​I think everyone who attended our Seminar on Saturday 21st November, will agree that Ben Mercer is a very fitting representative for Ancestry.com.  His willingness to contribute to a successful day for us and his patience with the many questions we had, was instrumental in the success of the event.
We had nearly 70 people booked in, and although a couple of members called in sick, we had such a good roll-up we had to relocate to the larger auditorium.  Wyong RSL was very accommodating, as usual and did the setup for us, and we were able to get in early to arrange our computer equipment and refreshment tables.  Lunch was provided with a minimum of fuss, and everyone managed to get back to the auditorium in time for the afternoon sessions.
Our major raffle of a year’s subscription to Ancestry.com which was generously donated by Ben was won by our member Helen Hord (Black D45) who was present on the day.  At the end of the seminar, Glenise brought up the subject that many of the members present did not have their own subscription to Ancestry.com, but used the Library edition available through the WFHG Cottage. So Ben then magnanimously donated another year’s subscription, for those who did not have their own subscription, and this was won by a very happy Pam Mansergh (Black D09).
There were no handouts on the day, but we are hoping to get some sent up, which we will distribute if required to those who attended.
Martin and I would like to thank our helpers on the day – Roger for the IT equipment, Michele and Susan on the checkin desk, Eileen and Janet selling all those raffle tickets, Helen who buzzed around taking photos (these will appear in various places), and Anne who set up the refreshment tables that kept us going all day. These events are always a group effort, and if you don’t notice and things run smoothly, then they are a success.
Kerry Clarke - Secretary

We were very pleased that forty members attended our annual Volunteer lunch on the 7th November at the Cottage.  This goes to show why we are such a successful and interesting group to belong to - keen members who are willing to assist are the key.  It was a very informal get together as we find that everyone has a great deal to discuss with one another. 

Our President Kerrie and I gave very short speeches and that was the formalities over.  Because of the very unstable weather we couldn’t put up the marquee outside and so the group spilled from the meeting room out into the passage and office.  We certainly hope to have our front verandah area usable again before too long.  

​The food was tasty, we were able to serve coffee and tea on the back verandah and we feel that a very good time was had by all.    

Thanks once again Volunteers!

Helen Burkett
Volunteer Representative
 

Our well attended and successful Seminar was held at the Wyong RSL Club on Saturday 15th August.  Our three guest speakers were very interesting, and conducted professional informative presentations.  Unfortunately our Guest Speaker organiser Martin, who had spent many hours arranging for our speakers to attend was unwell on the day, so our ever capable president Kerrie stepped up and did a wonderful job with introductions and thanks for them, as well as her other duties on the day.

We had two lucky spot prizes which were gratefully received and three raffle prizes.  

The first prize of the Wine Cooler donated by the Bendigo Bank was won by Annette Shearer ticket number C64, 

The second prize of the 3 Turtle Transcriptions was won by Lynda Smith ticket number C17.  

We also had a prize which was given to us for our participation in the advertising of National Family History Month – this was a voucher for an online course run by genealogicalstudies.com to the value of 89USD.  This was won by Hillary Lowden.  

It was pleasing to see how many of our members attended this Seminar – we are now gearing up for the Ancestry.com Seminar to be held in November.

Kerry Clarke #433

24 October 2014

20 members of the Wyong Family History Group and their friends met mid morning on Friday 24th October to travel down the M1 to the Parramatta Female Factory's "It's a Riot" Open Day. The day started off with a bit of a glitch as the bus wouldn't start but after a quick visit from the NRMA and a shuffling of the pick-up times we eventually got under way. After a slight detour, caused by an errant 'No Right Turn' sign we made our first stop at Lake Parramatta where we enjoyed our home made lunches and drinks, some members even managed to obtain a coffee from the cafe in the park. 

All too soon we were back in the bus and on our way to the Parramatta Female Factory.

Our visit to the Factory included a walking guided tour of the grounds complete with descriptions of the standing buildings and their uses during the period the Female Factory was in operation. Following is a brief history of the factory courtesy of the almighty GOOGLE and a couple of websites therein:-

"Designed by emancipated convict, Francis Greenway the Female Factory was the destination of all unassigned convict women sent to the colony of New South Wales. It played an important role in the provision of medical care for the wider female population and was an assignment depot,  refuge, workhouse, a marriage bureau, hospital and prison.  This multiplicity of roles made it difficult to administer and it quickly evolved from a place of refuge to that of a prison.  

The foundation stone was laid on 4 May 1818 by Governor Macquarie in the presence of builders, Mssrs. Watkins and Payten, Chief Engineer Major George Druitt and convict work gangs. Building work was completed in early 1821 and on the 30 January 1821 the first women convicts were transferred from the nearby factory above the gaol.

(reprinted from http://www.parragirls.org.au/female-factory.php)  

"There were 24,960 women transported to the early Australian colonies. An estimated 9,000 convict women went through the factory system of which approximately 5, 000 went through the Parramatta Female Factory. An estimated 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 Australians are related to the female factory women.

With the first Female Factory above the Parramatta Gaol (now demolished), this factory was the model for other 11 female factories in the colony. These women went on to help make the nation as the pioneer mothers, business women, farmers, teachers and so much more. It was built by convict men, for convict women and the children who were with them. It was commenced in 1818 and the first women were transferred there in February 1821. It is also the site of possibly the first female workers riot in Australia (1827) and one of the earliest factories in the Colony. The factory closed in 1848." 

(reprinted from http://www.parramattafemalefactoryfriends.com.au/history/)

Our 3:15 tour got under way at approximately 3:30 but despite the late start our guide, Gay Hendriksen, gave us a very informative and entertaining tour of the precinct. Unfortunately the tour took place in the hottest part of the day on a unusually warm day and several members felt the effects of the heat and one by one retired inside to the comforts of the air-conditioning and fans.  However all turned out well and by the time the Keynote speaker began everyone was back to their usual bright and bubbly self.

The keynote speaker was Babette Smith, author of several books on the subjects of early Australian history and the role of female convicts within that history. If you are interested in this side of our history I would recommend you read Babette's books, I believe we have several of her books in the WFHG library.

After a pleasant day at the Parramatta Female Factory we adjourned to the Rosehill Bowling Club for a tasty smorgasbord dinner before heading back up the M1 to home. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Ken Cooke, our driver for the day, for making the trip enjoyable and comfortable.
All in all a very enjoyable bus trip.

Martin Fisher, member 653

iPad / Tablet workshop held on the 2 August at the Cottage attended by 20 interested members who enjoyed the day

Twenty enthusiastic members attended  a full day presentation by Jill Ball a well know blogger in genealogical circles and well know in social media, it was a day of much laughter and learning, we told about the different kinds of social media and all about blogging , we enjoyed a great BBQ thanks to Roger Lewis and Kerry Clarke who had it all ready and waiting when we stopped for lunch. After lunch it was back into it as we were shown how to use Google’s extra free tools that can be used when you sign into Google. Jill was never lost for something new and exciting to show us, we enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea with slices provided by Elizabeth Royale and Pam Mansergh a most enjoyable Saturday.

Talk by Ann Howard – Review by Jean Macleay

There was a good roll up for our July meeting and those members who did attend were rewarded with an interesting and entertaining talk by the very charming Ann Howard. Many of us have read her books which are usually centred around the Hawkesbury River, however her talk was in effect a preview of her new book. Ann was inspired to write this book after a conversation with a man who had been sent from the city to country relatives to spare him from bombing or invasion by the Japanese. As she has talked since to more and more folk she found many interesting aspects of the lives of children which were unique to that period. These stories she will incorporate into her book. Many of us in our group are old enough to remember the difference ‘The War’ made to the pattern of our lives which made the story she told specially interesting.

Ann said she would be pleased to receive reminiscences from those of us old enough to have a story to tell that can be incorporated into her writing. You can send your story to [email protected]

I’m sure we are all looking forward to reading the result of her research.

I don't think a special interest group deserves it's very own blog post EVERY time it meets, but we really killed ourselves in this meeting and I thought it would be worthwhile sharing the pain. 
(Lorraine - be very glad you had something else to do).

The purpose of this session was to look at how to 1) create a GEDCOM file and 2) upload it into FamilyTree (on FamilySearch)

First of all we looked at what GEDCOMs were (special file types that handle your genealogical data - good for moving data from one genealogy program to another)

Then we created one in Family Tree Maker - that was ok.

Then we wanted to do a demo for uploading a GEDCOM file into Family Search and then transferring that information into a family tree. Esther put her hand up and we used her Family Search login and a GEDCOM file she had previously created at home.

Step 1.  Before even THINKING about uploading a GEDCOM, see who is in Family Tree already. Half of Esther's family was already in there (her Mother's side) and it went waaaaaay back. Sort of exciting, but we all understand that Esther has to confirm that the information is actually correct.

Step 2. Upload the GEDCOM via this page https://familysearch.org/family-trees Scroll down to the bottom to "submit tree". NOTE: once you upload a GEDCOM file here it is open access. There are no privacy settings on Family Search / Family Tree - except for living people. Living people can not be seen in the tree by anyone else - even relatives. You can delete a GECOM from FamilySearch.

Step 3. Then there is this process of reviewing the data you have in your GEDCOM file and seeing what is already in Family Tree. The program identifies people who are already in the tree, it identifies people who MIGHT be in the tree, people who definitely are NOT in the tree (we add them) and people who are living or "invalid" ("not valid" rather than someone who needs a new hip). "Invalid" might mean there isn't enough information, or there is information in a wrong field - maybe a number in a text field or something. I think. Living or "invalid" entries are not added to Family Tree.

Step 4. Unfortunately it can be tricky tying it all up. You might have added some people to Family Tree who haven't automatically been added to YOUR Family Tree. They are just drifting around like leaves in the wind. So even though we added them via this process we have just been through - we have to go and catch those leaves and stick them to our (their) branches.

So the main points

1) FamilyTree (FamilySearch) is open access. No privacy settings. 
2) On top of that - ANYONE can change ANY entry. If you put your genealogy into Family Tree you have to stop thinking of it as "yours". You become a part of a huge global family tree. So - keep a back up somewhere else.
3) Why put it in there? * It might be there already - like Esther found. * It is another backup. It doesn't matter what happens to your computer, it will survive. * It is a GREAT way to collaborate. * It is easy to use Family Serach's powerful search functions and find / attach sources.

Options for getting your data into FamilyTree

1) Look to see what is already there    https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=search
2) Add what isn't there by

a) Typing it in the old fashioned way or / and
b) Uploading a GEDCOM, going through the review process and making sure the added people have ended up in YOUR tree.

Which would I do? A bit of both. I would start with a GEDCOM upload and get as much as I could in that way and then fill in the gaps manually.

I have to say that it is a reasonably complicated process that requires both family history research skills AND technological ability.

NEXT MONTH (SAT 9TH AUGUST) WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A QUICK DEMO ON ADDING PEOPLE (AND INFORMATION TO PEOPLE WHO ALREADY EXIST) MANUALLY AND HOW TO SEACH FOR AND ATTACH RECORDS TO PEOPLE.
THEN WE ARE GOING TO HIT THE COMPUTERS AND PLAY WITH OUR OWN TREES. SEE WHAT IS THERE ALREADY AND ADD WHAT WE WANT TO.


Places are definitely going to be limited for this group so if you haven't been to one of our previous groups, give it a miss unless you are super confident with both family history research AND FamilySearch / FamilyTree. I'm going to say that bookings are necessary and the first 12? people get spots.

Home work 
1) Create a FamilySearch username and password https://familysearch.org/register/
2) Have a look around FamilyTree to see what is already in there for you
3) Bring some family history data of your own to add in - four generations is good
4) Optional - create a GEDCOM file (or bring in your laptop and I will help you) and we can go through that hair raising process of using a GEDCOM to put info into your FamilyTree TOGETHER!
5) Get plenty of sleep the night before

Eleven members enjoyed a trip to State Records Saturday 5 July everyone had a successful day. A big thank you to our bus driver David Pilkington who got us there and back safely

Kerrie Metcalfe
President
WFHG Inc.