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April 1999

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MACBETHS
Genealogy Newsletter


An Occasional Newsletter including
Topics and New Products of
Interest to Genealogists

Number 19 - April 1999


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Copyright (c) 1999 Macbeth Genealogical Services Pty Ltd

Information on how to obtain a free subscription to this
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IN THIS ISSUE:

- NEW Indexes Released - QLD Death Index 1935-1939
- FamilySearch on the Internet
- NSW Indexes on the Internet
- Victorian Family History State Conference May 1999
- NSW Indexes on CD-ROM
- Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies Election Results
- Genealogy 1970s to 2000s and the Impact on Genealogy Societies
- Reunion of Descendants of 'Godeffroy', 'Wappaus',
'Dockenhuden' and 'Emmy' which arrived in 1849 in Victoria.


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- NEW Indexes Released - QLD Death Index 1935-1939

This fiche index has just been released. It is available from
Macbeths for $60.


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- FamilySearch on the Internet

FamilySearch which includes the International Genealogical
Index (IGI) is now available. There are reports of long delays
and not being able to get on. I have not had any trouble
getting on but have experienced delays after asking for a
search.

It is at:
http://www.familysearch.org/

Thanks to Joy Murrin for this information some weeks back!


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- NSW Indexes on the Internet

The official address is:
http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/bdm
It appears fairly clogged so be patient.


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- Victorian Family History State Conference May 1999

The Third Victorian Family History State Conference, will take
place on next Saturday and Sunday 1 & 2 May 1999 at the
Cato Conference Centre, 489 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne,
Victoria, Australia.

Bob Jephcott of Macbeth Genealogical Services will have a
stall at the conference. He looks forward to meeting you there.

For further information about the conference look at:
http://web.solutions.net.au/~guthrigg/3vafhosc.htm


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- NSW Indexes on CD-ROM

We are getting lots of queries about when the NSW indexes will
be available on Digger. We would like to put the indexes on
Digger but it is up to the Registry. Instead of writing to us
it is probably more fruitful to email the Registry of Births,
Deaths and Marriages in Sydney on:
bdm_mail@agd.nsw.gov.au
I hope that is correct. It was read to me over the telephone
and the'_' may be a dash!


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- Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies (AIGS)
Election Results

The results of the election are as follows:
President Don Grant
Senior VP Faye Guthrie
Secretary Jack Ide
Publications Noelene Goodwin

We extend our congratulations to all elected. Those who did not
win a post I am sure will continue to work for the benefit of
genealogists in Victoria.


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- Genealogy 1970s to 2000s and the Impact on Genealogy Societies


The 1970s
In 1973, when I lived in Victoria as I do now, I started my
family history. My family had settled in Victoria late last
century and my research was predominately based in this State.
My grandfather, James Neville, was married twice in this State.
His second and last marriage was easy to locate as the date and
place of marriage was listed on my mother's birth certificate.
His first marriage was not so easy. The only things we knew
about his first marriage were that his wife and child were
buried in Melbourne General Cemetery, and when he married my
grandmother he was listed as a widow. Was he married before he
arrived in Australia? What was his wife's name? When did she and
the child die? If he married in Australia was it in Victoria?

Back in 1973 the research strategy was to pay the government
registry to undertake a 5-year search of their indexes. Since
grandfather was born in Ireland in 1860 he could have married
the first time between 1880 and 1899. This 20 year search was
for 4 5-year periods, and if my memory serves me correctly, cost
about $16 if the record was located and slightly less if the
marriage was not located. This amount was about 35% of my week's
wage. If the record was not located I still had to look
elsewhere. Luckily his first marriage was registered in Victoria
in 1886.

The 1980s
At the end of 1985 the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
n Victoria, followed the NSW government to release indexes to
BDMs on microfiche. The release included registrations 1853 to
1896 and church records from 1836.

I remember the excitement of getting my hands on the first set.
I poured over the indexes and found all sorts of events for
which I could not justify to pay for a search. Deaths were
always the hardest events to locate. Prior to the release of the
indexes, to locate a death, a researcher needed to try to narrow
the search down to a 5-year period in order to cut costs. To do
this we would search the directories, the GSV cemetery card
index, interview family and pray a lot. If you were not
searching your family history prior to December 1985 in Victoria
you can only imagine the lengths one would go to avoid paying
for more than a 5-year search. These fiche indexes had a large
impact on the way family history research was undertaken. The
major advantages to the researcher were the saving of money and
time. And they added a comfortable certainty to research - when
you made application to the registry you were certain of
obtaining a document rather than a 'no record result' document.

As the years passed more indexes were released. I hope more are
still to come.

The 1990s
And then came electronic data on CD-ROMs. INFORMIT now RMIT
Publishing in 1992 produced the first genealogy CDs. Macbeths
began production in October 1997. For the researcher gone is
much of the work putting fiche after fiche into the mouth of
the reader and searching year by year or even more frequently.
Merely plug in a few details into the computer program and await
the results. Boy, is it not fast and simple. Some of the slog is
gone, along with the cost, but none of the thrill and
exhilaration is missing.

Now do we want to find out the arrival of our folks into
Victoria? OK hop onto the net and plug away at the indexes.

The 2000s
It is now 2002, thirty years since I commenced my tree. I hop on
the net and plug my names into the indexes on the net provided
for me, at a small cost by the Registry. Good there is the entry
in 1886. Yes, I'll pay for an image of the original certificate
to confirm I have the correct family. Good I am lucky it is the
one I wanted. I wonder when they arrived in Victoria. I'll just
plug their names into the immigration index. Found the entry I
wanted and I downloaded the image of the original passenger
list. I'll try and browse the census for the village they are
from in Scotland. Boy that was hard work. I had to browse 50
images before finding the right household.

Now I'm off the site of the Registry for Scotland to continue
tracing that line. Now over to Family Search including the IGI.
I have gone back to the late 1780s in just over 2 hours spent
in one night on the net. Luckily I have other lines.

Whilst all that should be possible by 2002 some searches can be
undertaken now and more will be in place within the next two
years. On payment of a fee the Victorian government has
searchable indexes online NOW. They are currently imaging their
early or 'historical' registrations with the expectation the
images will be available to download, on payment of a fee,
within two years. Some of the immigration indexes for Victoria
are on the net now with more indexes and images to follow. The
Scottish BDM indexes are online for a fee; Family Search is
also on the net NOW. The Public Record Office in England is
calling for expressions of interest to put the next census
release on the net by 2002 as the search rooms will be unable
to cope with the interest it will generate. This will be on a
cost for search basis. The Victorian Government has directed
departments to put significant amount of information on the net
by the year 2001.

What an amazing change has occurred over 15 years (1985 to 1999)
to the way a researcher conducts family history research.



What do these changes mean for genealogical societies and how
will the future impact on them?
I thought it would be interesting to explore the impact of the
changes in access to resources has made to our genealogy
societies and what the future will mean to them.

In Victoria during the 1970s and 1980s the genealogy society's
main thrust was to compile cemetery indexes to assist locate
death certificates. This aim is not so earnestly followed now
since the need for this resource has diminished in importance.
(Cemetery indexes are still an important source but its emphasis
has changed and it is used to flesh out ones family.) The thrust
with indexing projects changed and was extended to land indexes,
newspaper indexes, hospital indexes and general miscellaneous
indexes. With few exceptions no Society in Australia seems to
have any vision or planning of a wonderful source to pull the
punters. Two exceptions which I will mention is Society of
Australian Genealogists, Sydney, SAG's management of the
Australian Genealogy Computer Index (AGCI) project and South
Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society's (SAGHS) biographical
index and birth index. I think I am correct saying that of all
the major societies in Australia and New Zealand SAGHS employs
the only project officer.

What functions do genealogical societies perform for their
members. The main ones are the library and the magazine and to
the lesser extent training. 

The Library of the Genealogy Society. Let us investigate the
library in a little detail. The societies hold very little
primary material, and interestingly some hold very few family
histories. What primary material do they hold. Some indexes
created by their members - not much else. Most of the material
they hold is either published or reproduced archive material.
The latter seems to be destined for imaging and the web and
will lose its pull. The small amount of exclusive material
genealogy societies hold will not draw big memberships


The Magazines of the Genealogy Societies. In the future journals
and magazines will hold their importance and be the lifeline for
those members who never attend the society's library. I would
hope the future could hail the upgraded to quality magazines
with authoritative articles, which are vetted by referees before
publication. In my opinion magazines, in general, although well
produced lack quality content. Again there are exceptions.

The Future for Genealogy Societies. I predict the societies will
and should become places of training and through training
friendship. 

Libraries in 20 years time will become less important, the
magazine could be worked on to be more important then they now
are and genealogy societies could become places of quality
learning and friendship.

I wonder what the Societies in Australia doing to plan for the
future?


Sue McBeth

Footnote: I have generalized and talked about my experiences.
Not every thing I have said or implied will apply to every
genealogy society. Some societies are forward thinking. For the
purposes of this article I have not considered the Church of
Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints a genealogy society.

The purpose of this article was to promote thinking and planning
not be negative or accurate.


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- Reunion of Descendants of 'Godeffroy', 'Wappaus',
'Dockenhuden' and 'Emmy' which arrived in 1849 in Victoria.

One hundred and fifty years ago, four ships arrived in the Port
Phillip District of New South Wales, bringing assisted
immigrants from Germany.

The ships were 'Godeffroy' which arrived 11.2.1849, 'Wappaus'
which arrived 6.3.1849, 'Dockenhuden' which arrived 21.4.1849
and 'Emmy' which arrived on 19.12.1849.

A reunion of descendants will be held on Wednesday 22 September
1999 at the Doncaster Lutheran Hall. Victoria Street, Doncaster
commencing at 5pm with a banquet at 7 pm.. Cost is $15 per
person. BYO drinks for toasts.


Is your family name here?

German-Wendish immigrants to Port Phillip - the 1849 ships

'Godeffroy' 503 ton ship under Captain J H Behn arrived with:
F Behnke*; W Bentsch*; J C Berg; B Beyer; A R Binder*;
O R Bosewetter; B Brendel; C F Burstenbruder; H Eichner*;
J W Eickhoff*; C Einsiedel; J Eisert; C H Fiebig; J Franck;
E Gebhard; A Georgi*; J Goetze*; J G Gross; J F Gruenberg;
J F Grundel; W Haber; B Hallman; W Hanuschke; C Hartmann;
W Hildebrandt*;J G Ickhart; J H A Jentsch; C Jungmichel;
O Kayser; G Knobloch; J M Krause; J C A Kruger; P Kubisch,
A & C Kumnick*; F H Lange; T Lehmkuhl*; R W Lemke; G Lubisch;
A Lutz; V Magiska; G F Moritz*; A & C Muller; E T Moncheberg;
J Noack; G Orderich; F Otto; C R, F W & E Penzig; E Petrikatis*;
H & W Pietzker; H Pintzsch; R Reissner; C Rokesky; M Sachs;
C Sadler; C Schmidt*; A G & J C Schneider; J Schober;
L Schoenke; C Scholtz; D W Schramm; C Schroder; J T Schubert;
F Schultz; E Streubel; L Trautvetter; A Trinkhaus*;
C F & G Tuchebaud; L Voss; C H Wagner; M Wahmner; C F Wallmann*;
B Weber; A & O Weidt; M Wendt*; M Wenke; W Weser*;
C G A Wiencke; C Wilhelmi*; G Wirt/Wirth; F Wulff/Wolf;
E T Zeising; F Zimmermann.

'Wappaus' 304 ton ship under Captain Peterson arrived with:
G & J Adler; Fr Bartels; G Baumgart*; H Behrer; E Berman*;
E Bitters; G Blumel/ Bluemel*; T Bormann; N Botticher; J Brewer;
W Burchmann; C Buschell; C Cheswick; J Dittmann; F W Ebert*;
L Ernst*; J Fiebig; G Fiedler*; A & F Fritsche;
W Grabel/Graebel; G J Grutzner; C Habel; J Hausmann; M Heiner;
Fr Hennig; T Henschel; J Hettner/Hettna*; G Hilbrich;
J Hildebrandt; J Joppick; N Kall; A & G Kernich*; C & E Klem*;
C & E Klix/Kluex; G Klose; J G Konig/Koenig; F Krause;
F A Krumbugel; C Kuttich*; B Kuttig; C & J Lehmann; G Lindner*;
C Muller*; C Neumann; G Neumann*; J Otto; C Presser; G Rudolph;
H Rupp; E Schaffer/Schaeffer; G Schmidt; J C Schornick;
J Schumann; J Seyfried; Fr Straube; J G Thiele; S Uebergang;
J F Walther; F Weniger*; E Werner; A Wernicke; F W Wirth;
C Young; C Ziesig

'Dockenhuden' 388 ton barque under Captain John Meyer arrived
with:
L Barthel; R Bruchmann; J Drewes; J F Droop; Fr Eulert;
R Feller; P Friedrichs; G Garrtner; E Giersch; J H T Gross;
H Hagen; H Hahn; M Helm; H Herrmann; C Hirt; M Holzer;
A Jurs/Juers; A Kaendler; F & T Kawerau; G Knersch; J W Koch;
H Kramp; A Mareau; J Mensch; Fr Meyer; C A Muller;
G & C A Muller; H Niveau; W Padel (Gallus); W Persichl;
D Pleeder; J Pollack; J H T Sandmann; H Schleif; H B Schmidt;
H Schreiber; H Schulteis; A & J G Schultz; J G Stief; T Teig;
H Thiele; J W Timke; W Trogisch; T Vorweg; G Wanke; A Wenk;
J C Zahn.

'Emmy' 554 ton ship under Captain J H O Meyer arrived with:
H Andresen*; S Andrieske; G Arndt; Fr Baensch; C G S Bieske;
J Bischoff; G Bochew; J G Boehm; J G Bonsak*; W Borchers*;
C L Bucholz; G Burgemeister*; C W Buerckner; M Dienhoff;
J G Elix*; G Einsporn; H Feller; J G Fiedler; G Finster;
J C Francke; W Gehling; F W Geissler; S Gerlach; R Getzschmann;
S Goldenberg*; G Gogol; Gregor*; O Greumert; C Grunwald*;
C Haferkorn; H O Hanashke; M Hartman*; W Hecker*; C R Hellwig;
C Heinbach*; C Held*; E A Henke; J Hemmel*; J G Herrrmann;
J C A Hesse; G Hieland; W Hohn*; T Hommel; W & G Janke;
S Kaeger; J G Knatsch; J Kobbel; F W Koch; L Kohn*; C Kruger*;
C Kurgemann; Lange; J F Lehnig; J G Limme; G F W Lindau;
T Lindenschmidt; C Maraun*; J A Markert; Meiss; G Marschner;
C W Milich; J Nicolai; J Nitschke; T Orth*; H Paulke;
J Plaeschke; J Radspieler; J G Rau*; C F E Reimann*;
C F S Ritter; S Roehr; G Rosenzweig; G Ruediger; G Russack;
N Schaefer; W Scheimeister; E Schiller*; C Schipalius;
C E Schloback; J Schober; E Schroder;*; J Schubert; A Schwabsch;
A Schwerkolt; B & A Seidel; A Semke; J G Siebel; G Sommer*;
L Stark*; C A H Storch; C Voges*; J W Wagenknecht; W Wagner;
H W A Walter; W Wensell; J G Winter; J G Zimmer.


A detailed list of names is available from the secretary,
John Noack, (03) 9723 4154.


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CONTRIBUTIONS: If you would like to submit news, or
information or highlight home pages for possible inclusion in
this newsletters, send it to
jephcott@macbeth.com.au
Macbeths does reserve the right to accept or reject any
articles submitted.

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COPYRIGHT: Please note the information contained herein is
copyright 1997 by Macbeth Genealogical Services except for
information attributed to other sources. Any republication
of articles contained in this newsletter requires the
consent of Macbeths.

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********************************
We wish all customers a very happy Christmas
and a prosperous year in 1999.
********************************


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CONTACT DETAILS

Sue McBeth
Bob Jephcott

Macbeth Genealogical Services Pty Ltd
PO Box 136 Hampton Vic 3188 Australia
526 Hampton Street Hampton Vic 3188 Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9598 0435
Fax +61 3 9598 0365

Email          jephcott@macbeth.com.au
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