatrick, her husband Hugh and my grandfather David (Dave) then aged 11 months, from Belfast

How many came as family groups?

None

Did one person lead the way and others follow?

Not sure, there were Kirkpatricks in the colony but none related to mine, and my NSW Kyles seem rare and unrelated to others in Victoria and Qld.

What’s the longest journey they took to get here?

7 months, Bridget Heslin on the Sugarcane, all Irish convicts

Did anyone make a two-step emigration via another place?

Which state(s)/colony did your ancestors arrive?

NSW

Did they settle and remain in one state/colony?

Yes mostly

Did they stay in one town or move around?

Moved but not far

Do you have any First Australians in your tree?

Not sure

Were any self-employed?

Yes all were, farmers

What occupations or industries did your earliest ancestors work in?

Farming, timber sawyers, midwifery, laundry owners (Sydney), butchers, teamster

Does anyone in the family still follow that occupation?

Yes

Did any of your ancestors leave Australia and go “home”?

Not sure, Hugh Kirkpatrick disappeared after her and Mary separated in 1890, and we haven’t found him, perhaps he went home?

NOW IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

What’s your State of Origin?

NSW

Do you still live there?

Yes

Where was your favourite Aussie holiday place as a child?

Did not go on holiday, it was the 1940s and we lived in the bush

Any special place you like to holiday now?

I like Ireland (if I can get there), also the Top End

Share your favourite spot in Oz:

Nulla Nulla Creek, Upper Macleay the places of my childhood - surrounded by the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, New England National Park Carrai State Forest, Willi Willi National Park, Collombatti State Forest, Ballengarra State Forest, Pee Dee State Forest and much more–