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December 1999
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MACBETHS
Genealogy Newsletter
An Occasional Newsletter including
Topics and New Products of
Interest to Genealogists
Number 22 - December 1999
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Copyright (c) 1999 Macbeth Genealogical Services Pty Ltd
Information on how to obtain a free subscription to this
newsletter or how to cancel a subscription is given near
the end.
Please do not copy articles from this newsletter to other
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their services in this newsletter.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- New Digger(tm) CD-ROM
- Immigration to Victoria 1852-79
- Sands and Kenny's Melbourne Directories 1857 - 1861
- New CD in production
- Macbeths will be closed until Monday 10 January 2000
- Retirement of two Genea Figures
- My Year
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- New Digger(tm) CD-ROM
- Immigration to Victoria 1852-79
Index to Inward Passenger Lists British & Foreign Ports
This CD was posted to pre-orders on 16 December 1999. Its
official launch will be in January 2000.
This publication records over 490,000 passengers arriving on
vessels in Victoria over the period 1852 to 1879. The passengers
came from ports in the British Isles and from other foreign
ports. Passengers who left from a port in New Zealand or an
Australian colony are not recorded in this index. Many of the
assisted immigrants who arrived in Victoria in that time period
are also not in this index. Cost is $165 posted with in
Australia. Add $A5 for postage overseas.
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- Sands and Kenny's Melbourne Directories 1857 - 1861
On one CD-ROM for Windows(tm) 95, 98 or NT
As previously mentioned this is a facsimile copy on CD-ROM of
5 directories published in books. Over 2000 images of
original pages are included. If you have purchased this CD we
would love feedback on how you rate its ease of use. We have
several more CDs of this type in the pipeline and would
appreciate your input.
Sometimes a project is thwarted every stage of its production.
So it was with this CD. We had it at production when it was
discovered the artwork could not be used by the film house. So
our graphic designer, who had NOT worked on this publication,
had to fix the artwork. (We have learnt not to use other
organisation's designers.) Then the compressors broke down!
Considering we had been waiting since March for some components
of the project, to finally have the CD in our hands the week
before Christmas, was a huge relief.
Jointly published by Macbeth Genealogical Services and the State
Library of Victoria, edited by Sue McBeth and designed by
Coherent Software Australia. Cost is $A80. The price includes
postage within Australia. Add $A5 for postage overseas.
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- New CD in production
It will come as no surprise to most of you that we are currently
working on the 'Queensland Pioneers Index 1829 to 1889'. If all
goes well we expect it by March 2000. The cost has been set at
$250.
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- Macbeths will be closed until Monday 10 January 2000
We may drop into the office over this time but our presence
cannot be guaranteed. During the rest of January the office
will be manned erratically. So please ring first
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- Retirement of two Genea Figures
Frances Brown of the State Library of Victoria, and
Bronwen Merrett of Public Record Office Victoria
Although we wish both well, their retirement will prove a loss
for genealogy in Victoria.
Frances Brown was a huge force in family history in Victoria.
She had so many achievements that I will only mention two. To
the benefit of every genea researcher in this State or
researcher of this State, Frances commenced a publishing program
on microfiche. She branched out into records of other states and
countries. Her last publication was on CD - Sands and Kenny's
Melbourne Directories 1857 - 1861.
The other major initiative was obtaining Family Search(tm) on CD
for the State Library of Victoria. The library was the first
organisation other than a LDS organisation to have Family
Search(tm).
Frances had been a remarkable achiever for family historians.
She retired in August
Bronwen Merrett commenced with the Public Record Office (PRO)
in 1988. Under her influence the PRO expanded its voluntary
indexing projects and commenced publishing the results of those
projects. We can thank Bronwen for getting the indexes out to
the public.
Bronwen in her role of manager of the public programs side of
the PRO developed exhibitions and finding aids for the public's
use of the search rooms. She concentrated on making the search
rooms more user friendly - not an easy task in an archive!
Over the last twelve months Bronwen worked on the new purpose-
built repository in North Melbourne. Although she retired in
December she is continuing to work on some projects on a part-
time basis for the PRO.
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- My Year
This year seems to have been very busy - I have not stopped yet!
In January I was appointed to the Public Record Advisory
Council. This is the 'watch dog' of the Public Record Office
Victoria. I have had great fun on this committee. {Actually I
think I should be more serious - 'fun' is not the correct word!)
I was luck enough to see through the new PRO building several
times during the year during its construction. It is certainly
a large and impressive building with some fabulous large
reception spaces.
Although some PRO staff moved into the building this month, it
is mainly occupied, temporarily, by gallery staff. It is only
when the gallery moves out the public will use the facility's
search room. And what fun that will be. The search room
is large, public transport services the facility, there is
car parking, and it is near the city.
During the year Macbeths published several items on CD and fiche
and we are currently working on items for release next year.
On the research front we worked tidying up the Jewish land
reparation cases for which we found beneficiaries last year.
This meant collecting documents for the proof of claims. About
three weeks ago we were asked to find more beneficiaries before
the end of this month. We worked on several cases and solved
them - but the week before Christmas I had very little sleep.
The only other highlight of the year was a beneficiary whom I
had found and had not met, turned up at the office with a bunch
of fantastic roses to thank me for finding him. It was a lovely
thought and I was and am very grateful. I have the best job in
the world - making people happy through either facilitating them
getting money and/or matching families together. Many of the
people I find think the money is secondary to the family they
meet.
On a personal note our children are getting older and 2000 will
see many changes in our family. William is going on to
secondary school. Many of you will remember Will as the
youngest attendee at the family history conference in Sydney in
1988. Tom is going into grade 3. His first conference was in
Tasmania in 1991. Our youngest, Catherine is starting school
in January. I think three was too many to take to conferences!
We have lots planned for next year 2000. But how much of it
will we achieve!
Hope 2000 brings you all happiness.
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- To Order
Order through:
http://www.macbeth.com.au/orders.html
Email orders can be sent to:
sales@macbeth.com.au
quoting credit card details.
By telephone:
03 9598 0435
By fax:
03 9598 0365
A range of specials is available at our Hampton show room.
We accept Visa, Mastercard and Bankcard, cheques and cash.
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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 1990 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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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
sales@macbeth.com.au
home page http://www.macbeth.com.au/
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