RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: gazania on Wednesday 07 November 07 23:12 GMT (UK)
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Aussies,
I saw a promo last night on SBS saying the series "Who Do You Think You Are" is coming - at last on free to air. Gazania
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Many thanks for the info - any ideas which series - did they give any names?
Trish
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Hi Trish,
I have just been advised that a notice has appeared in Nov issue of The Australian Family Connection magazine which says:
"The first episode of the 6-part Aussie series of this popular UK TV series goes to air on SBS on Sunday 13 January. Participants in the series are Cathy Freeman, Jack Thompson, Geoffrey Robertson, Kate Ceberano, Ita Buttrose and Dennis Commett.
The Aussie series will be preceded by six episodes from the UK series on SBS on Sunday 2 December 2007."
Bye, Gazania
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I wish them luck with Cathy Freeman. It will be interesting to see what sort of records they will be able to come up with.
V
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I wish them luck with Cathy Freeman. It will be interesting to see what sort of records they will be able to come up with.
V
Her grandmother was one of the 'stolen generation' so her life before and after she was taken should be documented via government records. But it will be interesting to see if they can get beyond that. There is probably a strong oral family history up to that point if they can bridge the gap backwards.
Christine
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from the promo some of the ones they will be showing are
julia shawala
jeremy clarkson
bill oddie
nigella lawson
i cant remember the others it showed.
it doesn't look like they will be showing all the series so far
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Thanks everyone - from the names mentioned appears to be mainly series 1 folks & then Oz - wonder if they have been allowed to access certificates that we normal folks have no access to - and how long it takes them to get same ;D
Trish
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Wonder if rootschat will be busier ;D
Cheers
cando
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OH, Yes Cando,
Do you remember when NAA finished their digitisation this year and their search engine and website was just about wiped out with queries??
Anyway, it sound like it will be great.
Sue
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I've put it in the diary. Thanks for letting us know.
That'll be an expensive exercise if they end up flying all the Australians back to the old country/ies to find their roots! ;).
At least in the UK series some of them managed to stay in the country.
Very excited.
Looking forward to it!
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Wonder if rootschat will be busier ;D
Cheers
cando
And the BDM offices will not be expecting the huge increase in certificate orders. But it is on SBS ;D so perhaps it will not be as bad as the effect that it had on GRO in the UK when it first aired. Also people commented at the time that the series made it look like that you could just walk into GRO and get what you wanted right away!
I cannot see the point in them showing the Pommy series here first, it is a whole different system, our certificates give so much more information, and we have no census data, so it will confuse people unless they are going to have a presenter to explain these differences.
Christine :)
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Wonder if rootschat will be busier ;D
Cheers
cando
And the BDM offices will not be expecting the huge increase in certificate orders. But it is on SBS ;D so perhaps it will not be as bad as the effect that it had on GRO in the UK when it first aired. Also people commented at the time that the series made it look like that you could just walk into GRO and get what you wanted right away!
I cannot see the point in them showing the Pommy series here first, it is a whole different system, our certificates give so much more information, and we have no census data, so it will confuse people unless they are going to have a presenter to explain these differences.
Christine :)
Spot on Christine but perhaps it may help/encourage some Aussies to look for their ancestors. My English pals often comment about our informative certificates. I remember how disappointed I was in my early [naive] days of researching, to receive the death cert of my ggg grandfather who died in Liverpool - the informant was a servant and he died from 'natural decay' and I had waited weeks for this first English cert :(- I was so confident I would complete the family in England pretty quickly :-[ - ......and I am still searching ;D ;D
Cheers
cando
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I cannot see the point in them showing the Pommy series here first, it is a whole different system, our certificates give so much more information, and we have no census data, so it will confuse people unless they are going to have a presenter to explain these differences.
Christine :)
But surely, there must be a fair few £10 Poms around out there who will need to be familiar with both systems if they are to find their origins, and all those "orphans" shipped out from institutions?
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I cannot see the point in them showing the Pommy series here first, it is a whole different system, our certificates give so much more information, and we have no census data, so it will confuse people unless they are going to have a presenter to explain these differences.
Christine :)
But surely, there must be a fair few £10 Poms around out there who will need to be familiar with both systems if they are to find their origins, and all those "orphans" shipped out from institutions?
We all need to be familiar with both systems, unless we have no British heritage at all
- my point is that people who see the first series will be wanting to know how to start in Australia to research. Though there is plenty of info on line.
Come to think of it, it is on SBS (not knocking SBS) so the targeted audience would be the British born They can go straight back to the GRO records.
;D C
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Most of the folks mentioned for the Oz program are immigrant Australians (at one time or another). Apart from the original inhabitants Australians came from everywhere - but lots from Britain, so I think showing the British series would be really good for the large majority of Australians - unless one is only interested in the Australian side of the research. I find it so interesting to track the relatives of my immigrants who stayed in England/Scotland. I am still hoping to meet some of these more distant cousins one day. The life style my family left seems to have had a large influence on the life they/we had/have in Australia.
Trish
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Hello there
Jack Thompson was born in Australia in Manly but he was adopted. So maybe the program will try and find his "roots"
The others seem to be a mixture of second and third generation Australis all of them being actually born in Australia allthough I don't know about this Dennis Commett( will have to google him)
regards Jenn
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dennis cometti was born in perth. i would say by his name he's from italian heritage. im sure they will all have european roots at some time except possibly kathy.
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Hello there Kathy
thank for that info re denis commetti now I know who he is
kind regards Jenn
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I'm sure they will choose their candidates carefully, so their families can be traced far back enough to be interesting without leaving the country.
Surely they'll draw the line at shipping everyone back to the old country to chase up certificates and long lost second cousins.
It'll all be very interesting whatever they do and whoever they trace - looking forward to it, but I just realised that I'll miss the first episode as I'll be away! :-\
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that will be good do you think they will go back to when some of their ancestors were convicts and transported from the UK and show you how to search over here?
(i am not saying that all of the people in austrailia are descended from convicts just most of them! )
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that will be good do you think they will go back to when some of their ancestors were convicts and transported from the UK and show you how to search over here?
(i am not saying that all of the people in austrailia are descended from convicts just most of them! )
Hi toni
I would think a much smaller % of Australia came from convicts - but I really have no idea - transportation finished in the mid 1800s (a little later in WA) & there have been many many migrants since that time - thus said, I'm sure there will be at least a couple of these traced back to the first fleet - either from a convict or a soldier
Trish
PS Went looking for a % related to how many of us are descended from convicts, but this is all I can find to date
by 1868, when transportation ended, fewer than 200,000 convicts had been brought in, whereas the total population was over 1,000,000. Far more free immigrants than convicts settled Australia
Of that million, a large number would have been descendants of a convict, so it is not as helpful a comment as I first thought.
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Enjoy the series ;D you've waited long enough for it
Bill Odie I thought was a good one and I loved Jeremy Clarkson, but then I like him on his other programmes, is Moira Stewart on the list, her story goes way back and she is very moved by it. Think I will have to dig some dvd's out and watch them all again.
Enjoy enjoy!! ;D ;D
Jane
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This just arrived in my "inbox"
'Who Do You Think You Are' television show comes to Australia
The BBC television show 'Who Do You Think You Are', now in its fourth season, has been such a huge success in England. Some Australians may have seen some episodes showing on Foxtel.
But even better news is that the WDYTYA show is coming to Australia. Six Australian celebrities will trace their family roots in initial Australian series. These will be Cathy Freeman, Jack Thompson, Geoffrey Robertson, Kate Ceberano, Ita Buttrose and Dennis Commetti will learn more about their family history. The season will commence on SBS television on Sunday, 2 December with six episodes from the UK series before the premiere of the six SBS commissioned Australian episodes beginning on Sunday 13 January 2008.
The SBS commissioned episodes follow six unique Australians as they look to their own roots to explain who they are and how this fits with their view of what it means to be Australian.
For more information on the UK episodes
For the press release on the Australian edition
http://www.rootschat.com/links/026k/
There are two people on the list who I don't like, and two I've never heard of .... nevertheless I am looking forward to it. I hope it will be as compelling as the UK one.
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I think Cathy's should be very interesting - showing (I hope) a truly different method of research. Geoffrey seems to appear in Australia only to make TV shows & I haven't heard of Dennis. Do hope they talk about their sources and the how of the research
Many thanks for the link Ruskie
Trish
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Now Ruskie can we pick which two you don't like perhaps geoffrey and dennis
Trisha Dennis is a AFL footy commentator, one of those in your face types!! LOL
regards jenn
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Afraid I do have some teensy little doubts. I hope this will not be the poor cousin to the UK WDYTYA.
None of the people really "push my buttons", but that doesn't mean their family histories won't be interesting. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
I'm sure it will be very watchable and a huge improvement on most of the rubbish shown on Australian TV. Wonder how it'll fare ratings wise with it being on SBS.
PS. No, I won't tell ...
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Have to agree with you a bit there none of them are on my favorite Aussies list
However when we were away on holidays earlier this year I literally bumped into Jack Thompson at Coffs Harbour. We were wandering around the mall when this chappie bumped into me cause he waswalking backwards and talking to some folk sitting down. He said excuse etc etc very politely. I said to my husband I am sure that bloke was Jack Thompson and he said no Liv too old and way too hefty. So we walked a long a little bit further and he was standing in a shop doorway when another bloke walked past and said G'day jack and I said to hubby sure sounds like him. You know he has a rather cultured posh Aussie voice. lol
So then the next day there he was on the Today show talking about billy Thorpe's death and it said Jack Thompson live from Coffs Harbour. so I had a very minor brush with fame not my first though)
Enough Jen I can hear someone saying.
regards Jenn
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Certainly in the right town Jenn - he has been there for moons. I went to high school in CH but I think it was a little before he moved there. From reading various blurbs online, I think the show will be well done - they have certainly gone for variations in ancestry - I'm trying to decide which one has the first fleeter - HAS to be one of them. Did any of them come from Tasmania? Lots of first fleeters ended up there (via Nofolk Is).
Trish
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Knowing the rootschatters, they'll have traced all the candidates back to Adam before the show airs!
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Knowing the rootschatters, they'll have traced all the candidates back to Adam before the show airs!
I was thinking of starting at Wiki and trying it out ;D - problem is to know the parent names & get back to when the BDMs are available & I think Jenn mentioned someone was adopted - makes it tricky - I will brobably browse a couple ;D
Trish
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I thought you might Trish ......
;D
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They all seem to be born after 1920 so will be very hard unless you just luck on it but hell we all love a challenge. Jack thompson was adopted, so that will be an interesting show, if the go for his birth parents?
It is possible that Cathy Freeman could have the first fleeter in her background even though she is of indigenous parentage I do believe it is mixed.
regards Jenn
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Geoffrey is a baby boomer - born 1946 (as per his online biography) - his father was in AirForce in WW2 - there are 100s of Robertsons - need a first name ;D
Trish
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Trish....is this the Geoffrey Robertson you are looking for? If so, you'll get a good start from here...... ;D
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1448925.htm
.....dee
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That's where it came from Dee - doesn't give his father's name
Trish
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There are many google pages on Ita Buttrose. Might be an easier surname to search? She had a brother Will according to Wiki (dead now - was he famous?)
There was a book (biography?) about Cathy Freeman wasn't there?
And Ita Buttrose too?
Maybe someone has them and can give some clues ;).
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Trish,
I think Geoffrey's mother was a Dettman.....the website is too long to post.....I don't know how to shorten it, but at a Cornerstones Conference he stated that his mother was a Dettman.
I used the search terms Geoffrey Robertson + school.
Wonder
.....dee
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Hello To All RootsChat Members,
Have just been reading all the posts to this Topic, very interesting!
However, we somehow would prefer to see less of the 'Popular Identity' Syndrome.
Why not have people selected from the 'General Public'.
I'm sure we would find it more interesting, who knows what they might come across.
The personal details of all these well-known identities in Australia, has been publicized over and over again.
Basically it is just a ratings exercise.
Somehow, I do not think we will waste our time watching the Australian version. Might have a quick look at the UK. version, will just have to wait and see.
Regarding the Uk Version, I have not heard of these names:
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julia shawala
jeremy clarkson
bill oddie
nigella lawson
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Can anyone elaborate on, whether they are also well-known identities?
Jeanette H.
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I have seen this series on uktv on cable quite good but not that interesting to a non british person
Bill Odie was from the TV series the Goodies
Nigella Lawson is a tv cook celebrity
I must admit the Jeremy Clakson one was rather interesting and I didn't know who he was.
Ordinary people would not bring the ratings in of course by my lot would have been intersting to say the least as no doubt all of ourfellow rootschatters would have been as well
regards Jenn
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Bill Odie is more well know know for his interest in wildlife, and has a few books out about the subject
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=bill+oddie&tag=yahhyd-21&index=aps&ref=pd_sl_6huhjjdovj_b
regards
ricky
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They are UK "personalities" Jeanette H - try a google search - plenty of information about them all!
Julia was the daughter of Jennifer Saunders in Absolutely Fabulous, Jeremy presents a car programme currently on SBS I think (his mum invented the Paddington Bear toy), Bill Oddie was in the Goodies, Nigella Lawson is an ex- journalist/cook/daughter of Nigel Lawson ex chancellor of the exchequer I believe.
Yes, of course they use the stars to attract the audiences - it is TV after all, and it's all about ratings.
Their past them made them who they are - same as everyone else. Many come from very humble ancestry.
Yes, a similar progarmmme finding Jo Public's ancestors would be equally as interesting.
I personally don't think it matters if you are aware of who the people are or not, in fact you may find it a more interesting programme if you've never heard of them. There has been much discussion on the boards about who people do and don't like and if you don't know who they are you see it through different, less biased eyes perhaps.
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Hello To All RootsChat Members,
Regarding the Uk Version, I have not heard of these names:
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julia shawala
jeremy clarkson
bill oddie
nigella lawson
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Can anyone elaborate on, whether they are also well-known identities?
Jeanette H.
If you search these names on RootsChat you will find all the details of the shows - much discussed. Some folks love them - some folks don't - Jeremy seems very much a love him or hate him person from the comments I remember reading on RC. I have seen his show and enjoyed it
Trish
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Bill Odie is more well know know for his interest in wildlife, and has a few books out about the subject
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=bill+oddie&tag=yahhyd-21&index=aps&ref=pd_sl_6huhjjdovj_b
regards
ricky
Thanks Ricky
Nice to see you over in Oz - did you paddle over here :D
Trish
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Hello to All RootsChat Members,
Thank you to Trish251, Ruskie, Ricky1 and Tropicalj (jenn),[/b]
for your replies to my question, regarding the UK Identities.
We still might have a look at the show, just to make up our own minds.
I think we will enjoy it more, doing our own family research.
Or travelling around 'RootsChat'! Perhaps helping others!
Thanking you all,
Jeanette H.
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Jeremy Clarkson on you tube (not the WDYTYA wouldn't want to spoil it ;))......he's a lovely bloke ;D
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=r_2ZsMFY0fg
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Ruskie,
You are right. I found one interesting clue by googling Ita Buttrose and now I have traced her tree to the arrival of the Buttrose family in Australia! ;) ;D
And I have the Cathy Freeman book and her family is outlined in that! ;)
.....dee
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Well done Dee - that was quick!
(can you give us some spoilers? ;) )
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Should I? Will it take away from the programme? Would hate to get us into bother...... ??? :-\
.....dee
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Should I? Will it take away from the programme? Would hate to get us into bother...... ??? :-\
.....dee
You wouldn't get into bother ... but maybe keep it hidden - you are probably back 3 generations more than the program! Or maybe they will follow a different ancestor - We will all be able to make very illustrious comments on what we think of the researchers ;D
Trish
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No.....tis all out in the public arena, isn't it? But it would be shame to spoil it for people, and posted on this thread any search will bring it up.
Tomorrow I'll put it together in a brief format and anyone who would like to see what I found can let me know, and I'll PM it....... how does that sound?
.....dee
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Hello there
DEE
You can do a lovely summary and post it up or pm I know I would be interested
beside how would any of us know which side of the family the show will go for??
regards jenn
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Hi Trish
sorry only just got back to you, but had to paddle back, got a head wind and rough seas ;D ;D
hi Jeanette
your welcome alway pleased to help the OZ's out ;)
ricky
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Good idea Dee - that gives everyone the choice. And after you've done that you can start on the others ;D.
No, only joking - you can find Ita's ancestors in the old country.
;)
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Ruskie....a friend is helping me do the overseas part right now...... ;D ;D ;D
Doesn't take us Rootschatters long, does it?
Jenn....I will do a summary tomorrow, and when it is finished, I'll decide whether to post it or to PM it. I won't put in every little detail .....just do an outline.
.....dee
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Hi Trish
sorry only just got back to you, but had to paddle back, got a head wind and rough seas ;D ;D
hi Jeanette
your welcome alway pleased to help the OZ's out ;)
ricky
I did notice you were very busy paddling through the census in the common room - finding lots of entries - well done - you must be getting very fit 8)
Trish
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You're one step ahead of me dee ;)
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There is a very interesting website I visited just a few minutes ago that some of you might like to have a look at. Make sure you scroll down the page a bit. ;)
http://www.sapolicehistory.org/Jan2007.html
.....dee
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Very interesting dee. Well, it looks as though she already has a reasonable knowledge of these ancestors. Perhaps WDYTYA will concentrate on her mother's side of the family?
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Dee
I do hope you can make sense of the 6 or so PMs that I've sent you - the Scottish info was semi-correct but the name was Butter(s)/Buttar from Perth and they married in Glasgow!
William's parents -
Robert Butter. b. 1803 and Mary Fenwick b. 1801 - both Perth - married 1828, Perth :)
Now I've got their parents names, I could go further but i think it's all on the IGI :)
Gadget
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(So Gadget, you're Dee's friend overseas ;)).
The Buttrose family is looking very intersting already.
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Very interesting dee. Well, it looks as though she already has a reasonable knowledge of these ancestors. Perhaps WDYTYA will concentrate on her mother's side of the family?
Ruskie, my summary might include her mother's side of the family too! ;) ;D
It does seem as though she knows quite a bit about her ancestors......so it will be interesting to see how the show is presented, won't it?
Oooh.....can't you imagine us sitting there watching it and making comments out loud! ;D
Gadget.....many thanks.....PMs received. :D
......dee
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My brief outline of what I discovered about the family history of Ita Buttrose has taken almost 2 pages!
I've decided not to post it on here, in case it is Ita's paternal line that is the subject of the new show. Wouldn't like to spoil it for anyone, although maybe it is her maternal line that has been followed.....I couldn't find anything for that in the time I have spent. I have to thank Gadget too for her invaluable help.
I have PMed my findings to several people who wanted to know. If anyone else would like a copy, please let me know and I'll willingly PM them.
......dee
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Thank you very much for all your work Dee and Gadget.
Who's the next victim then? ;)
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I'm still continuing, Ruskie. I've only got back to 1801 - now that's too recent for my liking ;D
I'll report back to Dee.
Gadget
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Good on you Gadget!
And you have no idea who Ita Buttrose is either - but since when has that mattered! ;)
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Ruskie - I've never heard of her in my life until this week - should I have :-\
Gadget
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No I'd be surprised if you did know who she is ....
(I was trying to say how kind it is of you to help find Ita's ancestors even though you don't know her from Adam).
She's an Australian ex magazine editor possibly most famous for her lisp, and the fact that she edited a magazine which published the first nude male centrefold in the '70's amid much scandel. (As an aside, the centrefold 'model' was the ex-husband of Germaine Greer who she was married to for about two weeks I think).
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I'm still searching too....and I have just found the marriage of Ita's mother and father..... :D :D :D
......dee
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Hey Ruskie
From memory wasn't that first nude male centrefold a certain Jack Thompson????
Cheers Bottoms Up ;D
Jenn
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Jenn, I stand corrected. It WAS Jack Thompson. Paul du Feu was the first male centrefold in Cosmopolitan magazine.
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I've made a tentative.....very tentative start in regards to Jack Thompson. ;)
But Trish and I are now unravelling Ita's maternal line between us .....more tomorrow......I'm off to bed.
I'll just say that whatever they look at with Ita....it should make an interesting story.
.....dee :D
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Well done so far Dee it does brighten up ones day doesn't it.
Can you tell me how pages long a thread can go on for? I have noticed on the TOT boards say on the cricket they can only go for so many pages
kind regards JEnn
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Jenn,
On ToT we are asked to lock a thread after 20 pages.
However, on serious threads I have notice them going for longer than that.
For example the "Are You Sitting Down?" threads on the Lancashire board.....
.....dee
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But they often go on to #2. #3, etc. even on serious threads :)
Gadget - Your friend from abroad :)
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Hello there Gadget
many thanks for that information
it is nice to have friend abroad as opposed to a broad who is a friend !!! what the...... that dosen't matter a friend is a friend :o
kind regards Jenn
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So Jenn,
How come you remember it was Jack Thompson in the centrefold.
He must have made some kind of big impression on you!
Sue
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So Jenn,
How come you remember it was Jack Thompson in the centrefold.
He must have made some kind of big impression on you!
Sue
;D ;D ;D
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hello there
Well now girls in 1972 I was only 21 and was not experienced in the ways of the world and from memory did we actually site anything to make a BIG impression or was a hand cleverly placed so as not to offend a maidens eye!!! :-X
wonder if there is a picture still about
hey Trisha do you have his mothers name yet I found his fathers but not his mothers bugger
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Yes, definitely a discreet hand.
I can picture it (the centrefold that is) but can't find a picture of it on google. Might try again ....
Which centrefold came first - Cleo or Cosmo?
Added later: Just discovered it was Cleo in 1972.
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hey Trisha do you have his mothers name yet I found his fathers but not his mothers bugger
Jenn, I have found his father's name too. But I cannot find his mother's unfortunately. I've tried so many google searches that I have run out of ideas.....
.....dee
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Just to report that I have the Ita story sorted as far as I am able without either making a trip to the city or spending money.....and I am not going to do either of those things. ;D ;D
Think it is time to have another look at one of the others..... ;)
....dee
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Hello ther Dee
You two girls have done a marvellous piece of investigative work without spending a penny goodonyamate!
I noted that William R Rodgers was born in NZ but you may have allready had that little snippet
kind regards Jenn
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Ah....I missed that, Jenn....more work to do tomorrow now! Might have to ask the help of some New Zealanders! ;) ;D
......dee
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Just seen it on SBS!!!! We're going to get WDYTYA!!!!!! Coming Soon!!!!! YEEEEEHAAAAAA!!!!
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Tis exciting, isn't it ozlady? ...... :D
Jenn,
No mention of William R. Rodgers on Familysearch, and reading the NZ board it seems there are no online indexes, and what indexes there are can be very hard to read. :-\
Looks like William R. might be a dead end to us..... :(
.....dee
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Just to report that I have the Ita story sorted as far as I am able without either making a trip to the city or spending money.....and I am not going to do either of those things. ;D ;D
Think it is time to have another look at one of the others..... ;)
....dee
But I made a trip to the city - didn't add much to the story - but found a couple of brothers ;D And I had lunch with my daughter - so it was an expensive trip to the city - she never pays ::) ::)
Well done Dee - it will be interesting to see if the program finds anything you didn't find - maybe we should start in the film industry!
Trish
PS Forgot - I am visiting a friend who has the pedigree files tomorrow - will see if the CD contains anything additional.
There are NZ indexes (I think name only - no parents etc) on fiche at the State library - I have a memory that they are not very easy to use - have checked them for one distant family connection I found.
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There are NZ indexes (I think name only - no parents etc) on fiche at the State library - I have a memory that they are not very easy to use - have checked them for one distant family connection I found.
Trish, that is what it seemed to say about the indexes on the NZ board. :-\
Makes one appreciate some of what we have available in Oz!
And thankyou for that trip to the city! :D
(My problem is that I do 5 hours bus travelling to have an hour and a half in the library! :( )
.....dee
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(My problem is that I do 5 hours bus travelling to have an hour and a half in the library! :( )
.....dee
And you do that sometimes ??? ???
I have a 20 minute car trip tomorrow that I am told may take some hours - a new "factory outlet" centre is opening ::) ::)
I find it quite scarry that the main activity in our lives seems to be shopping - perhaps this is why I am now at the gym trying to regain my youthful shape - ;D ;D ;D ;D No chance!!
Trish
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Trish....I did it once, and once only. Once was quite enough. ::)
Now I wait patiently until a friend is driving down, and I go with her, and put in for the petrol costs.
Enjoy your very "long" car trip tomorrow! ;D ;D ;D
......dee
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I collected the book "My First Forty Years" from the local library today......done some skimming.....and it is obvious that Ita's family history is known to her. So watching her episode of WDYTYA is going to be very very interesting..... ??? :-\
......dee
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Just caught up with this thread - very interesting!! ;D
Dee and others, I'd love to be pm-ed with any info you have discovered. Then I can be well primed to watch the show!
MarieC
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Marie,
It will take several PMs! ;D ;D
I'm just off to bed, so will send it all in the morning. I've had a ball doing the searching and reading a biography and an autobiography!
Meant to post also....the UK series starts 2nd December, and the Aussie ones 13th January at 7.30 p.m. SBS
.....dee
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Does anyone watching this thread have Queensland BDMs on disk past 1914? If so, I'd love to PM a query or two in regards to another of the celebs on the new WDYTYA....... :-\ ???
......dee :D
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Hi dee,
Not sure if they're on disc (I always get what is and isn't on the discs muddled :P) ....
I'm going to the archives next week. I've got quite a few lookups already promised (I may need two visits to fit them all in) I'll be happy to do the WDYTYA lookups if someone doesn't come to your rescue before then.
PM me with names etc if they're a secret ....
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I'll do that if no-one else can help, Ruskie.....thanks. But I have a feeling someone mentioned that they had them; however I can't remember who....... Senior's moment..... ;D ;D
......dee
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Meant to post also....the UK series starts 2nd December, and the Aussie ones 13th January at 7.30 p.m. SBS
.....dee
sorry, i've lost track (its not easy being blonde) the UK seried of WDYTYA? or something else?
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Toni,
The first UK series of WDYTYA is being shown from 2nd December on Australian SBS free to air television, followed by a new and first Australian series starting 13th January.
Until now, we have been unable to see WDYTYA unless we had pay TV. So there's lots of excitement among some of us...... ;) :D
.....dee
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oh i thought they were bringing next years WDYTYA forward to Dec this year fro a min.
what series of the Uk version are you being shown?
modified: hopefully not John Hurts that shows you how not to do it. (in my opinion)
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Toni, I thought it was Series 1 but I am not sure about that......
.....dee
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but then some of you guys would have already seen that on PPV.
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I think it is Series 1 from the UK - not sure though. And as many of us do NOT have pay TV, we haven't seen it. I certainly look forward to our own series, about Aussies!
Dee, thanks for your pms, to which I have replied. Most interesting! I will certainly be referring to your findings about Ita when the episode screens.
MarieC
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It's folks from two or more of the UK series - they aren't all from series 1 from the ad that I've seen
Nigella Lawson was mentioned and she was in Series 3 also I think (not sure) julia Sawalha, also series 3. Jeremy Clarkson was mentioned & he was in Series 1 & I'm not sure who else
Trish
Edit: Just thought of another Stephen Fry? - he was in Series 2
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the best ones maybe
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the ones that are most well known over here i think.
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from a different thread:~
Hello ,
For those that live in Australia and elsewhere, you can watch BBC progs. on the BBCi player, for up to seven days after it has been broadcast. (free)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/
So you won't need to miss Cranford after all.
thanks to Inchworm
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About time it was your turn for some fun. :) :) ;D
Please keep us updated I would hate to feel I was missing out on anything. If it was an Oz version maybe I could pick it up somehow ??? ??? ???
Please tell us more ;D ;D ;D
Sarah
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"What mysteries are hidden in old family photographs? Can mouldy old documents reveal secrets, long forgotten by family members? What role does family history play in our daily lives? Can a person know who they really are? Who Do You Think You Are? is a landmark documentary series chronicling the social, ethnic and cultural evolution of national identities through the personal family histories of prominent celebrities.
The Who Do You Think You Are? features six episodes from the marvelous UK series before the premiere of the six SBS commissioned Australian episodes beginning on Sunday, January 13, 2008 and then following with a further six UK episodes from Sunday, February 24.
During each episode one of Britain's best-loved celebrities traces their family tree to reveal the surprising, extraordinary and often moving stories of their ancestors. At the same time the series has a more universal purpose: to offer an alternative way of looking at the history of modern Britain and to inspire viewers to consider their family's contribution to the making of Britain.
For this reason each celebrity has been chosen so that their journey unlocks a different theme in British history. (From the UK, in English) (Documentary Series "
CHANNEL: SBS
BROADCAST: Sunday 2, December 2007 7.30pm
regards Jenn
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And about the Australian episodes.....
"Who Do You Think You Are? is a landmark SBS documentary series chronicling the social, ethnic and cultural evolution of our national identity through the personal family histories of six prominent Australians."
"This series offers an alternative way of looking at the history of modern Australia – showing the development of a nation from six uniquely personal perspectives while allowing us to share their private stories. For this reason each celebrity has been chosen so that their journey unlocks a different theme in Australia ’s development as a nation."
......dee
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Don't forget this is on tonight SBS - Stephen Fry :D :D :D :D
Why is it that I haven't watched any TV for a week and there are 2 shows on tonight at 7.30 that I want to watch
>:( >:( >:(
Trish
And if you live outside of Queensland don't post anything until 9.30pm - we are a little behind up here!
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Count down time, Trish. :D :D
Bet there are some comments posted on here afterwards....... I'll try to remember not to post until 9.30....... ;) ;D
.....dee
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Don't forget this is on tonight SBS - Stephen Fry :D :D :D :D
Why is it that I haven't watched any TV for a week and there are 2 shows on tonight at 7.30 that I want to watch
>:( >:( >:(
Hear, hear, Trish! >:( :(
As I was such a total devotee of Operatunity Oz, I am going to have to watch it to find what happened to all those singers, and start watching WDYTYA next week. I do wish the ABC and SBS would get their act together! >:( >:(
MarieC
PS I LOVE not having daylight saving here! Lack of it is fine by me!
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Oh I love Daylight Savings 'cos I get both NSW and Qld TV - I can watch WDYTYA twice - an hour later if I miss the first one.
But I didn't miss the first one - NOW I see what all the fuss was about in UK. Hope everyone else who was about to watch it in QLD and later states tunes in NOW - it was FANTASTIC :'( :'( :'(
OH says that he can now understand just why we do what we do :( ;D
Di
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I wish they would do normal folk and give us the benefit of a team of researchers and investigators ... guess I'm not interesting enough for them. ::)
;D
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Have just watched my first episode of WDYTYA and what an episode. Ended up in tears just like Stephen did. :'( No wonder this show is such a hit. Fantastic.
Bring on the Aussie version. Wonder if they would like to do a show on my family? Might help me break down some brick walls!! Wouldn't it be wonderful?
On the other hand, would have no need to belong to RC and that would be a big loss in my life wouldn't it?? ;) ;)
Regards
Jan
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On the other hand, would have no need to belong to RC and that would be a big loss in my life wouldn't it?? ;) ;)
I doubt my Husband would agree with that ... this site is very helpful and highly addictive. ;D
Fortunately Sadly he is away in Victoria for a week.
;) ;D
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from a different thread:~
Hello ,
For those that live in Australia and elsewhere, you can watch BBC progs. on the BBCi player, for up to seven days after it has been broadcast. (free)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/
So you won't need to miss Cranford after all.
thanks to Inchworm
iPlayer is only available in the UK.
Martin Briscoe
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I wish they would do normal folk and give us the benefit of a team of researchers and investigators ... guess I'm not interesting enough for them. ::)
Who Do You Think You Are has to do well known people to get big audiences but there are other programmes that have done "normal" people. I think there has been one on TV but Tracing Your Roots has done so though the latest series finished last week.
HISTORY DOCUMENTARY: Tracing your Roots
On: BBC Radio Four
Date: Wednesday 28th November 2007 (Already shown)
Time: 13:30 to 14:00 (30 minutes long)
Sally Magnusson presents a series exploring the practice of researching family history, one of the UK's most rapidly growing pastimes. Resident genealogist Nick Barratt offers insider tips and ideas for getting the most out of our historical resources.
(Last In Series)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marked By: 'Favourite: Tracing your Roots' marker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=7346
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
Making History on Radio 4 also sometimes looks into an aspect of someone's family history.
Martin Briscoe
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Have just watched my first episode of WDYTYA and what an episode. Ended up in tears just like Stephen did. :'(
I'm glad someone else did - I was feeling rather soppy - but it was very sad. :'(
Won't say too much in case I spoil it - but I had a great-great-aunt imprisoned by the Nazis and I just kept thinking of her, although by all accounts she had it "easy"
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I had tears too..... :'( :'(
Can't wait till next week...... :D
.......dee
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To all in Australia try listening to Radio 4s Tracing your Roots presented by Sally Magnasson plenty about Australia and addictive listening. Cheers Down Under and Happy Festive Season to all :) :D ;D 8 Stephen Evans, Malta
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I had tears too..... :'( :'(
Can't wait till next week...... :D
.......dee
Better have plenty of tissues ready for when you get the programme on Natasha Kaplinksky with her cousin(?) singing the Kaddish in a ruined Belarus synagogue where their family worshipped.
Martin Briscoe
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Don't tell us.......we haven't revealed what we have discovered about a couple of the Aussie ones that are coming........ ;)
......dee
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Hi All
As I can only watch SBS on digital TV & that is my record channel, I had to watch ABC first & then SBS - (and I'm in Qld) so a little late watching the show, but it was so worth waiting for. I have seen some of the 1st series before, but this one seemed much better than any I saw before. The European side was very sad, but I did love his comments about his other folks in the work house - rather like when we discovered the convicts in our family.
It was also nice to see how interested Stephen was in finding his folks & his reaction in the ruined cemetery - like all of us when we are hoping to find a grave & instead find the cemetery overgrown with weeds and full of 20th century junk & many memorials trashed.
I am still bemused as to why such wonderful TV shows, as the two I watched tonight, are shown in the "off" season - very strange
Trish
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At least it gives us something to watch in the off season, Trish!
Having seen that tonight, I am looking forward o the Australian series even more......
.....dee :D
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I'm in WA so it only finished here 40 minutes ago .... I found it very touching and admit to tearing up bit when he was trying to read his family the letter. What a sad wasted fate :(
It was also nice to see how interested Stephen was in finding his folks & his reaction in the ruined cemetery - like all of us when we are hoping to find a grave & instead find the cemetery overgrown with weeds and full of 20th century junk & many memorials trashed.
I often wonder if I am the only one to get emotional over my relatives who I never met that died decades and decades before I was born. Maybe we do this to honour and remember them in the hopes that when we are gone someone in the distant future will do the same for us?
*slap* note to self to stop thinking all this morbid depressing stuff.
- Belinda.
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Hello there All
I must admit to having seen this one on Cable TV but it was a joy to watch again. I always feel a sense of attachment to the folk in the series though we are in no way related I know how they feel as they go down the various paths to trace their roots . I think we feel this way? Am I right?
kind regards Jenn
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HI ALL,
No Belinda, you were not the only one with tears in your eyes !! ( even if my teenage son thought I was crazy)
I thought the programme was incredible and very emotional- maybe it is the middle-aged syndrome that I am suffering from.
Doing my own genealogical research I get very emotional when I make a new discovery of my ancestors, esp. as I never knew my own grandparents at all. I get a sense of connection to the past even if is only on paper !!
Trish ( from Sydney)
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Doing my own genealogical research I get very emotional when I make a new discovery of my ancestors, esp. as I never knew my own grandparents at all. I get a sense of connection to the past even if is only on paper !!
I am very similar.
My parents separated when I was 3 and I had no contact (or knowledge) of that side of the family. I was raised as my stepdads child. I just found out a few weeks ago that my grandparents died between 1986 and 2004 so unfortunately I missed the opportunity to meet them. My stepdads parents were wonderful grandparents though and I never knew they were not my "real" grapndparents until I was 16.
On my Mums side my Nanna died 2 years to the day before I was born and my Poppy died in 1979 when I was 6, I actually do remember him at least and I miss him very much.
- Belinda.
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I was very lucky then. Not only did I know my grandparents, but my English born grandmother lived until she was almost 100, so I was very much middle-aged when she passed away. She loved talking about where she came from and her relations back in England. She had hoarded an incredible collection of old photographs to which I have had access.
I also had two great grandparents who I saw a lot of until they passed away when I was in my late teens.
One of the things that I find very sad is using the microfiche of death certificates that we in South Australia can access......saving the expense of buying certificates......and reading about the causes of death of all the young children in particular. :'(
.....dee
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Well, how good was that!?
Fantastic! Loved it! I do like Stephen Fry anyway ...
Martin, I believe you are correct - we in Australia are unable to download these BBC programmes.
I believe we are being given a 'teaser' - being shown 6 episodes of the UK series. Stephen Fry is from series 1. Next week we will see Julia Sawalha from series 3. I imagine we are being shown those episodes featuring the celebrities who we may be more familiar with. Hence we will probably not be shown the Natasha Kaplinsky episode from the last series (as we don't know who she is ;)).
IIf SBS are picking and choosing which episodes to show us, have they actually purchased ALL of the series? Will we eventually be shown them all? I sure hope so!
I've already seen the Julia Sawalha programme on cable - so no surprises for me next Sunday.
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Um, just trying to work out which other programmes we may be shown.
Here is my short list:
Jeremy Irons
Nigella Lawson (yuk)
Bill Oddie
Jeremy Clarkson
John Hurt (the least liked episode of the lot I think)
Graham Norton
Griff Rhys Jones
But .... I'm doubtful they will show any from the most recent series ... in which case I might add Barbara Windsor and David Tennant to the list.
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I think they gave them all at the beginning (or end) of the show today Ruskie or in an ad ??
Nigella Lawson
Bill Odie
Jeremy Clarkson
Stephen (tonight)
Julia Sawalha is next week
and I can't remember the last one
Trish
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Oh thanks Trish - I must have been away with the fairies ... didn't notice it before or after the show - maybe you saw it on an ad.
My guesses weren't too bad then ;)
I'm going away so will miss them :'( so I don't know why I'm worried .....
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Ruskie,
Barbara Windsor and David Tennant was from the previous series, whilst Griff Rhys Jones was from the last series.
To be honest they are all great - in their own way, even if you have never heard of some of the celebs you will find their history fascinating and the research that has gone into it.
The best, in my opinion, was David Dickenson and Alexander McGowan and Griff Rhys Jones. Though I did miss GRJ
But as we are all addicted to FH it is all interesting. I would love it if they would eventually show the Aus WDYTYA here to provide another perspective.
jc
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To all in Australia try listening to Radio 4s Tracing your Roots presented by Sally Magnasson plenty about Australia and addictive listening. Cheers Down Under and Happy Festive Season to all :) :D ;D 8 Stephen Evans, Malta
What is Radio 4?
Also, at the risk of sounding a complete idiot, who is Stephen Fry?
Jean
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Oh dear :-\
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Fry
Gadget :)
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Thanks Gadget
Stephen Fry is obviously well known in England - Blackadder is the only show (that I am aware of) which has found its way to the backblocks of Australia.
The Radio 4 link is great - I will be investigating it much further.
Jean
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I think they gave them all at the beginning (or end) of the show today Ruskie or in an ad ??
Nigella Lawson
Bill Odie
Jeremy Clarkson
Stephen (tonight)
Julia Sawalha is next week
and I can't remember the last one
Trish
Gurinder Chadha is the other one, Trish and Ruskie.....
......dee
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Thanks Dee
Hi Jean
Stephen Fry has recently been in a comedy show in Australia - I can't think of the name - he plays a business man. I preferred to see him in some of his movies including Oscar Wilde & he seems to be on Parkinson alot. I've always been rather a fan
Trish
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For Stephen Fry fans in Oz -
If you ever get to see the quiz programme QI (stands for Quite Interesting) over there, he's the whacky Chairperson.
I think most of you would enjoy it!
Gadget
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For Stephen Fry fans in Oz -
If you ever get to see the quiz programme QI (stands for Quite Interesting) over there, he's the whacky Chairperson.
I think most of you would enjoy it!
Gadget
There are some web pages associated with the QI programme that give a flavour of it. Some of that type of quiz are scripted but I think Stephen Fry is quickwitted enough to manage without a script. The awards ceremonies that he has hosted really show up some of the "comedians" that you see hosting similar ones in the USA.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/qi/
Martin Briscoe
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Well, how good was that!?
Fantastic! Loved it! I do like Stephen Fry anyway ...
Martin, I believe you are correct - we in Australia are unable to download these BBC programmes.
I believe we are being given a 'teaser' - being shown 6 episodes of the UK series. Stephen Fry is from series 1. Next week we will see Julia Sawalha from series 3. I imagine we are being shown those episodes featuring the celebrities who we may be more familiar with. Hence we will probably not be shown the Natasha Kaplinsky episode from the last series (as we don't know who she is ;)).
IIf SBS are picking and choosing which episodes to show us, have they actually purchased ALL of the series? Will we eventually be shown them all? I sure hope so!
I've already seen the Julia Sawalha programme on cable - so no surprises for me next Sunday.
They are hopefully seeing how much interest there is in the series. If the audience figures are good then perhaps you will see more. Most of the programmes can stand on their own even if you don't know the person featured. I didn't know any of the soap stars (except Barbara Windsor of course!) but the programmes were still interesting.
The worst ones have been actors like John Hurt and Jeremy Irons.
Apart from the four series, there is also an adoption special that was run here in conjunction with a campaign about adopting (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/05_may/16/wanted.shtml). This featured Nicky Campbell and he found that he had connections with Australia - I think he found he was related to a Bishop so took him a bottle of "holy water" (from Scotland of course!).
Martin Briscoe
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I thoroughly enjoyed it - now I can see how it became so popular in the UK. Stephen Fry was a good one to start with wasn't it? Now looking forward to some Australian ones.
Regards
Bev
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hey there Trisha
the show was "Absolute Power" was a tad bizzare in some eopisode and hardly worth the effort in others and every now and then a little gem.
I loved him in the Black Adder Series.
kind regards JEnn
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I'm very surprised that Gurinder Chadha is being shown - we don't know who she is (do we?) - not a well known personality here.
I loved the Stephen Fry show. I also enjoyed Barbara Windsor and Jeremy Paxman. But of course, they are all fascinating. I did think that the John Hurt and Carol Vorderman episodes were a bit weaker for the reasons discussed at length on other threads.
I'm not sure of audience numbers for this programme as it's being shown on SBS. I hope it is successful.
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I'm very surprised that Gurinder Chadha is being shown - we don't know who she is (do we?) - not a well known personality here.
I loved the Stephen Fry show. I also enjoyed Barbara Windsor and Jeremy Paxman. But of course, they are all fascinating. I did think that the John Hurt and Carol Vorderman episodes were a bit weaker for the reasons discussed at length on other threads.
I'm not sure of audience numbers for this programme as it's being shown on SBS. I hope it is successful.
It is also being shown in a non ratings period - so not sure who is counting the numbers :-\ or do they count them all the time ???
Trish
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i think they count them all the time. they just dont use them as official figures. top gear started off this way on sbs and is now shown in official rating periods. allthough saying that i dont think sbs figures will move much anyway they are so low ;D ;D
perth
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It was a great doco. And Stephen FRY himself such a delight - as he always is, despite any reservations one might have.
As for the rells who died in Auschwitz, how could he not be emotional. When I think of people I've known or know who were in such camps (I remember a fellow Uni student who had her number tattoo-ed on her wrist) or whose ancestors died in such camps (ancestors of one of my dearest friends died in Theresienstadt) what can you do but weep.
Stephen FRY's description of careless anti-Semitism really cut to the bone.
I remember my own dear late mother, after she first met my then soon-to-be (now ex-) husband asking me (with a very doubtful tone in her voice) whether he was Jewish! I was stunned (yes, I vaguely knew that many of my old school friends and Uni friends were Jewish but so what). Why on earth would my dear un-prejudiced mother ask such a thing, I thought! But I just answered 'no' - knowing that his family were Methodists from the way back (subsequently found to be also Presbyterian and Church of Ireland - and CofE before Wesleyanism). I guess prejudice runs deep and unknown. And who knows what any of us have in our very distant ancestry - though the ex's background (going way back) is English, Irish and Scots. I guess curly dark hair and a large nose meant something to my poor mother ... My daughter who has those two features (though everyone says she looks like me - yeah! I have fair hair and no nose to speak of) has often been asked in Europe whether she's Italian! Prejudice and stereotypes, eh!
If DNA/mitochondrial research ever becomes definitive, I'm hoping that I might find that I have Tibetan ancestry! Tibet and Ireland being the two places I've been where I really felt thoroughly at home! Australia, of course, is my home - and the land I love, and where all my ancestors have been since the 1800s.
On other threads, people have been critical of Stephen mocking his down-market English forebears' names of Florrie and Mabel and so on. I can understand that; my English-born Gran (left there at age 3 for NZ and then on to Aus) Ada apparently desperately wanted me to be named after her. What an escape, I've always felt!! And yes, she had a sister called Florrie ...
I'm looking forward to Julie SAWALHA on WDYTYA on SBS next week ...
JAP
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I missed it!! :'( :'( 'cos I was watching the ABC and I haven't figured out how to record on my relatively new DVD player!
A friend who saw it said she had the same reaction as you lot - it brought her to tears!
Trish, I agree. Why do they show all these programmes in the silly season (non-ratings) and why do the ABC and SBS have such great problems clashing! I was stuck on the ABC all night - apart from the Operatunity Oz followup, there was the final episode of "Jane Eyre" (excellent!) and "The Monastery" - all really good!
Next week, I WILL be watching!
MarieC
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MarieC,
I sympathize!
I was battling away trying to get SBS to play through the video (the only way SBS comes through reasonably) when my daughter rang to say that the program was about to start and that, given my interest in genealogy, I might wish to watch (she'd watched it in London - no, no interest in genealogy, but likes Stephen Fry!).
Get off the phone, quoth I - but no, I still couldn't get the TV to work so watched the program in a glorious snowy totally blurred version >:(
I flicked over to Operatunity occasionally. And then to Jane Eyre in a nice clear version :)
I must work this out before next Sunday's WDYTYA episode. Or record it and watch it later ;D
JAP
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I couldn't get SBS at all two weeks ago......had to call in the TV antenna man and get a new antenna.....just so I could watch it. ;D
Otherwise I would have been reading all about it and waiting for a friend to visit with a taped version.
The new antenna worked a treat!
I am sure that we are all going to be very sorry when the 12 weeks have passed by.
....dee
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If it's really wet or windy I can't get SBS digital - Much as we want/need rain - we need fine Sunday nights for the next 12 weeks!!
Trish
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Trish,
Your comments about it being a non ratings period hit me after I'd written my previous comment - and at 7pm there were 3 trashy American sitcoms on at the same time.
In the UK some of the best programmes and films are shown at this time of the year. It should be the same here!
I enjoyed Jane Eyre as well, but found my eyes constantly drawn to the actresses loose top lip .... probably just me ....
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Yes, I should read up on SBS reception here and adjust (or get a young chap to adjust!) the aerial; my roof is pretty flat so I guess I could try to do so myself ... And should have done so long since. Younger son (not quite a young chap - though certainly so from my vantage point) will be here in a couple of weeks - perhaps I can con him into doing this!
Ruskie, I was a bit amazed by the top lip too (apologies to the actress) - most unusual.
Trish, I'd vote for rain rather than reception!
JAP
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Trish, I'd vote for rain rather than reception!
JAP
Not on Sunday nights - any other time
It will no doubt now flood :-\ :-\
Trish
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(phew, glad it wasn't just me Jap ;)). Good actress though, especially with the waterworks :'(.
I DO worry about WDYTYA on SBS at this time of the year. Prefer to see it on the ABC before Parkinson - another show featuring (largely) UK personalities.
I wouldn't have known it was going to be on if I hadn't read about it here. (Although I did learn of it later in a Gould Genealogy newsletter).
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Another reason to be thankful for Rootschat! :D :D :D :D :D
.....dee
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BBC Wales also have a series "Coming Home" which traces the Welsh ancestry of various celebrities but I don't think it has been shown outside Wales.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/24/osmond.shtml
Martin Briscoe
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Ok Martin, don't rub it in ;) - we already feel neglected enough here in Australia when it comes to good TV .... looks like an interesting programme.
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Whohooo this is great news ! It is about time that our interests were better represented on the googlebox! It is a shame that they don't show us the Aussie programmes whilst we are waiting our next series, that would be very interesting.
Martin, you have made my day :) being a Davies myself with Jones, Roberts and Welsh Robinsons in tow....Lets see how they tackle the Welsh.
Sarah ;)
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Perhaps someone may be able to copy the Australian shows to send to you Sarah?
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BBC Wales also have a series "Coming Home" which traces the Welsh ancestry of various celebrities but I don't think it has been shown outside Wales.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/24/osmond.shtml
Martin Briscoe
you can get BBC wales if you have sky digital
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BBC Wales also have a series "Coming Home" which traces the Welsh ancestry of various celebrities but I don't think it has been shown outside Wales.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/24/osmond.shtml
Martin Briscoe
you can get BBC wales if you have sky digital
You don't need SKY digital, just a digital satellite receiver. BBC programmes are Free To Air and don't need anything from Mr Murdoch to receive them. I don't have a satellite receiver but I have been finding that BBC iPlayer has quite a few BBC Wales programmes so hopefully I might get chance to see any future series.
Our Oz friends need a Slingbox at a relative's home in Wales!
Martin Briscoe
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You don't need SKY digital, just a digital satellite receiver. BBC programmes are Free To Air and don't need anything from Mr Murdoch to receive them. I don't have a satellite receiver but I have been finding that BBC iPlayer has quite a few BBC Wales programmes so hopefully I might get chance to see any future series.
I think I tried to watch something on that BBC iPlayer once.
You need to sign up and provide a UK address though don't you?
:-\
- Belinda.
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I think you're right Belinda. I think somehow your ISP(?) address is checked and you're unable to view unless you're in the UK
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No fair :(
-
Week 2 was different......not as emotional but equally as interesting.......
If only we could have such easy access to some of those experts...... :-\ :)
.......dee
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Oh Yes, and what about the beautiful re created silk weavers home/museum.
Wasn't it amazing.!
Sue
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Quite astounding.....and to see how circumstances of life changed......
....dee
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What an interesting background she had - Huguenot and Arabic - you'd need the experts to disentangle that lot!! ::) ::) Like you - I wish!
MarieC
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A fantastic episode. Especially interesting to see Julie SAWALHA's father, the video of her grandmother, and the visit to the places in Jordan where her Bedouin Gran lived - an amazing lady. And how lucky was Julie to get so far back with her maternal Huguenot ancestry (silk weaver sounds lovely but how hard they must have worked to satisfy the demands of the rich). The less exotic strands of her heritage missing - but I guess that not everything can be crammed into one short episode. A wonderful multicultural mix ranging from first generation on her father's side ...
JAP
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I wasn't as impressed with the Huguenot side - initially they seemed to assume it because he was a weaver - there were many thousands of weavers who did not come from France - but they did then receive the information from the "Genealogist" - this gave NO idea as to how he/she found this information - perhaps the researcher refused to release the sources, but I really like to know how I would progress if I was looking for similar.
I did have some silk weavers in London who came to Australia 1850s - our family stories also mention France - I would love to know what resources exist to prove if this was true.
Like JAP, I very much enjoyed the story of Julia's grandmother - what an amazing woman - We used to think chaining oneself to the bar of a pub in Queensland (1970s) did great things for the advancement of women ::) but this lady was an amazing example of inner strength and commitment in a very unexpected place. I enjoyed the discussion with the other ladies, explaining how Julia (snr) didn't want to "join in the gossip sessions"
Trish
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Bugger!
Missed it tonight, had to go to a Christmas Party ::)
- Belinda.
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BBC Wales also have a series "Coming Home" which traces the Welsh ancestry of various celebrities but I don't think it has been shown outside Wales.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/02_february/24/osmond.shtml
Martin Briscoe
There must be a new series of "Coming Home" being made.
Newton-John searches Welsh roots (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7144776.stm)
Martin Briscoe
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Caught a glimpse of the WDYTYA magazine today.....has anyone had a good look at it? I'd like to know opinions on it and if you think it is worth buying........
......dee
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Caught a glimpse of the WDYTYA magazine today.....has anyone had a good look at it? I'd like to know opinions on it and if you think it is worth buying........
......dee
Hi Dee
I didn't know there was one - so I am no help - but I did enjoy Sunday's episode. They have certainly picked a wide range of situations to show us in the 6 episodes from the UK series.
Trish
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I enjoyed last night's as well, Trish....so glad my daughter wasn't living when Bill Odie's mother went through what she did.....today's treatment of "manic depression" is one huge improvement.
Yes, first edition of WDYTYA magazine was released here to coincide with the beginning of the SBS series. It has a "free" dvd of the Ian Hislop episode on it. Cost = $11.95 so have to think about it carefully.
.....dee
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I enjoyed last night's as well, Trish....so glad my daughter wasn't living when Bill Odie's mother went through what she did.....today's treatment of "manic depression" is one huge improvement.
Yes, first edition of WDYTYA magazine was released here to coincide with the beginning of the SBS series. It has a "free" dvd of the Ian Hislop episode on it. Cost = $11.95 so have to think about it carefully.
.....dee
I bought a few other gen magazines a couple of years ago - but at $14-15 AU I found them very disappointing. I've since spent my sometimes $15 on BDM transcripts instead :)
Trish
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Yes, my thought is to save to spend on things relating to my research, rather than magazines. Did enjoy the last episode, though! - and very much looking forward to the Australian ones!
I've just had a contact from someone on GR, so my next investment will have to be six months' membership so I can check out her tree!
MarieC
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It has finally come to SBS in auatralia
re-badged with a gum tree in the logo and some australian content.
Folks from the 'old country' might recognise Geoffry Robertson, Jack Thompson and Cathy Freeman - but there is also Dennis Cometti (wolstenhome type Sports comentator) Ita Buttrose (Patsy stone) and Kate Ceberano (eighties pop singer)
Sunday Nights at 7-30. Nigella was on last week
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Out of curiosity when did Australians start regarding themselves as Australian?
I guess most of the early settlers regarded themselves as British living in a foreign land. Then they were succeeded by generations of European migrants.
I guess most of the Australian WDYTYA series participants end up back in Europe as they trace their family trees?
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Hi Downside, of course the true Australians are those with aboriginal ancestors, these days most Aussies would consider themselves Australian if they were born here. How far back that would go I don't know, but my guess would be around the early 1900s when Australia became a Federation.
I am looking forward to watching the Cathy Freeman WDYTYA to see how far back they can go, I would think it would be only until white settlement recording. The others would be back in Europe within a few generations.
I know when I started my family tree, I was shocked to find out I was only a second generation Australian on my father's side. :o On my mother's side I go back to 1803 and the first (failed) settlement in Sorrento, Victoria and then the establishment of Hobart Town in Tasmania. ;D
There is an ongoing debate here about "Australian Values" and what makes an Australian, so perhaps the truth is we don't know!!! ;)
Red
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Kathy Freeman will be interesting methinks, I beleive she has a fair bit of Irish and some Chinese in her make up and just a wee bit of Aboriginal.
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Interesting question you raise there, downside! Red is right, of course, but talking about Australians with British ancestry...
There probably wasn't a defining moment, rather a process which began in the late nineteenth century, was strengthened by Federation in 1901 and became firmly established with the Anzac experience in WWI.
For example, the poetry of Adam Lindsay Gordon (d. 1870) and Charles Harpur (d. 1868) reads like that of transplanted Englishmen. But Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson, who came along a little later, show in their writings a genuine sense of understanding the country and belonging.
The same with early artists, whose landscapes were painted through European eyes, before later artists captured the essence of Australian landscapes.
BTW, there is a thread about WDYTYA on the Emigrants to Australia board!
MarieC
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I've just watched the Nigella repeat on English tv (boxing day morning) hadn't seen that one. I wonder if we'll get to see the Australian series. I would love to see it.
Who is producing the series, perhaps I could drop them and email.
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The only name I vaguely recognise is Geoffry Robertson QC who regularly appears on British television as a host and inquisitor of What If scenarios mainly on the BBC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Robertson
Like a lot of emininent Australians he spends a lot of his time over here so we have at least heard of him.
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Out of curiosity when did Australians start regarding themselves as Australian?
I guess most of the early settlers regarded themselves as British living in a foreign land. Then they were succeeded by generations of European migrants.
I guess most of the Australian WDYTYA series participants end up back in Europe as they trace their family trees?
Hi Downside
Not sure why but I have memories from my youth that said if you were at least 3rd generation Australian on both sides you were an "Australian" otherwise you belonged to the country of your forebears!
I grew up in NSW and always thought I was an Australian, but when I moved to Queensland I discovered I was just a b...y Southerner & only if you were born in Queensland did you belong here.
So I have an identity crisis that will probably not be resolved in my lifetime :-\ :-\
Trish
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Out of curiosity when did Australians start regarding themselves as Australian? ...
Well, downside, I guess a formal lower limit is 1901 - when the Commonwealth of Australia formally came into being (i.e. at Federation). Before that - from settlement/invasion in 1788 - we (officially) lived in the (British) Colony of NSW, and later there was also the (British) Colony of Victoria, etc, etc. But, well before Federation - as MarieC explained - the idea of being Australian (regardless of the official position) became very strong round the 1870s and thenceforth.
How we have regarded ourselves (and there was - and is - anything but unanimity on this), how others have regarded us, and what we have been under our Law were (and still are) far from the same!
At Federation in 1901, ‘British subject’ was the sole civic status noted in the Australian Constitution! Even up until 1969, we Australians were still officially required to declare our nationality as British! The term ‘Australian nationality’ had no official recognition until 1969; and it wasn't until an Act of 1984 came into effect in 1987 that we ceased to be British subjects!
Our Head of State remained the Monarch of Great Britain & Northern Ireland. Inter alia this means, I believe, that (under the UK Act of Settlement) our Head of State must be a natural legitimate descendant (and the rules of male primogeniture apply) of Sophia, Electress of Hanover (1630–1714), a granddaughter of James I (hmmm); must be a Protestant: must not be, or ever have been a Roman Catholic or have been married to a Roman Catholic; etc, etc, etc ...! Crazy stuff!
So even today, when we are just about to enter 2008, our Head of State is not an Australian :o - we still have Elizabeth II as our Head of State!
Given this, one might well ask whether we even yet regard ourselves as Australian >:(
Weird and wonderful are the ways of the world ...
JAP
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I have to point out that not only is The Queen, Queen of Britain and Northern Island but also the Queen of Australia, New Zealand and about a dozen other countries.
We are in fact a republic, albeit a Royal republic, and I for one work under the old maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" I reckon we are better off as we are, we have a head of state who doesn't live here, doesn't have any real say in the running of the place, and we don't have to keep spending money on electing some pompous jumped up free loader every few years, t'is only my opinion but when we did have a vote on it some years ago we voted to stay as we are, and I think that lame duck president across the Atlantic has turned a few more people away from the idea.
I was rather chuffed on Christmas day when she beamed her message straight into my home, just for me.
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Kathy Freeman will be interesting methinks, I beleive she has a fair bit of Irish and some Chinese in her make up and just a wee bit of Aboriginal.
You can add Syrian and English. :D
......dee
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... We are in fact a republic, albeit a Royal republic ...
My post was a response to a serious question (genealogically relevant in my view) posed by downside. I attempted to provide information and to adduce some facts.
Admittedly my own personal views were not hidden in passing ;) - but it truly was an attempt at a factual answer.
Boggabarrett (I take it from your profile that you are Australian?), it would be entirely inappropriate and arid to turn this WDYTYA thread into a debate re the desirability (inevitability :D ) of an Australian republic. So I won't respond to your personal views here (but do feel free to post your views as a new thread on the ToT board and I'm sure you will get lots of responses!).
However, in the interests of accuracy, it really must be pointed out that your statement quoted above is wrong.
Australia is not (yet!) "in fact a republic".
Australia most certainly is not "a Royal republic" (something which I regard as an oxymoron) .
Australia is a constitutional monarchy.
Very best regards,
JAP
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I have to point out that not only is The Queen, Queen of Britain and Northern Island but also the Queen of Australia, New Zealand and about a dozen other countries.
You forget, she is also the Queen of Queensland. In the 1970s Joe got a little paranoid that the Labour Govt would remove her as the Queen of Australia, so he daubed her the Queen of Queensland. Not sure if that carries on to later monarchs.
Thus said, I thought we were a Commonwealth of States, not a republic - but I see from JAP we are a constitutional monarchy - best I go back to school, cause when I was there we studied British and European history but not very much Australian History :-\ :-\
Trish
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Apparently there is an ethnic group called English Australians which is defined as, 'English-Australians includes Australian people of English birth or ancestry.'
:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English_Australians
Jack Thompson seems to be included on the list.
Geoffrey Robertson has dual nationality, but he is probably classified as an Australian-English.
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I've just watched the Nigella repeat on English tv (boxing day morning) hadn't seen that one. I wonder if we'll get to see the Australian series. I would love to see it.
Who is producing the series, perhaps I could drop them and email.
Silvery,
I think that Ancestry has a major hand in it. Perhaps you could contact ancestry.co.uk and whichever network screened WDYTYA and ask your question. I think the Australian episodes should be quite interesting!
JAP, your response is scholarly and informative! :)
Trish, the interstate tribalism in Australia does not just go one way, you know! When I lived and worked in Canberra I really copped it in the neck, and there's still plenty of chucking off at Queenslanders for silly reasons! We all just have to ignore it and get on with things! :)
Downside, I really doubt that category you mentioned, whatever Wikipedia might say! Most of us Australians of British origins are not just English, but a mixture. Me, I'm English, Scottish and Irish in pretty equal proportions, with a dash of Welsh thrown in! I suspect there are very few Aussies of "pure English extraction", whatever that might be, since even the English are a mixed lot!! :D
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I second that MarieC, very few English are "just" English. We (uk) had a very light-hearted program on a short while ago where they tested DNA of people who believed they were true English - quite funny results and what a mix. :D
I would love to see the Aussie WDYTYA, I have quite a few off-shoots that went downunder. A couple of convicts who were brothers of my direct line and a distant one of my OH (not convict) which has been well researched (from the Aussie end) and the photos I have seen appear to show some Aboriginal mix in there somewhere along the line. More recently discovered a second cousin of my father that went back in the 70's and I discovered they lived less than a mile away from us and I didn't even know them... we are having a great time rediscovering relatives together.
Jenny
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I suspect the Aussie WDYTYA series will come out on DVD ........things like that often do.
A friend has just told me that Series 1 & 2 of the UK WDYTYA can be ordered for 40 UK pounds plus 14 pounds postage to Oz. I have some Christmas money.......so I am thinking about it. Wonder what I will decide....... :-\ :D
My paternal ancestry is all English.......but I am a fifth generation Aussie on my maternal side.....and have German, English, French, Danish, and possibly Polish ancestry.
.......dee
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I've just watched the Nigella repeat on English tv (boxing day morning) hadn't seen that one. I wonder if we'll get to see the Australian series. I would love to see it.
Who is producing the series, perhaps I could drop them and email.
Silvery,
I think that Ancestry has a major hand in it. Perhaps you could contact ancestry.co.uk and whichever network screened WDYTYA and ask your question. I think the Australian episodes should be quite interesting!
I don't think that Ancestry had any part in the making of Who Do You Think You Are, apart from obviously being one source of information.
It was commissioned by the BBC who obviously do not have any form of sponsorship of programmes. The series was made by Wall to Wall.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Do_You_Think_You_Are%3F
http://www.bbcwhodoyouthinkyouare.co.uk/
Martin Briscoe
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I've just watched the Nigella repeat on English tv (boxing day morning) hadn't seen that one. I wonder if we'll get to see the Australian series. I would love to see it.
Who is producing the series, perhaps I could drop them and email.
Silvery,
I think that Ancestry has a major hand in it. Perhaps you could contact ancestry.co.uk and whichever network screened WDYTYA and ask your question. I think the Australian episodes should be quite interesting!
I don't think that Ancestry had any part in the making of Who Do You Think You Are, apart from obviously being one source of information.
It was commissioned by the BBC who do not have any form of sponsorship of programmes. The series was made by Wall to Wall.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Do_You_Think_You_Are%3F
http://www.bbcwhodoyouthinkyouare.co.uk/
Martin Briscoe
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I've just watched the Nigella repeat on English tv (boxing day morning) hadn't seen that one. I wonder if we'll get to see the Australian series. I would love to see it.
Who is producing the series, perhaps I could drop them and email.
You might find some information here - I did have a link to the production company earlier - but (of course) I can't find it now!
http://programs.sbs.com.au/whodoyouthinkyouare/
Martin - no doubt in Australia ancestry are sponsers of the programs, as SBS now carries advertising - we get ads for ancestry during the program
Trish
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Trish
People outside Australia get this message if they click on your link.
This website is only available in Australia and its territories.
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Try this link to find out about the DVD of the Australian series of 6 episodes.....
http://www.dymocks.com.au/ProductDetails/ProductDetail.aspx?R=9322225065673
It will cost 29.95 Australian dollars plus appropriate postage.
I suspect the Australian episodes may have a different slant to those from the UK.
......dee
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Trish
People outside Australia get this message if they click on your link.
This website is only available in Australia and its territories.
How poor is that!!!!!!!!!!! Blimey I'm on the BBC website all the time - glad they let me in :( :(
I'll see if I can find anything useful
Trish
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About the production - from the site you cannot see
Developed and first produced by a British production company, Wall To Wall Television, the format has been a hit since it premiered on the BBC in 2004, inspiring millions of Britons to research their family trees. Sydney-based executive producer Margie Bryant of Serendipity Productions and Perth-based executive producer Brian Beaton of Artemis International saw the first episode when it screened in the UK and together optioned the rights as a co-production. Film Australia came on board as the main investor and production partner with all players working closely with the local network investor SBS Independent and WA state investors ScreenWest and Lotterywest to shape the series.
Although based on a deceptively simple idea, making the series involved months of research and planning, with each celebrity carefully cast so that their personal journey unlocked a different theme in Australia’s development as a nation.
“It’s one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done,” Bryant says. “The whole signing up of celebrities was really difficult because even if they had an interest in the idea, the amount of time we were requiring was more than most of them took for their annual holidays.”
WDYTYA is a Film Australia National Interest Program, Serendipity Productions and Artemis International production in association with Screenwest, Lottery West, and SBS Independent.
Format devised by Wall to Wall Media Ltd and based upon a programme originally produced in the UK by Wall to Wall Media Ltd.
Format licensed by Wall to Wall Media Ltd.
Some other links
http://www.screenwest.com.au/
http://www.artemisfilms.com/about_us.htm
http://www.filmaust.com.au/
One of the links for Oz family history I hadn't seen before (no doubt someone has it in the Oz links that I haven't checked) - but it seems to have a useful number of resources listed
http://www.cohsoft.com.au/afhc/
Trish
(I hope the links work outside Oz - somewhat difficult for me to check)
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Hi Trish,
How strange, Dee had given me a link a long time ago and it worked then from the UK. I expect Wall to Wall will wait to see how popular it is in Aus then buy the series from Serendipity back for the BBC - thats what usually happens when we sell our programs to the USA. Though they usually change the format so much they ruin it ::) Australian and Canadian versions of our programs are usually quite good though.
One word of caution to anyone wanting to buy a DVD outside their own country, the formats are different and may not play on your DVD player if you don't have a multi-region player. A DVD player in your pc only allows up to 4 region changes before it sticks to the last one!!!! Australia and the UK use different formats :(
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Thanks for the warning, JC. I should have remembered that! Another senior's moment..... ::) ::)
That's decided me .....I'll have to try to locate the UK DVDs somewhere in Oz! As the local library has the first series, they must be available somewhere in the format we can use.
And it seems the Oz DVDs won't be much use to you. :(
.....dee
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I only have multi-region players Dee ;D ;D ;D
We tend to buy DVDs wherever we travel and my old laptop was bought in NZ so would play anthing from Australia anyway... :D
jc
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Thanks, all you busy researchers, I'm much more enlightened about the making of the series now!! ;D
Do hope the BBC will screen ours for you in the UK, or alternatively that you'll be able to find a compatible DVD format to buy it. Dymocks Bookstores are the licensed resellers for all SBS programme material in Australia.
I'm still looking forward very much to ours. And to seeing a few more of the UK episodes!
MarieC
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Thanks Trish
All the links work outside Australia.
The Artemis link proved to be the most informative.
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Thanks Trish
All the links work outside Australia.
The Artemis link proved to be the most informative.
I am pleased to hear that something I tried on the internet is working!! I was beginning to think my name was banned from cyberspace access!
Trish
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Hi MarieC,
You are too kind! Given the tenor of your comment, I'd better quote my source! It is:
http://www.australia.gov.au/Our_Government
Hi Trish,
Lovely! I'd forgotten that particular effort (there's an unbiased word, eh!) of Joh's! Definitely a prize of one of Flo's pumpkin scones for you! ;)
{For those non-Aussies, Joh was premier of Queensland. A rather dictatorial NZ-born chap of Danish extraction - surname Bjelke-Petersen and he started out as a peanut farmer. His best-known phrase was "Don't you worry about that." His wife Flo (Australian-born - don't know her ancestry), who later became a politician also, was famous for her pumpkin scones.}
Hi boggabarrett,
Yes, undoubtedly, the UK Queen is also, separately, Queen of several countries including Australia (and even a state! - thanks Trish) BUT her role as Queen of Australia and Australian Head of State flows on from her position as Monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and thus our Head of State includes everything that the position of Monarch of GB&NI requires (which I summarized earlier) - none of which, in my view, sits in any way comfortably with the position of Aus Head of State. Without going into details yet again, and just to mention one point, the representatives of the 'Monarch' in Aus (i.e. the representatives of the Queen of Australia) - the Governors-General - have (thankfully) far from always been Protestant (which is a requirement for our Head of State, QE2)...
The world is a funny old place, eh ...
As far as I know, neither I nor my children's paternal ancestors can claim any exotic mixes (pity!). All, (as far as we can find) and stating this alphabetically, are English, Irish (including a few from the Six Counties), and Scots. My descendants are a very different kettle of fish altogether. I have 5 grandchildren and only one of them has the very limited background of my children and their parents.
I guess that the Australian WDYTYA will show what a great melting pot our country is ...
All the very best,
JAP
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I did enjoy tonights journey through Kenya and India - amazing how we all get a little hooked on the hidden family secrets - but probably more amazing the document from India listing the paternal line back about 6 generations.
The only sad part is our terrible SBS reception when the wind blows at more than 5km/hour - the digital signal keeps dropping out & the analogue (which I watched) is full of snowy haze :( :(
Trish
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Hello all
I had posted this information on another thread
"Fact Sheet
4. More than 60 Years of Post-war Migration
On this page
Early migration waves
Post-war developments
Today's migration
The impact of immigration
Statistical summary
Since 1945, around 6.5 million people have come to Australia as new settlers. Their contribution to Australian society, culture and prosperity has been an important factor in shaping our nation.
A large-scale program of migration to Australia began at the end of World War II when millions of people in Europe were displaced from their homelands. At the same time, in Australia, there was a desperate shortage of labour and a growing belief that substantial population growth was essential for the country's future.
These and other factors led to the creation of a federal immigration portfolio in 1945.
By 1947, a post-war immigration boom was under way, with a large and growing number of arrivals including those on government-assisted passage.
Agreements were reached with the United Kingdom, some European countries and the International Refugee Organisation (IRO) to encourage migrants, including displaced persons from war-torn Europe, to come to Australia. By 1950, almost 200 000 people had arrived.
A million more migrants arrived in each of the following four decades. Today, nearly one in four of Australia's more than 20 million population were born overseas. New Zealand and the United Kingdom are the largest source countries for migrants, but other regions – notably Asia – have become more significant.
Early migration waves
The date of the first human occupation in Australia remains an open question, but evidence exists that humans have been on the continent for at least 40 000 years. Consequently, the Aboriginal people are regarded as the indigenous people of Australia.
Transported criminals were the basis of the first migration from Europe. Starting in 1788, some 160 000 convicts were shipped to the Australian colonies. From the early 1790s, free immigrants also began coming to Australia.
The rapid growth of the wool industry in the 1820s created enormous demands for labour and sparked an increase in the migration of free people from the United Kingdom. The social upheavals of industrialisation in Britain also resulted in many people emigrating to escape widespread poverty and unemployment.
During the Golden Rush era of 1851 to 1860, early migration peaked at arrivals of around 50 000 people a year. During this period, Chinese immigrants were the largest non-British group.
Over the years, the migration program reflected economic or social conditions in Australia and elsewhere. For example:
during the 1840s a large number of Irish immigrants came to Australia to escape famine in their homeland
from the 1860s to the late nineteenth century, labourers from Melanesia were recruited to work on Queensland plantations
from the 1860s to the 1920s, concerns about population imbalance resulted in deliberate efforts to attract women to Australia
during the second half of the nineteenth century, Afghani, Pakistani and Turkish camel handlers played an important part in opening up the continent's interior, facilitating the construction of telegraph and railway lines, and
Japanese fishers were instrumental in the pearling industry in the late nineteenth century.
The two world wars also influenced Australia's migration program. The resettling of ex-servicemen, refugees and young people were significant chapters in Australian immigration history.
Post-war developmentsThe most ambitious part of Australia's migration program followed the end of World War II. Australia negotiated agreements with other governments and international organisations to help achieve high migration targets.
The agreements included:
a system of free or assisted passages for United Kingdom residents
an assisted passage scheme for the British Empire and United States ex-servicemen, later extended to ex-servicemen or resistance fighters from The Netherlands, Norway, France, Belgium and Denmark
an agreement with the IRO to settle at least 12 000 displaced people a year from camps in Europe
formal migration agreements, often involving the grant of assisted passage, with the United Kingdom, Malta, The Netherlands, Italy, West Germany, Turkey and Yugoslavia, and
informal migration agreements with Austria, Greece, Spain, Belgium and other countries.
These agreements are no longer in force.
Economic and humanitarian events around the world subsequently influenced the size and source countries of the Australian program. At various times in the 1950s and 1960s, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia were important migrant source countries.
There were also significant intakes:
of Hungarian and Czech refugees following unrest in those countries in 1956 and 1968 respectively
from Chile following the overthrow of the Allende Government in 1973
from Indochina after the end of the Vietnam war in 1975, and
from Poland after martial law was declared in December 1981.
Today the migration program is global, using one set of criteria for applicants anywhere in the world, with migrants originating from more than 185 countries"
Hope you will find this information interesting
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Continuing on from the previous posting
My own ancestors were the usual mix for a good deal of us English and Irish, but my children have now a very colourfull mix to their veins my husband being from Sri Lanka. His heritage French and Sri lanka from his mothers side and Dutch Sri lanka from his fathers side. So our children now have a lot of races in their background, and then of course they marry into interesting blends themelves. I would imagine that my great grandmother IE pick one say Ellen Hennessy an Irish Lassie/Emmigrant could have ever imagined having great great grandchildren of such an ethnic melting pot.
Sorry Trisha you didn't get to see last night show too well, snowing is very unusual for Brisbane? ;D
kind regards Jenn
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Reception was bright and clear up here on the Range! We are certainly seeing some cultural mixing in the English episodes, and I look forward to the Australian ones! 'Fraid my ancestry is all from the British Isles, with a small admixture of French! Not terribly exciting in terms of multiculturalism.
MarieC
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I did enjoy tonights journey through Kenya and India - amazing how we all get a little hooked on the hidden family secrets - but probably more amazing the document from India listing the paternal line back about 6 generations.
The only sad part is our terrible SBS reception when the wind blows at more than 5km/hour - the digital signal keeps dropping out & the analogue (which I watched) is full of snowy haze :( :(
Trish
Great but I'm a bit sceptical as singh would be as common as smith in the Punjab (although I know very little anout it)
Her relative was very reluctant as the 'official' was very keen to provide the answers, The guy having a kip in the background was hilarious !
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Great but I'm a bit sceptical as singh would be as common as smith in the Punjab (although I know very little anout it)
I know nothing about it - and did think the document was rather small for all those folks - but perhaps they were kept for individual families - maybe like our family bibles ?? I think it showed that despite the internet and all our cyberspace travelling, if we could afford to visit everywhere in person - imagine what could be found. I'll have to see if I can find a "famous" person among my living relatives to be on the show :D :D
Trish
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D'ya think it would help me with my elusive Martins, Trish, if I could find a famous descendant of theirs to be on the show?? ??? ???
MarieC
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D'ya think it would help me with my elusive Martins, Trish, if I could find a famous descendant of theirs to be on the show?? ??? ???
MarieC
I would have thought you may have considered renaming those Martins by now MarieC - a slight modification to the spelling & we will surely find them on another planet :) :)
I think someone famous (preferably from show biz from what I have seen) is needed to be on the program :D
Trish
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I would have thought you may have considered renaming those Martins by now MarieC - a slight modification to the spelling & we will surely find them on another planet :) :)
;D ;D ;D It would be really funny, Trish, if I didn't cry into my evening glass or three of wine every time I think about them!
MarieC
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Looking at the list of names & localities appearing under your name MarieC - it reminds me what a mixed up heritage we have over here (or down under as is said). Sometimes I'm amazed that we have found as many as we have. Perhaps we should thank some of the early "Colonial Secretary" employees for being fastidius about recording who/where everyone came from on our BDM certificates :) - then again, some didn't care at all, as evidenced by certificates with 90% of the data missing!
Trish
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And that's only some of them, Trish - the ones I'm looking for on here! I haven't put my Scottish and Irish Camerons, my Hampshire Coxes, my Welsh Halls, my West Indian French, Dutch and Irish people....
I agree, Australian certs are wonderful when compared with the English and Welsh ones!
MarieC
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Wasn't totally wrapped in the Jeremy Clarkson episode tonight. I think I was put off by the fact that he had had a family tree done by a genealogist and handed to him completed - we all know that the fun of family history is in doing it ourselves! Also wasn't too impressed by his cavalier disregard of ag labs and other humble folk and his preference to pursue the wealthy side of the family, as if these were the only ones who counted! Pleased when he found there was no hidden fortune coming to him! :)
However, the social history associated with glass making firms in the 19th and 20th centuries was interesting!
And next Sunday the Australian series starts, with Jack Thompson - WOOHOO!!!! Though sadly I'm going to miss that episode...
MarieC
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I thought his attitude was quite "off" too, Marie.......but like you, I really enjoyed the history of the glass making company.
Can't wait for next week to see what the Aussie series is like.
......dee
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I thought his attitude was quite "off" too, Marie.......but like you, I really enjoyed the history of the glass making company.
Can't wait for next week to see what the Aussie series is like.
......dee
That's just the way that Clarkson is, I presume you have not seen him on Top Gear!
By the way, BBC Radio 4's Tracing Your Roots did a section on a couple of people who had ancestors who were transported to Australia in yesterday's programme which should be available online in Listen Again (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/tracingyourroots) until the end of the week.
Tracing Your Roots (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/tracingyourroots.shtml)
Martin Briscoe
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You are right, Martin, I haven't seen him - don't particularly think I want to, actually! Didn't warm to the man at all.
MarieC
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you either like clarkson or not. i think he,s great. really enjoyed his episode for the 3rd time as all one line of my family were in glass manufacturing in the same area
perth
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you either like clarkson or not. i think he,s great. really enjoyed his episode for the 3rd time as all one line of my family were in glass manufacturing in the same area
perth
Seems to be the way with Mr C (My husband is a Top Gear Fan) - I rather liked his attitude & the discussion re all the ancestors were ag labs is something often mentioned on RC :) We should send him the recent thread about "Not just an ag lab".
I've always been a little peeved that the wealthy one in my family gave all his money to the church - so maybe we were both looking for the money!
Trish
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You are right, Martin, I haven't seen him - don't particularly think I want to, actually! Didn't warm to the man at all.
MarieC
He can be a PITA but also can be very funny. I suspect that he has strong opinions about Australians as he does about most foreigners particularly Americans. But I am sure they said that the programme had been sold to one of the Australian TV companies.
Top Gear (http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/)
Martin Briscoe
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I've always been a little peeved that the wealthy one in my family gave all his money to the church - so maybe we were both looking for the money!
Trish
one of mine left abt 700 quid in the mid 1800's to the eldest son. i cant find it either :'( :'(
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Jeremy Clarkson is fab, he's so irreverent and plain speaking it's a breath of fresh air in this PC watch what you say world....I think he should be PM, he's a far better alternative to that Brown person ;D
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Jeremy Clarkson is fab, he's so irreverent and plain speaking it's a breath of fresh air in this PC watch what you say world....I think he should be PM, he's a far better alternative to that Brown person ;D
There is actually a campaign (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/columnists/clarkson/article652539.ece/) and Downing Street petition (http://www.petitiononline.com/JC4PM/petition.html) for Clarkson to be Prime Minister. All a bit of fun of course and Downing Street don't pay any attention to their petition website but he could not be any worse than the present incumbent.
Martin Briscoe
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The makers of WDYTYA realised at an early stage that they had to find an interesting angle in order to keep the audience hooked. Obviously if all ones ancestors are all Ag Labs then it would make for a boring program. The fact that he had an ancestor in the glass making business who became rich and famous for the Kilner jar was a natural choice of story line.
Rags to riches and then back to rags (not quite) made it an entertaining story.
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But I am sure they said that the programme had been sold to one of the Australian TV companies.
Top Gear (http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/)
Martin Briscoe
Top Gear in Australia is on SBS - same channel that has WDYTYA
Trish
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one of mine left abt 700 quid in the mid 1800's to the eldest son. i cant find it either :'( :'(
mine left the church 40000 pounds in 1870s :o :o - He was so kind as to leave his nephew, who was the executor, 1000 pounds "to donate to the charity of his choice" I hope the nephew realised charity begins at home!
Trish
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It was a great story and interesting to see that even in those times keeping up with change and adapting to new demands and technology is the only way to stay on top of the game.
The last director of the company seemed like a really nice guy too.
Ah well, first of the Aussies next week.
Sue
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Interesting, the different reactions on this! I'd have to leave any country where Jeremy Clarkson was PM - and have made a note not to watch his series which is screening here! I guess we have a number of irreverent people in Australia - though sadly, fewer than before - and they mostly aren't so offputting, to me anyway.
Looking forward to Jack Thompson!
MarieC
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Jeremy Clarkson is fab, he's so irreverent and plain speaking it's a breath of fresh air in this PC watch what you say world....I think he should be PM, he's a far better alternative to that Brown person ;D
Apart from being dismissive of everyone and anything he is predictable = immediately anti greenie saying it was the death of industrialisation when it was even more technology which finished his ancestor's business off.
People who offer an anti PC opinion are usually VERY PC in their own way
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IS Jack Thompson kicking off for the Aussies?
kind regards JEnn
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Apart from being dismissive of everyone and anything he is predictable = immediately anti greenie saying it was the death of industrialisation when it was even more technology which finished his ancestor's business off.
People who offer an anti PC opinion are usually VERY PC in their own way
Well he got this one slightly wrong ;D ;D - as per the BBC and Hack's news
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,259602.255.html
Trish
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Thanks for pointing in the direction of Hack's thread, Trish!
Not a lot one can say really......too busy laughing..... ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
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IS Jack Thompson kicking off for the Aussies?
kind regards JEnn
As per SBS program - yes - but I never guarantee an Oz program guide until the program starts ;D
Trish
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Thanks for pointing in the direction of Hack's thread, Trish!
Not a lot one can say really......too busy laughing..... ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
I found the full story somewhere on the BBC site - will have a quick browse
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7174760.stm
Trish
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Even his response at the end of the BBC report is arrogant and puerile. None of this endears him to me!
MarieC
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Even his response at the end of the BBC report is arrogant and puerile. None of this endears him to me!
MarieC
Clarkson can be a PITA at times but the programmes that he has done on engineering history and military history have been very good. He acted as proposer of Brunel in a BBC series to vote for the 100 Greatest Britons, since then he seems to have become quite a fan of Brunel and was given an honorary degree by Brunel University for his work. He did one programme on the history of the VC when he discovered that his father-in-law had a VC, Clarkson's wife did not know her father had the award until after his death.
Martin Briscoe
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Write up in our Sunday Mail today about the Australian episodes involving Ita Buttrose and Cathy Freeman. What was written tallies so far with what we managed to find! I've now found the WW1 record for one of Cathy's ancestors. :D
Write up of tonight's episode in the Television programme booklet suggests that tonight's episode about Jack Thompson should be interesting.
......dee :D
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i dont know if this is on another thread anywhere, if you sign up at sbs you get 30 days free then just $74.95 for a years subs.
perth
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This thread, Perth......
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,276973.0.html
:D :D
......dee
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thanks dee :)missed it as usual ::)
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Longing to comment about the first episode of the Australian series.......but know there are people in parts fo Australia still to watch it, so shall be patient.
Am looking forward to seeing the episode again when I get my DVD in a few weeks' time!
.......dee
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;) ;)
Hi guys
Well the first Aussie WDYTYA has just been aired - our wonderful Jack Thompson. Great show. Really enjoyed it especially the bit where he finds out his ggg grandfather was a convict, sentenced to life for highway robbery. Our Jack is not only a great actor who has one of the best speaking voices around and can read poetry in such an emotive way, but is a very proud Aussie. He has also been a bit of a 'lad' in his day so having a highway man as an ancestor really suits his persona.
Hope you Aussies enjoyed it as well.
Next week Kate Cebrano. Should be another great show. Can't wait for Cathy Freeman.
'Bye now
Jan
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Ooops, sorry guys. Hope I haven't spoilt it for anyone. Didn't think about our Qld and WA friends being behind us.
Hope you liked it as well dee.
Cheers
Jan
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Tis finished in Qld - If you live in WA - stop reading!
- I liked the beginning (the shots of Sydney that had to happen) and the end (the Royal Australian connection :D) but I thought some was a little pointless - the diary of Banks collected by a g g uncle who ignored Jack's family & the trip to Ireland which added little to the story (but beautiful to see).
Thus said - I know there is information about our first fleeter somewhere at the Mitchell Library - I would adore someone to find it all for me - and show me around :) - One day!
Trish
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Having read what the Australian Series is supposed to demonstrate, I thought it was a brilliant start to the series. It certainly was an example of the way Australia has become a melting pot of people from so many socio - economic levels from the very first days of settlement by Europeans!
I also thought it showed a lot of ways to get information.....if you can organise it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
......dee
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hello there
I enjoyed the show.
It is interesting to note that German Lee and Alfred lee death's on the NSW BDM's have different fathers?? Now we all know how frustrating this is for researchers, According to the net goggling Alfred Lee the bloke wot sold his collection to David Scott Mitchell ( that wasn't mentioned was it I got the impression it was donated) he came alone from new Zealand? so German Lee his brother came over from New Zealand? at some point.
I don't know if the show was all that I had hoped for but at least it was well spoken ;D. Yes it would be nice if we mere mortals could get a royal tour and find those pesky relatives
Jenn
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I had a giggle at the family portaits of the Irish convict ancestor and his good lady hanging out in the farm shed! ;D ;D ;D
Bit of a shame really though...... :-\
......dee
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I had a giggle at the family portaits of the Irish convict ancestor and his good lady hanging out in the farm shed! ;D ;D ;D
Bit of a shame really though...... :-\
......dee
I wonder if they sold/gave them to Jack for the pub :D - I also thought it was sad they were in the shed - but Jack's comment about not letting the convict into the house may have been close to the truth in past times!
Trish
And I do agree Dee they gave many sources for Oz information :) (If you check the credits there were many more :o )
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I had a giggle at the family portaits of the Irish convict ancestor and his good lady hanging out in the farm shed! ;D ;D ;D
Bit of a shame really though...... :-\
......dee
I wonder if they sold/gave them to Jack for the pub :D - I also thought it was sad they were in the shed - but Jack's comment about not letting the convict into the house may have been close to the truth in past times!
Trish
Yes.....a convict ancestor was truly something to be hidden... times have changed. Like Jack said.....He has Australian "Royalty" for ancestors! ;D ;D ;D
......dee
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What on earth is Australian Royalty?
Mystified Pom. ???
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Convict ancestry! ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
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Convict ancestry! ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
The original settlers :)
Trish
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I must add that I wonderd did " they " explore all avenues of jack's ancestery and just pick out the most interesting ones for the show. I felt that his middle name of Hadley? was it? was left unanswerd when they discovered his ggf Thomas Pain's first wife and son and that son had the same middle name, perhaps the wifes maiden name?
Would those photos have lasted out in the shed for 150 odd years???
I enjoyed the show as I have said but did feel some of it might have been staged for the camera, cyncial I know. Perhaps fact and a touch of fiction.
I know it did make me go exploring over the Banks journal a wonderful bit of Australiana for I was left wanting to know how it came into alfred Lee's hands.. so off I went goggling. Sad pathetic creature that I am. ;D So I learnt someting about australian history which I find most edifying.
On the net you can fin a profile of all the shows etc it is a bit of aspoiler really.
kind regards JEnn
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On the net you can find a profile of all the shows etc it is a bit of a spoiler really.
kind regards JEnn
Which is why I didn't post all the stuff we found about Cathy Freeman and Ita Buttrose on this thread. :-\
.....dee
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Ah - dear old Ita Buttrose - has it been shown yet, Dee ?
Gadget
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Not yet, Gadget. Jack Thompson was the first Aussie episode, and it looks like Ita is the last of the 6.
.....dee
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Hi all
really enjoyed the show, but doesn't any addict enjoy a taste of what they love.
I will be very interested to see in the coming series if any of the "stars" profiled have just ordinary backgrounds or if all the people selected have a surprise "in the closet".
Keeps the viewers interested & the ratings up I suppose but how many of us would love that sort of easy access to records & a trip to the homeland also thrown in.
I feel it is the same old story, the people who can afford to pay, don't, have never really been that interested or they would have done it. "We", battle along for years at great expense & time.
I suppose my sub to Ancestry has subsidised all these "stars" easy access to their family history. Sour Grapes, you bet, they don't even offer a discount when you renew.
Ruth
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I suppose my sub to Ancestry has subsidised all these "stars" easy access to their family history. Sour Grapes, you bet, they don't even offer a discount when you renew.
Ruth
If your sub is via .uk - cancel it (I cancelled mine because they removed access to Australian data from UK sub) - get a refund & then get 1/2 price for 13 months from .au
Trish
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Hi Trish
Bit rough removing access once you had access, no mine is world wide, got it on a special & expires 17/1, 2 days. To renew $300 Aust for 12 months, 3 times what I paid. I think it has become a comfort zone with access to census records & I know they have added lots of good stuff, but when I really look back I am not sure I have really achieved that much from the records available to me. My family seem to always be in a time frame that there are no records & I am sure many others are exactly the same. I may cancel & think about it for awhile & see what happens.
Ruth
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Well, I unfortunately have been away on a short break and missed Jack Thompson! :( But someone here promised to tape it for me, and I'm sure she has done, so I look forward to seeing it eventually!! ;D
Meanwhile, looking forward to next Sunday's which I will DEFINITELY see!
MarieC
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I suppose my sub to Ancestry has subsidised all these "stars" easy access to their family history. Sour Grapes, you bet, they don't even offer a discount when you renew.
Ruth
If your sub is via .uk - cancel it (I cancelled mine because they removed access to Australian data from UK sub) - get a refund & then get 1/2 price for 13 months from .au
Trish
I seem to have the world ???
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That means you'll have none of these problems about access to particular records being taken away, Gadget!! ;D
MarieC
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That means you'll have none of these problems about access to particular records being taken away, Gadget!! ;D
MarieC
Very true ;D ;D and the Oz subs would be no help (I think) as I am told one cannot access the SBS site from outside Australia
Trish
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Kate Ceberano tonight.....both fascinating and a disappointment as far as I was concerned. I particularly liked the way the episode demonstrated that family stories cannot be accepted as fact. Should be compulsory watching for these people who are so adamant that family stories are absolutely true!
But disappointing was the way her paternal side of the family did not even receive a mention. :(
I can think of three reasons why this might have been so.....
1. I have the thought that as she sees herself as Anglo, she may not have wanted to go there.
2. Maybe that side of the family were not co-operative.
3. It would have been too difficult and cost SBS too much to explore her Filipino Ancestry.
Being a South Australian, I could relate to some of the places that she visited as she traced her Anderson family. :D ......even the little town of Lameroo....I used to live and teach there! :D
.......dee
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I have been away so missed Jack Thompson.
I quite enjoyed tonight's episode, but, like Dee, feel a bit cheated that the programme only covered such a tiny part of her history.
I lost track of time and was surprised when the credits appeared at the end of the show - I was left wanting.
I didn't know she had Filipino ancestry. No idea what sort of records exist there ...
Overall I was pleasantly surprised as I wasn't expecting much.
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G'day dee! ;D
I found it totally fascinating - so many twists and turns in the two families that were explored!
I suspect that the program makers just focus on something which will be fascinating, as this was - they would barely have time in an hour to do everything, so probably just concentrate on what will have a lot of interest as a TV show!
I certainly envy her the laid-on family history researchers, archivists, art historians, etc, etc.....!
Roll on, Geoffrey Robertson next week!
MarieC
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I guess so, Marie. I sus[pect that we will find that with Ita Buttrose, having read the preamble to her episode.
I thought the start of the show really demonstrated some of the places that people would recognise and realise that there would be information to possibly be found there......more so than with the first two episodes.
Ruskie, Kate's father is a Hawain born Filipino.
......dee
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Hi Dee
I enjoyed it too - saw Sydney Harbour again ;D (probably the same shot as last week) and I enjoyed Tasmania - as I have been there quite often. She got rather special treatment at the archives - I am only allowed to look at the films - not the original books :(
I have never been a fan of Gov Arthur - until he created that ghastly prison complex that now bears his name, the prisoners in VDL had been treated reasonably well - initially by Collins, who I think got many ideas from Arthur Phillip - so Kate should be happy that her ancestors had ideas that varied with those of Arthur ;D
I would have liked to see/hear a little more of the early days at Port Adelaide - I know little about this but gather it was not a happy place to be. (I have never heard of Lameroo - sorry)
There is a good summary of the show & Kate's ancestry at the sbs site
http://programs.sbs.com.au/whodoyouthinkyouare/celebrity/?id=74
It appears from reading it that Kate wanted to follow her maternal lines.
Trish
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There is a good summary of the show & Kate's ancestry at the sbs site
http://programs.sbs.com.au/whodoyouthinkyouare/celebrity/?id=74
It appears from reading it that Kate wanted to follow her maternal lines.
Trish
That fits with her saying she sees herself as Anglo.....
Port Adelaide has a fascinating history. Shall see if I can find something about it for you......
Lameroo is a Murray Mallee town that really only started to grow with soldier settlements after WW1. Anyone settling in the Mallee really had a hard hard life.
Oh ....and if you are lucky, you can get to see original records under supervision in a few South Australian libraries.....my local one is one of them. :D
......dee
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Interesting, Trish!
Well, when we start off there are always lines that we particularly want to follow - we get to the other ones later - so I guess this is the way it was for Kate!
Must agree with you about Governor Arthur!
Yes, she was fortunate to look at those original registers. Reminded me of when I was fortunate enough to look at some of the original registers at the Family History Centre in Islington - before they were locked away from the public forever!! :( >:( :'(
MarieC
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Hi all
Just a bit of trivia
Here is a link about Lameroo - naturally I am interested I live in the Mallee but on the Victorian side.
http://www.southernmallee.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=152
Cheers
cando
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The South Australian Maritime Museum which featured with the Anderson family has an excellent website that might be of interest......
http://www.history.sa.gov.au/maritime/edu/program13.htm
......dee
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The South Australian Maritime Museum which featured with the Anderson family has an excellent website that might be of interest......
http://www.history.sa.gov.au/maritime/edu/program13.htm
......dee
Some of the articles look to be the antiseptic version of the development of the port and Adelaide - rather similar to the version of the development of Sydney I was taught in primary school. It seems some historians think we cannot handle the realities of the harshness of our beginnings in Australia.
How some of our families survived the trips, let alone what greeted them when they arrived, I will never understand. Truely pioneers (in every meaning of the word) as was mentioned to Kate by one of the archivists. I owe them much more than I will ever understand.
Trish
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I didn't know she had Filipino ancestry. No idea what sort of records exist there ...
Up until the last hundred years or so it is pretty much hit and miss; where records exist (a substancial percentage of the population) they are thorough due to the Spanish colonisation. However many natives resisted Spanish rule and law, so there are huge parts of the population that have no more than verbal records.
Denn
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Thanks Denn.
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Didnt see jack thompson but in relation to travel it seems they don't have the Budget the UK series has.
Noted Nigella Lawson avoided her fathers side totally too - perhaps her dad has been done to death already.
Looking forward to the Cometti one most of all. I's sure Robertson will annoy me intensely.
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Some of the articles look to be the antiseptic version of the development of the port and Adelaide - rather similar to the version of the development of Sydney I was taught in primary school. It seems some historians think we cannot handle the realities of the harshness of our beginnings in Australia.
Trish
Trish, all my searching doesn't find very much about the early days of Port Adelaide online. Next time I manage to get to the State Library, I shall see if I can get copies of a few of the pages listed on the following website.....they look as though they may have more of the realities of life in them.....
http://slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pa/civic/comment.htm
There's a few glimpses of what the articles may be about in some of the tiny exerpts.
......dee
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Hi Dee
Thank you for looking - what I read was interesting for someone who knew NOTHING - I just felt it was History as one would like it to be, rather than how it truly was. I think we all sometimes look at the world this way & no doubt want to refrain from showing our children the worst of how we were. I'm sure there may be some pioneer stories online with some insight into how it was :)
Trish
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Well! With Geoffrey Robertson, we got a balance of both maternal and paternal lines, and very interesting it was! Scots who became Man from Snowy River types; Prussians with maybe a blood link to Kaiser Wilhelm! I was greatly comforted to know that even with all the resources at his disposal, Geoffrey Robertson has, like many of us, a family mystery which may not be solved this side of death!
MarieC
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;D ;D ;D
So was I, Marie!
I also found it interesting how he started off saying he believed you are who you are because of yourself and your nurturing.....not because of your family history.....but as the show went on he was finding similarities between his attitude and that of ancestors!
.....dee
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I enjoyed this - thought GR came across a bit "nervous" and waffling.
Does this episode hold the record for the most miles travelled?Sydney/London/Scotland/Berlin etc ....
An interesting family history.
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I've only just watched this episode (Mr Trish & I having a very rare evening out yesterday :D )
I enjoyed and/or was intrigued/interested in a few issues - in no particular order
1. Easy to see why it was shown on Aust Day weekend
2. If he loves his Australian heritage so much - why does he not live here
3. This time some early evening shots of the beautiful Sydney Harbour
4. Enjoyed ever so much seeing Alan Jones look miserable on the early hypothetical
5. I am not sure being out spoken about past events when in the company of those whose ancestors were involved with same is a super good idea for getting wanted information (verbal attack on both the pre war nazi's and the owners of Sky in the 1830s) - I would agree with his sentiments, but doubt I would use his language in describing them on camera.
6. I enjoyed the information re crofting in Scotland - would have liked to know more
7. My husband's family were also induced to come here by Dunmore Lang - so that was a personal interest. None of his ships got alot of support from the British Govt & he made many promises to immigrants that he could not keep - but I assume he justified it all in the name of his religion and his hatred of the Irish immigrants
8. They showed some of the benefits from our archives information - also highlights that you can get much information from uncles/cousins etc as well as the direct line (so my research going way beyond the direct line must be right!! ;D ;D )
9. Agree with Dee that he found a few reasons for hereditary vs nurturing
10. Agree with Ruskie re the travelling
Gosh - guess I liked it 8)
Trish
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Wow....great summary, Trish!
And I have to really agree on point 5. I thought that his attitude was quite arrogant and thoughtless....even though his sentiments were right.
I'm also a great supporter of you re point 8. You just never know what you will find out if you branch out, and don't just go in straight lines.
Roll on next Sunday night! :D :D
......dee
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....
Roll on next Sunday night! :D :D
......dee
So far each week seems a little better than the last - wonder if this is the order they were made/filmed? Regardless if they are going from worst to best - next ones should be interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing Ita & whether you found some information that others missed ;D ;D
Trish
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dee,
Agree about the heredity vs environment - had meant to mention that, it struck me too!
Agree with most of what else has been said. Except I don't criticise him for what he said. People are as they are, and he is a barrister of long standing who would have frequently made direct and critical comments. That's just him! He did sometimes come across as a little pompous, but again, that goes with being a top barrister. And there are plenty of Aussie expats who love the country but don't live here. Rolf Harris, Barry Humphries - the list goes on and on! Most of them come back fairly regularly.
Agree enthusiastically that following non-direct lines is a great idea! You never know what you might find!
Tantalising hints about what Cathy Freeman is going to find - looking forward to it!
MarieC
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Hi MarieC
He is outspoken and does say what he pleases in a rather arrogant fashion - I am not particularily critical of that - he is a very knowlegeable man - but - If I am looking for information about my ancestors I usually prefer not to antagonise the folks who are providing same - I note that they gave the owner of Skye (sp) a little time to answer the remarks that were said & he wasn't too impressed
I don't doubt that the crofters on Skye had a terrible existence, but I wouldn't put the man with the information on same offside by my comments, while I am looking for information - then again, he already had the information before he made the comments ;D
Trish
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I know why GR left Australia - it's the spiders - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - they send me demented (if I wasn't already) Trying to clean the patio without being allowed to use a hose (actually not allowed to clean outside at all - except for hygiene reasons!) - the spiders have taken over - I just hate it/them whatever.
Wasps as well and the carpet snake that is a sometimes roof visitor - not all beer and skittles
Trish
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Yes, Trish it IS very spidery at the moment. They're building huge webs overnight! And waspy ... and anty .... (no snakes though).
I'm sure the real reason GR left however is for the huge amounts of MONEY he'll be getting paid in London! I didn't think he seemed at all comfortable.
Also Trish, what are the "hygiene reasons" you speak of? (wondering if I can use it as an excuse for hosing something - my hose has been wound up and untapped for months!)
I am enjoying the Aussie series of WDYTYA. And I like the gum tree in the intro. (Those who've seen the UK WDYTYA will notice a different tree.)
-
Have a read of the rules - the hose is banned period - can only use a bucket of water for outside cleaning for hygiene (sorry - health and safety) purposes
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE:2049521694:pc=PC_2095
You can use town water from a bucket filled directly from a tap to:
clean external areas of houses and paved areas:
for health and safety reasons
during pre-painting and pre-sale preparation activities (a high pressure cleaning unit can also be used)
to maintain external surfaces once every year
to maintain roof surfaces once every three years
I just love it - you can clean up to sell your house - but not if you want to keep living there. Maybe I'll borrow a for sale sign!!
So - I clean up for health and safety reasons - to kill the spiders - but no hose!
Trish
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I love the Australian Series - did not see much of the English one.
And - we can use the hose.
mz
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Tantalising hints about what Cathy Freeman is going to find - looking forward to it!
MarieC
It should be interesting. I think a lot of the story will be re the stolen generation aspect of her family history.....plus the moving of the families from place to place by the government.
There was quite a bit written about it in the biography I read.....but obviously there must be lots more.
.....dee
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page 20 oh dear. stil posting this though1 before subject gets locked!
Russell Crowe is filming a family histroy show, presumably it is WDYTYA, he travels to Wales where his GG grandparents come from, they left their son in Wales and went to Canada, presumably it was the son that then went to Aus. anyway that was in the paper yestrday - here,
i think it will be shown late this year or next year
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It will be great if there is another series, Toni! :D :D :D
Hmmmmm....what else can I dig up about his ancestry beforehand? ;) ;D ;D
......dee
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page 20 oh dear. stil posting this though1 before subject gets locked!
Russell Crowe is filming a family histroy show, presumably it is WDYTYA, he travels to Wales where his GG grandparents come from, they left their son in Wales and went to Canada, presumably it was the son that then went to Aus. anyway that was in the paper yestrday - here,
i think it will be shown late this year or next year
It's for the BBC Wales series Coming Home
The People (http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=gladiator-russell-s-ancestors-are-welsh&method=full&objectid=20299773&siteid=93463-name_page.html)
Martin Briscoe
MORE - BBC WALES NORTH EAST (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/showbiz/russellcrowe.shtml)
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Now then Russell Crowe is not Australian allthough it does suit us to claim him as One, he was born in New Zealand and for those who don't know is a cousin the Crowe brothers who were cricketers for New Zealand.
January 4, 2008 - 9:58AM
Russell Crowe's next starring role will not be a Hollywood blockbuster, but a British TV documentary about tracing his family tree back to Wales.
The BBC has confirmed the New Zealand-born, Australian-based actor has agreed to film an episode for the popular Coming Home series.
While production dates are yet to be set, Crowe is expected to visit the town of Wrexham, where his grandfather John owned a fresh fruit and vegetable store about 80 years ago.
"We can confirm that we have commissioned a special Coming Home documentary about Russell Crowe retracing his family roots to Wales," a BBC spokeswoman said.
"Plans for filming are already underway and everyone involved is very excited about working with yet another international star for Coming Home."
Crowe follows in the footsteps of Australian star Rolf Harris and Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, who both have Welsh ancestors and filmed episodes for the TV series.
Wrexham local Hilary Betts uncovered what she believed were Crowe's links with Wales six years ago while she was researching her own family history and found they could be related.
The Gladiator star's Welsh heritage is believed to stretch back to his great grandparents Fred and Kezia.
The couple packed up their home in Wrexham and moved with 12 of their 13 children to Calgary, Canada, in June 1925.
But their 18-year-old son John, a keen sportsman, stayed behind and set up his own fruit and veg business called Crofruit.
Researchers have discovered that John's older brother Frank moved back to Wrexham from Canada in 1927 and took over the business, got married and had four children.
John ended up moving to New Zealand where he also married and had two sons, David and Alex, Russell's father.
Alex's wife Jocelyn gave birth to Russell in Wellington in April 1964, but the family only stayed for about four years in New Zealand before moving to Australia.
The 44-year-old actor is believed to have several second cousins still living in Wrexham and others in the north western English city of Cheshire.
AAP[/quote)
His welsh heritage might be why he thinks he can sing :D
regards Jenn
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Thanks for that, Jen!
Of course he is a New Zealander originally ....I should have remembered that.
it would be nice to think there would be a second Aussie series of WDYTYA though.... :-\
......dee
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Hey pick ME
I am not a celebrity but my backgound could be just as interesting.
I think the thing I find a little irrating about the series as a whole is that of course the scences with meeting the relations or the historians or whoever appear to me to be "staged" for the camera.
What do others think regarding this are they staged or do they film "live"
regards jenn
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I'm sure they are set up, Jenn. They would have to be.
I reckon there are a lot of us "ordinary" folks whose stories would be just as interesting. But they need the well known names to get so many people to watch. :-\ :-\
......dee
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page 20 oh dear. stil posting this though1 before subject gets locked!
Russell Crowe is filming a family histroy show, presumably it is WDYTYA, he travels to Wales where his GG grandparents come from, they left their son in Wales and went to Canada, presumably it was the son that then went to Aus. anyway that was in the paper yestrday - here,
i think it will be shown late this year or next year
It's for the BBC Wales series Coming Home
The People (http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=gladiator-russell-s-ancestors-are-welsh&method=full&objectid=20299773&siteid=93463-name_page.html)
Martin Briscoe
MORE - BBC WALES NORTH EAST (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/showbiz/russellcrowe.shtml)
do we get that in English?
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page 20 oh dear. stil posting this though1 before subject gets locked!
Russell Crowe is filming a family histroy show, presumably it is WDYTYA, he travels to Wales where his GG grandparents come from, they left their son in Wales and went to Canada, presumably it was the son that then went to Aus. anyway that was in the paper yestrday - here,
i think it will be shown late this year or next year
It's for the BBC Wales series Coming Home
The People (http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=gladiator-russell-s-ancestors-are-welsh&method=full&objectid=20299773&siteid=93463-name_page.html)
Martin Briscoe
MORE - BBC WALES NORTH EAST (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guides/halloffame/showbiz/russellcrowe.shtml)
do we get that in English?
S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru) is the Welsh speaking channel.
BBC Wales is in English.
Martin Briscoe
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cool 8)
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I've never seen it up here...do you think we'll be able to get it on iplayer?
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I've never seen it up here...do you think we'll be able to get it on iplayer?
If you mean the BBC Wales programme then it is possible but iPlayer is very unpredicable. They seem to have fewer BBC Wales programmes now than they did a few months ago.
If you have digital satellite then you can get BBC Wales on that (I take it your are in the UK if you are referring to iPlayer).
Martin Briscoe
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do you realise why non of us could be on any prog like this? on every episode the celebrity meets the family historian ::) well we would be that family historian :o :o
so if you aint got someone famous in your family they aint going to come looking ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
perth
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Yes I'm in the UK and I do have sky, we just need some kind person to tell us when it's going to be on as it's not obvious in our TV listings ;D ;D ;D ;D
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do you realise why non of us could be on any prog like this? on every episode the celebrity meets the family historian ::) well we would be that family historian :o :o
so if you aint got someone famous in your family they aint going to come looking ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
perth
Of course, Perth....we should have thought of that! ;D ;D ;D
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Yes I'm in the UK and I do have sky, we just need some kind person to tell us when it's going to be on as it's not obvious in our TV listings ;D ;D ;D ;D
I subscribe to Digiguide and with that you can display the schedules for any channels and you can set alarms to warn you of particular programmes.
http://www.gipsymedia.com/digiguide-uk-tv-guide.shtml
There are probably other similar services available.
Martin Briscoe
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Yes I'm in the UK and I do have sky, we just need some kind person to tell us when it's going to be on as it's not obvious in our TV listings ;D ;D ;D ;D
if you could just let us know its on for example thursday 9pm then i will be tuning in (unless of course its on during the day when i be at work)
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To get back to the Aussie series - :P
I do think you lot are being unduly critical of Geoffrey R - but that's just my perspective! Put me in front of cameras and I'm sure I'd say something that, on reflection, I would prefer not to have said. What we would say and what Geoffrey would say are obviously different, because we are different people! We get a "warts and all" picture of these people, which is great in my book!
The hints I picked up about Cathy Freeman were about her running ability and where it came from - and I'm waiting with interest for that!
And certainly waiting for Ita Buttrose, to see how much dee discovered of what will be disclosed on the program!! 8)
MarieC
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Marie.....tis through her father and her grandfather.....I won't tell you more..... ;) :D
A case of genetics telling for sure.
I am so looking forward to it.
.......dee
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;D ;D ;D ??? ???
Not fair! Can't wait, dee!
MarieC
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Hi All
I have no one famous in my family, just the average aussie battler since 1838 in Sth Aust. I would love a freebie research because I have nothing but BRICK WALLS & wouldn't the ratings soar if an "average" researcher had all those brick walls knocked down in one show. I am sure Ancestry subscribtions would go thru the roof.
Makes you wonder really from a marketing point! If the adveritising campaign was still there wouldn't all of us "genealogists" still watch the show, of course we would. To get info & direction & just to feel the satisfaction that an "average aussie" has finally found their family origins whether they are from aristocracy or a convict.
I love the show but I think I would enjoy the show a lot more if it really related to a "today average australian" whether they be white, black or in between, who is not financially fortunate & a draw card. Someone who actually lives in Australia & is a true Aussie. How can you live overseas forever, have an English accent & call yourself Australian. May be being a bit harsh but !!!!
Boydi
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Geoffrey 'almost' blaming the local laird for the 'sins' of his 'ancestors' was hilarious cringe TV - can't wait for them to do david brent ! The laird was very confused.
Almost as good as whan chandra was in the local indian archive and while they filmed, some guy was waking up from his siesta right next to them.
Geoffs ok and not as annoying as I thought he would be. As a top UK barrister hes in a better position than most to work against similar 'wrongs' happening today - eastern european economic refugees to the UK springs to mind. maybe even his 'relatives' from the german/polish/romanian side !
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Happy 2008 Root Chatters :D :D :D
How good has "Who do you think you are" on SBS. Cathy Freeman is on this Sunday night, followed by Dennis Cometti & lastly Ita Buttrose. i enjoyed the 1st two with Jack Thompson & Kate Cebreno personally. The Geoffrey Robinson one didn't do much for me, so to speak. :P
Cheers,
Mike.
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Liked the Geoffrey Robertson episode especially his opening statement about nurture rather than nature. At least that was an alternative to the constant ancestry.com harping on about genetics--that's what i really find scary.
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I have nothing against Geoffrey Robinson! I guess because I'm a big collector of ancestral photographs & documents etc, the other episodes, apart from his, had more of that content. I'm afraid I might have not gotten quite as obsessed with genealogy if it wasn't for having access to family photo's, paintings & personal documents, going back to the 18th Century. Just entering names & BDM dates into my tree is a vital part of research but for me, it's the background etc that brings then to life, so to speak.
I heard the 1 of the producer's of WDYTYA interviewed on radio & they started of doing research on 100 celebrities & gradually culled it down for the most interesting & where there's a definite link to how/what the person is now. E.g Kate Cebrenp is a musician & her 3rd GGrandfather was a music teacher in Tassie etc.
Mike.
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i just hope with tonights episode they dont get too political
perth
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Don't think you could call it political, Perth. They just presented it how it was for Cathy's family......very tough. I thought it was an excellent history lesson in many ways.
They didn't even mention that Alice Mero was one of the Stolen Generation, so certainly steered clear of that issue.
I'd really like to sort out the Sibley connection a bit more. Once I get the DVD and can write down a few more details, I'll have a go.....just for my own interest.
......dee
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I tried to post last night - but had trouble getting on to RC. I enjoyed the show very much - I think it was truly "Cringe" time for white Australia & it was presented at a very opportune time. I thought it was lovely that Catherine's Mum had hidden one of the worst aspects from her daughter (mother's do try to protect their children from reality at times :) ).
It is hard to believe that I was an adult while some of these events were still happening and to get truly political I think we owe them much more than just an apology. Interesting that the Qld paper this morning is full of the new version of "The Biggest Loser" but not a word did I find about Catherine and her show. Guess the press here won't change overnight.
From a reseach point of view I loved the Dorset connection (& the accent at the end) as one of my immigrant families left Dorset in 1849.
Trish
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Enjoyed this episode but was still left wanting more. I know there is only an hour but after sending her all the way to the UK I felt her Dorset roots, which would probably be relatively easy to trace, were neglected.
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While you can't blame anyone live today Its hard not to be put off by some of the crap that happened to all people and especialy aborigines in that era. In all I thought the participants acted with real grace considering what happened.
Those familiar with australian politics will have chuckled that her ancestor was 'transported' to palm island for refusing to sign a "work agreement". Roll forward to 2005 (not 1925) and our last government was dumped form office largely beccause of its "workplace agreements" John Howard was often accused of living in the 50's but it seems it might easily have been the 20's. Funny also that he often berates those who have a 'black armband' view of australian history but this program was quite mild and kept to simple facts which were documented and quite damning (eg being allowed to go overseas to fight in a war but not to play rugby).
However Cathys mum realised Cathy did not need to be burdened with this, and ist just as well - though it might have motivated her rather than less. We can all take a leaf from that and while not ignoring history, don't go on so long that future generations might develop an unhealthy chip on their shoulders.
Looking for ward to Dennis Cometti
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Marginalising sections of a community is not unique to Australia of the past. It could be seen as 'Officialdom' doing their best to help the downtrodden and protect the others from some undue influence. In my family it was a case of isolating the 'disabled', who would by todays standards been provided treatment and nurturing to their potential.
Where on earth are all peoples treated equally, do gooders are discriminating in all corners. In Australia it was seen as the correct action for that time, we now know better.
(Seems someone got in before me)
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Given the documents have survived you'd think the officials of the time saw themselves as "guardians" and the aborigines as "minors" in their care. What you also saw was examples of high standards of (english) literacy among aborigines when literacy was not yet consistent in the english world.
Roll forward to the 2000's and while officials use 'anti terrorist laws' to lock up people they see as inconvenient suggests that current populations shold not forget the lessons learned.
Dubious migration and people trafficking from eastern europe is another example
Reminds me of the story when Ghandi visited england to further his independence caluse and found that english residents were under similar harsh conditions to the indians back in india.
in the 1840s the conditions for the navvies building the Woodhead tunnell were described as among the worst in the empire and led to a lot of the OHS type laws of the era
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Interesting too that they failed to mention that the so called equality for Indigenous veterans stopped when they were discharged. No pension, no returned serviceman land, no recognition, they couldn't even drink at the pub with the other veterans. ::) And some of them even returned to find their kids had been taken away while they were off serving their country. :'(
I find it frustrating that the show doesn't try to go further back. Or maybe they do but don't like to show the familiar frustration of the brickwall? EG: The digger's file should've shown his NOK and where he was born Etc. And the 1871 Census would've shown the Sibley family too ...
Jane
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The digger's file should've shown his NOK and where he was born Etc.
Jane
The file on naa shows his birth place and NOK [2nd wife] - names of 3 chn from 1st marriage and mentions that 2nd wife had a child of her own prior to marriage to him.
Cheers
cando
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i dont think they could have gone back further on her indigenous side. records of aboriginies i think dont go much further. they didnt say cathys grandad was refused permission to go to england to play rugby, just that he had to ask. whether he did or not they didnt say.
the way aboriginies were treated was shocking by todays standard. but back then things were different to today. the australian gov aided by the church treated aboriginies, orphans and immigrants from other country's woefully (unless they were white)
perth
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And the 1871 Census would've shown the Sibley family too ...
Jane
Jane,
Way back when the announcement was first made about who would appear in the Aussie version of the show, just for my own interest I did some research on Cathy's family tree. (And also Ita Buttrose's!)
George Charles Sibley from Dorset was the son born Sep qtr 1865 in Broadwinsor to David Sibley, Labourer, and Sarah Neale, who married in the Beaminster district in 1861. By 1871 they had 5 children. RG10/ 2026/ 20/12
When they were showing one of his certificates on the show, you could just see the name David Sibley as the father. :D :D
David Sibley is with his widowed mother Jane in 1861, RG9/ 1364/ 91/ 2
and in 1851 HO107/ 1860/ 171/ 6
he is with mother Jane and older sibling George and younger sibling John.
In 1841 Jane Sibley has 4 young children with her....no sign of a husband. But there are lots of other Sibleys on the same census page.
.....dee
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Sunday night and Episode 5....Denis Cometti, Sports Commentator!
Found the WA goldfields part fascinating....I had rellies who went over there. Also the trip back to Italy. Just imagine standing in that little old stone dwelling! :-\
Had some laughs tonight....didn't the skeletons tumble out of the closet! ;D ;D
Seriously though....it was interesting to see his maternal line traced back in the way it was.
......dee
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dee,
I loved tonights show! The best for me so far.
Really interesting and, as you say, all those skeletons in the closet :o
Raylen
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Yes, really enjoyed tonight's episode!
My goodness there were some feisty women on his maternal side! Including the one whose lover murdered her husband and who may have been involved!
He didn't seem as pleased as Jack Thompson to find out about his three convicts. I would have been!! ;D ;D
MarieC
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Marie, I think after finding out about the one who may have been involved in plotting her husband's murder, he was already in a state of shock. ;D ;D
I'm sure by now he'll be quite proud to tell the story!
I wonder about the Edwards woman though....whose story was the true one.....hers or the chap she was supposed to have stolen from?
Or were they both a little guilty? ::) ;D
.......dee
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A most enjoyable programme. I had no idea who Denis Cometti was but what an interesting family.
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excellent prog and it made a change to see maternal lines been traced. its something i am doing now after getting back on the paternal ones.
perth
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I also enjoyed tonights episode, my reasons were a bit more personal though.
Meekatharra is only a few hundred kms North of here so this one was "on the home turf" so to speak, Dr Fitzgerald who assisted Dennis in Meekatharra is a Member of our Museum and has done a bit of research here for her project on the Italians so it was nice to see a face we know and who is from our field popping up on the show. Also Franco di Chiera who Directed the episode has had some dealings with our Museum having filmed parts of his doco "Hoover's Gold" here.
:)
- Belinda.
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Belinda
That certainly must have added to your enjoyment!!! ;D
MarieC
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It certainly did Marie .... although we are tempted to email Franco and ask why he didn't push for them to do one of our ex-residents and give our Museum a bit of exposure!
;) :D
- Belinda.
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It certainly did Marie .... although we are tempted to email Franco and ask why he didn't push for them to do one of our ex-residents and give our Museum a bit of exposure!
;) :D
- Belinda.
Don't worry about exposure, I have your establishment on my list for the next time I'm through there.
The bad news is that I won't tell you when we're coming, just turn up and play the tourist from hell whilst all the time having a giggle.
Denn
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That's very unfair Denn!
:P
- Belinda.
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That's very unfair Denn!
:P
- Belinda.
I know ;D ;D ;D
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Good news for those who missed an episode!
Who Do You Think You Are?
The last episode of the Australian edition of Who Do You Think You Are? is due to go to air on SBS on Sunday night, and features Ita Buttrose. Also good news for anyone who either missed an episode, or enjoyed them so much they want to see them again, due to the popularity of the show they will be re-screening on SBS on Friday nights. Those that are already scheduled are:
Friday 22 February - Jack Thompson
Friday 29 February - Kate Cebrano
Friday 7 March - Geoffrey Robertson
~~~~~~~~
Apparently WDYTYA has done well:
The outstanding success of SBS’s locally produced Who Do You Think You Are?, which achieved the largest ever audience share for an SBS local production, has provided a double boost by delivering a huge audience to the next program of the night, according to new figures from OzTAM.
The first locally produced episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, featuring veteran actor Jack Thompson, drew 857,000 viewers on Sunday, 13 January, in the 7.30pm timeslot, narrowly missing out on being SBS’s number one program of the week to the rampant Top Gear (942,000).
Hope this is the incentive needed to produce more programmes and to show all of the UK series.
-
Oh, thanks for that good news, Ruskie!! ;D ;D I'll be watching again! ;D
Hope that does convince our media that family history IS very popular and deserves coverage!
ancestry.com.au must be rubbing their hands with glee, too! ::)
MarieC
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Excellent.
We missed Kate Cerbrano so I will have to remember that it is on.
- Belinda.
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Apparently WDYTYA has done well:
The outstanding success of SBS’s locally produced Who Do You Think You Are?, which achieved the largest ever audience share for an SBS local production, has provided a double boost by delivering a huge audience to the next program of the night, according to new figures from OzTAM.
The first locally produced episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, featuring veteran actor Jack Thompson, drew 857,000 viewers on Sunday, 13 January, in the 7.30pm timeslot, narrowly missing out on being SBS’s number one program of the week to the rampant Top Gear (942,000).
Hope this is the incentive needed to produce more programmes and to show all of the UK series.
Hear, hear! Let's all hope so.....
.....dee
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On "The Lighter Side" there is a post called Genealogy - the new Pornography! It suggests that genealogy sites have eclipsed porno sites as the most visited on the Net! If this is so, I really do hope that Australian media realise it and take up the cause!!
MarieC
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I believe that Ita's on tonight. I want a full report, please :D
I know a bit about her family in Scotland!
Gadget
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Episode 6....Ita Buttrose!
Just one thing to say in this post.......
Ruskie, Trish, Gadget and Dee can all take a bow!
We did very well indeed putting together Ita's ancestry some weeks ago!
Clever little researchers, aren't we!
:D :D :D :D :D
-
Did they say her line was Butters at one stage :D
Is it possible to watch it over here by some craft, cleaver toggle of the internet ???
Gadget
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Gadget.....that was the opening to the show! ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
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Is it possible to watch it over here by some craft, cleaver toggle of the internet ???
Gadget
You're asking me? The total non technical computer user who can just get onto You-tube and that's about it? ;D ;D ;D
Maybe someone else will know......
......dee
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Gadget.....that was the opening to the show! ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
we got there afore 'em 8) 8) 8)
What channel is it on - I'll see if I can get in that way?
Gadget
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SBS .....
.....dee
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I was disappointed Dee - I think they covered way too much in the time given - I would have loved more of the Scottish roots rather than pieces of paper it was impossible to read. Just too many branches looked at - I got confused & I knew alot of it!
It was the only one of the six that I feel could have been so much better - they obviously should have called you in to put it together for them Dee :D
Trish
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Well done those girls!!! ;D ;D ;D
The bit that saddened me a little was the fact that plots in Sth Aus only last 25 years, then graves are cleared. Ita had to find gggranny's headstone in a group of many others that had also been moved. At least she found her, I suppose! ::) ::)
MarieC
PS Trish, I agree that dee should have been the compiler of this episode! And there was a bit much in it.
-
Now to be serious....have to say I enjoyed it .....but my perspective could be coloured by the time I spent researching and the personal involvement I had with the South Australian part of it.
Two absolutely outstanding parts for me of tonight's episode....one personal, the other amazing.
The personal part was the visit to Troubridge Shoal where her great great grandfather Buttrose's ship was grounded for almost two weeks. It brought back such memories, as for many years I lived in the nearest mainland little township and was a member of the Friends of Troubridge Shoal. Chris Johnson, who took Ita out to the lighthouse on his boat and talked to her about the ships that were grounded, I know very well.
The amazing part for me ....and Gadget....you would love to have seen this......was Ita getting to see the family tree going back to the 1400s that Francis Adelaide Crear had brought to South Australia with her! That needs being cared for properly....it broke my heart to see how it was stored! :'( :'(
And that painting of Adelaide's grandfather Murray! What treasures some of the descendants have!
Envy, envy, envy!
......dee
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Glad you mentioned about the graves MarieC - that saddened me as well. I have come across this at private crematoriums but didn't think it applied to cemeteries - I have found all my direct families graves in Australia back to the first arrivals of 1833 - some have inscriptions worn away (and one couple have no headstones) but they are all still in their original resting place
Trish
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The graves stuff is happening more and more. But in the old cemeteries, there is usually a rule that prevents historical graves from being disturbed. My argument is that today's graves are tomorrow's historical graves. :'( :'(
.....dee
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Yes Trish, all of mine are in their original places too - except in England, where a number of them have been cleared, including my Martin ggggrandparents! :( >:( :'( Very frustrating.
dee, I too was very envious of what descendants had! And I agree with your argument about graves.
Who's watching the replays, then??
MarieC
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A trifle disappointing for me too. Not enough Scottish and NO Irish! Didn't really enjoy the New York visit and researching Uncle Casper ... not with gggetc grandparents yet to discover.
I felt sure (hoped) Ita would be shipped over to Co Clare! I think the problem was that Dee and Gadget did too good a job! The programme didn't cover much of their findings.
Now, as hoped, next Friday Aussie WDYTYA repeats (is there anyone out there who is techncially capable enough to copy these for Gadget?)
And Sunday, Amanda Redman ... the UK series ARE being shown here!!!!!!!
-
My knowledge from NSW/Qld/Vic could well be incorrect Dee and it may be that all my family graves are in "Historical Cemeteries"
I know when I had my parents ashes placed in the "rose garden" I initially paid for a 25 year license, but then paid again & extended it to "forever" - I am somewhat unsure as to how long is "forever" - Folks seem able to come up with development ideas that override most "forevers"
I do agree about the SA part of the story & the family documents and heirlooms that were in existence - we need to send Prue over to explain about preservation! I wish they had followed that story back to Scotland.
Trish
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I will probably watch the repeats....although I might just wait for the DVD to arrive.....
Some of my ancestors in Oz were too poor to have gravestones, but I am also lucky that some that did are in historical sections of cemeteries.
.....dee
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Whoopi-doo, Ruskie - more WDYTYA!!!!
I'll be watching Friday and Sunday!
Trish, the best way to protect cemeteries, I think, is to have local historians study them and do tours of them. If anyone tried to reuse graves here, there would be a huge commotion! And it isn't a designated historical cemetery!
MarieC
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Whoopi-doo, Ruskie - more WDYTYA!!!!
I'll be watching Friday and Sunday!
Trish, the best way to protect cemeteries, I think, is to have local historians study them and do tours of them. If anyone tried to reuse graves here, there would be a huge commotion! And it isn't a designated historical cemetery!
MarieC
Clem Jones (or City Hall - but he WAS City Hall) attempted to remove many of the Toowong Graves in the 60s or 70s - some did go before an outcry stopped it. I don't think anything has been attempted in Brisbane since that time.
Some of the cemeteries I visited in NSW are on the most magnificent pieces of real estate - often on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean - vigilence is certainly needed.
Trish
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A friend of mine found out that his grandparents graves were being reused, and the stones got rid of. So he claimed them and they now stand in his garden. When he leaves this world, one of his sons is going to have them.
......dee
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For any Aussies interested in the UK episode being shown next Sunday and who are not familiar with the personalities featured:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/02qy/
You may know AR if you watch "Dirty Tricks" (on the ABC I think).
PS. And "At home with the Braithwaites" ;D
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For any Aussies interested in the UK episode being shown next Sunday and who are not familiar with the personalities featured:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/02qy/
You may know AR if you watch "Dirty Tricks" (on the ABC I think).
She was also in At Home With The Braithwaites the first series of same was hilarious - I did so enjoy it.
Trish
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i would like to have seen a bit more of the tree they found been followed, but saying that it was very enjoyable and she was lucky that so much had been saved.
amanda redman next week is very good
perth
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Trish
Hadn't known that about Clem Jones and the Toowong Cemetery!
It would be difficult to designate any sections of old municipal cemeteries as "historical" because the question would arise, which graves are historical and which are not! In Toowoomba our cemetery is divided into denominational sections, so there are "historical" (whatever that means!) graves in all sections.
dee - the mind boggles - reclaiming family gravestones to pass them on to one's descendants! :o :o :o
MarieC
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we need to send Prue over to explain about preservation! I wish they had followed that story back to Scotland.
LOL Trish ;D
I was yelling at the TV: "give it to me give it to me give it to me!!!!!!!!!!!!". Dear oh dear...and them with Artlab just up the road in Adelaide, where they could get it fixed for not much money. :(
The grave info was pretty depressing, particularly for PAID plots (i.e. not common graves)...I have heard of alot of places having 99 year 'leases' but 25 years is not very long. Why don't they just stick another cemetery another 20 k outside town? It's not like there's not enough space for one!! I was really sad when I found out that my gggrandmother's grave in Leytonstone (London) had been 'reclaimed' - apparently the common/pauper's section (where she was buried) had another several feet of earth dumped over the top, and new (presumably paid-for) graves were then dug into this. So poor Caroline is being squashed by her well-to-do neighbours upstairs :'( I suppose at least they didn't dig her up and dump her somewhere else...
Prue
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I also found the shipwreck part interesting, as I am descended from survivors of the wreck of the Marion in 1851 off the "heel" of Yorke Peninsula, one day's sailing out of Adelaide. Once again, drunken captain & crew were held responsible.
Harzardous waters in South Australia.
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And the reef is now known as the Marion Reef, Nudge! The heel of Yorke Peninsula was a real stretch of shipwreck coast in those early days..... :-\
Prue, I groaned out loud when I saw those old documents. My son is executive director of an Australian Conservation company, and his wife is an archeologist...... I bet they was groaning too. It was so sad to see the way things were stored! :'( :'( :'(
.....dee
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I was foaming at the mouth at the cavalier treatment of valuable records too - they didn't even use cotton gloves when looking through old registers.
And as for that fragile old family tree disintegrating under the bed ... :o ??? :o
It would've been such a great opportunity to teach the viewers about conservation of family records too.
Jane
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.....
It would be difficult to designate any sections of old municipal cemeteries as "historical" because the question would arise, which graves are historical and which are not! In Toowoomba our cemetery is divided into denominational sections, so there are "historical" (whatever that means!) graves in all sections.
.....
MarieC
Some of the places I visited in NSW have actually "closed off" their old cemeteries and named them "historical" cemeteries - then started a new cemetery for the town - in many instances next to the old one. This is why they are often called the "Historical" Cemetery or the "old" cemetery.
Trish
PS That's my favourite picture of Grandad Harry Prue :) :)
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I do like to cycle through the Harry pics, Trish, to give you gals a thrill every now and then ;D ;D ;D
I was foaming at the mouth at the cavalier treatment of valuable records too - they didn't even use cotton gloves when looking through old registers.
And as for that fragile old family tree disintegrating under the bed ... :o ??? :o
It would've been such a great opportunity to teach the viewers about conservation of family records too.
Jane
Actually I don't recommend the use of cotton gloves for the reason that they make handling fragile things much more difficult - they are slippery and bulky and reduce your sensitivity. But they do offer some protection from your skin - better off with latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves, close-fitting.
Agree with you that it would have been a great opportunity to highlight the conservation/preservation issue which is something they really don't go into on the show (wouldn't really expect them to in any great detail, but at least some would be nice!) Even if just to say "look, there are people out there who fix this kind of stuff". :-\
Prue
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I do like to cycle through the Harry pics, Trish, to give you gals a thrill every now and then ;D ;D ;D
He should have had the role of Mr Darcy ;) ;)
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Anyone who watches Antiques Roadshow must cringe sometimes at the way Extremely old documents are handled by the "paper expert guy" (sorry don't know his name) - never any gloves of any kind, ever ...
Yes, cotton gloves are clumsy but there must be an alternative ....
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I do like to cycle through the Harry pics, Trish, to give you gals a thrill every now and then ;D ;D ;D
He should have had the role of Mr Darcy ;) ;)
Ohhhhh don't get me started....(*goes weak at the knees*) ;D ;D
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Anyone who watches Antiques Roadshow must cringe sometimes at the way Extremely old documents are handled by the "paper expert guy" (sorry don't know his name) - never any gloves of any kind, ever ...
Yes, cotton gloves are clumsy but there must be an alternative ....
There is - latex, vinyl or nitrile :) Much more protection for the documents and artefacts, and also for your hands!
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Yes Hubby and I (operate a small Museum) and we were most upset, not just over that old family tree under the bed and how torn and crumpled it was but also all the old books that are pawed through by the "celeb researchers" with no gloves of any sort (we use the latex ones ourselves), and often in libraries and museum where you would think people should know better!
re: Ita's relative that had the family tree under the bed, she said "it's been under here all these years, I just don't know what to do with it" and Hubby and I were shouting at the TV "donate it to a museum!"
I found the 25 year grave expiry revelation very distressing. There must be oh soooo many people out there who now lie unmarked because their headstones have been uprooted, with no care or thought for them or their future ancestors who may wish to come and pay their respects. I felt quite sorry for Ita as you could see she was very sad to see that had happened.
- Belinda.
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I was foaming at the mouth at the cavalier treatment of valuable records too - they didn't even use cotton gloves when looking through old registers.
And as for that fragile old family tree disintegrating under the bed ... :o ??? :o
It would've been such a great opportunity to teach the viewers about conservation of family records too.
Jane
Greetings, thanks for all your comments and feedback during the last six weeks of the Aussie version of WDYTYA? We have been reading them with interest.
I am sure Ita and her family would love advice on where best to get that family tree restored. It had NOT been opened for years, and certainly not by the current owner until we filmed it.
We are hoping that there will be a second series of the Australian version, so keep your fingers crossed.
Kind regards
Diana Pepper
Researcher
Who Do You Think You Are?
Artemis Films, Perth
diana[---at---]artemisfilms.com
Moderator Comment: e-mail edited, to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please replace [AT] with @
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Hello Diana!
We're being watched too! ;D ;D
Can I say first of all, that the series has been just great, and I am sure we are all looking forward to more, so our fingers are well and truly crossed.
Prue has already made one suggestion about restoration, but here's another.....based in Sydney..... International Conservation Services.
......dee
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Hi there Diana :D
Welcome to rootschat and thank you for following our comments on your wonderful series. Certainly looking forward to a 2nd series.
Cheers
Cando
Dee.... good plug ;D ;D ;) ;)
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Certainly different and interesting to have the program researchers online. Welcome to RootsChat Diana - I hope we have provided useful feed back, it would seem most of it was very positive.
I would love more programs - with perhaps a small mention of genealogy tips and sources - as everyone has mentioned - restoration and storage is an obvious for the latest program. State and National archives in every state provide very good information on restoration and storage of older documents. e.g. this is online for Qld - http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Government/preservation.asp
I'm sure other states must have similar
Most of us have some ancestors from the UK, some research pre 1800 in that area would be very interesting - this is where many lose track of their roots - thus my disappointment at no detail re Ita's Scottish roots.
If you have any trouble finding suitable candidates, no doubt we can help :D and if we have some names in advance, we could search for some more family secrets 8)
Trish
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Great to see Diana online here - welcome Diana!! We are very passionate family history researchers, as you see, and we loved the series! I'll be watching the replays and as many of the other UK ones as I can, and looking forward to the second series you mentioned!
Don't start talking about Mr Darcy - I go weak at the knees - Colin Firth is the archetypal Mr Darcy for me!! ::) ::)
MarieC
(PS Do you know that some psychologists think Mr Darcy, and the horrible Mr Collins, suffered from autism spectrum disorder? that Jane Austen had observed this in acquaintances and wrote it into her characters?? Makes sense when you look at some of their behaviours, and lack of understanding of the impact of these!)
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Good to have you on board Diana! Congratulations on the success of WDYTYA - it certainly exceeded my expectations. I hope there will be more series to come. (please ;D)
I read recently that with the UK version over half the family trees of those investigated have been either too difficult to research or too boring to warrant a broadcast. So it must be difficult to find good subjects specially with our comparitively small population. I suppose there are always more ex-pats you could investigate. (I believe Kylie has already "been done" ;D .... )
Now, how are you getting on with your own family history? Need any help? Post your questions on the appropriate board and it'll be sorted in no time.
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Thanks for your follow up messages, I will make sure Ita is informed about where to restore her family tree. When she finished filming (back in May 2007) she was very keen to "do something about the tree" for posterity so it may well have already been done.
We have quietly enjoyed your chats, and have used your comments as a bit of litmus test on viewers response. We have, of course, got forums and comments page on the SBS website - but perhaps yours were more informed and less guarded!
BTW just wanted to answer one ongoing theme that I have read here, which is why don't we do a series of "ordinary" people. The BBC did in fact attempt this, but it just didn't pull in the ratings the way that celebrities stories do. Sad but true ratings are what broadcasters look at when considering re-commissioning a series.
We are however in the process of applying for funding for series 2, and are cautiously optimistic that this will be approved. If so, you can expect a second series on air next year.
In answer to questions about going further back in Ita's story (and others) as you know there are often less records, documents and memorabilia around the further you go back and so many more stories to reveal. We have to try and cram everything into 52 minutes. Also, being an Aus WDYTYA? we like to keep as much Australian history in the programmes as possible.
Finally, I have been very tempted once or twice to post here for advice when we have hit a wall in research ??? but now we have "made friends" will do so in Series 2.
Please don't hesitate to contact me on my email address diana[---at---]artemisfilms.com if you have any further queries.
Best regards and happy tree building.
Diana
Moderator Comment: e-mail edited, to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please replace [AT] with @
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Hi Diana,
looking forward to series 2. Will Franco be involved again?
If you are looking for suggestions of celebs for S2 Roland Roccichioli is an old Gwalia boy ...... (Franco already has plenty of footage of the area!) :P
;) :D
- Belinda.
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Best of luck with your funding application - I hope you will be able to proceed with a second series.
Any little hints as to who we may be seeing in Series 2? Are you looking for suggestions? (I'm sure you'll get them anyway ;)).
I'm sure everyone on rootschat would LOVE to help with any future brick walls! I don't know if you are aware of some of the amazing challenges that are undertaken on rootschat. If you have a spare couple of days you may like to read the following thread. As yet it is unsolved and is still ongoing. There are many others which have been solved but this is the first that I thought of:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,206958.0.html
(I believe there are other parts to this story, summaries etc)
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Good to have you on board Diana! Congratulations on the success of WDYTYA - it certainly exceeded my expectations. I hope there will be more series to come. (please ;D)
I read recently that with the UK version over half the family trees of those investigated have been either too difficult to research or too boring to warrant a broadcast. So it must be difficult to find good subjects specially with our comparitively small population. I suppose there are always more ex-pats you could investigate. (I believe Kylie has already "been done" ;D .... )
Now, how are you getting on with your own family history? Need any help? Post your questions on the appropriate board and it'll be sorted in no time.
Ruskie
I suppose we have had to keep our research under wraps on this series to prevent "spoilers" from getting out and ruining the surprise for our celebs. i.e. Dennis Cometti had NO idea about any convict ancestors, let alone three!
My own family research is another matter and you have hit on a sore point :-\ as I have promised to do my maternal line and have made very little headway due to having my head so far into WDYTYA celebrity trees. I will definitely start using RootsChat facilities for that. Any pointers as best place to "publically" start would be most appreciated.
Regards
Diana
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...
We have quietly enjoyed your chats, and have used your comments as a bit of litmus test on viewers response. We have, of course, got forums and comments page on the SBS website - but perhaps yours were more informed and less guarded!
Wondering if we may now be more guarded ;D ;D but that doesn't seem to happen on RootsChat. Many thanks for your response & I do understand about keeping much of the research in Australia. I also wish you much success with the funding for the next series. Dee was the main instigator of our previous research on the WDYTYA folks - if in need send her a message. 8)
As far as starting your maternal line - Many folks have a trigger that got their research started & mine came from google. Try putting your mother's full name (birth name) into google - also your grandmothers and great grandmother's if known. If nothing else you will find other folks researching people with the same name, but you could find much more about your own family. (It was actually my father's name that got me going - his mother was the mystery lady that caught my interest, so you may like to try the paternal side as well :) )
Trish
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Hi Diana - to research your maternal line:
We'll need Mother's name, date and place of birth. If she is still living you may not wish us to have this information.
Alternatively, do you know grandparents or even great grandparent's birth places/dates, marriage dates?
Do you or other family members have any birth, death or marriage certificates you can check?
Like most of us, do your ancestors hail from the UK?
If so have you any idea of their names/dates/places of birth/ dates and places of arrival in Australia?
Others will probably be able to add to this and have other useful suggestions.
Personally, I started with the death certificate of a great great grandfather whose name I already knew. From this I learned both his parents names, his place of birth in England etc etc etc. I also spoke to my mum to get names and relationships of other family members.
You basicaly have to give as much information as you know. If it's just guidance you need and you would like to do the fun part and research for yourself there are suggestions and links under each specific heading. Certificates will have to be purchased along the way. Some people buy many, I buy only those which I need additonal information from or to confirm I'm on the right track.
It would probably be best for you to start another thread for this under the appropriate heading.
Good luck.
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Thanks for the personal advice. Will post on the correct boards. All UK background.
Will leave you all in peace now for your chat to resume, until next series that is :D
Over and out.
Diana
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Hi Ruskie.
For fear of going way off topic again i Thought I'd ask you this while the iron is hot so to speak.
I think many people must just buy certificates 'as needed' to limit the cost. I have coresponded with someone who routinely sent off for all siblings etc etc -plenty of cash i'd say.
There is even a way you could 'almost' prove a maiden name - surname link for a wife in the census but you have to be very careful !!
I think we all apply logic in our minds but have you ever seen anyone actually document the approach to be taken eg I have this, the name is unique so is fairly certain.
After all even copies are not originals. I was thinking of putting a flowchart together, possibly with a 'certainty scale' but if something exists i would use that.
Dale
Hi Diana - to research your maternal line:
We'll need Mother's name, date and place of birth. If she is still living you may not wish us to have this information.
Alternatively, do you know grandparents or even great grandparent's birth places/dates, marriage dates?
Do you or other family members have any birth, death or marriage certificates you can check?
Like most of us, do your ancestors hail from the UK?
If so have you any idea of their names/dates/places of birth/ dates and places of arrival in Australia?
Others will probably be able to add to this and have other useful suggestions.
Personally, I started with the death certificate of a great great grandfather whose name I already knew. From this I learned both his parents names, his place of birth in England etc etc etc. I also spoke to my mum to get names and relationships of other family members.
You basicaly have to give as much information as you know. If it's just guidance you need and you would like to do the fun part and research for yourself there are suggestions and links under each specific heading. Certificates will have to be purchased along the way. Some people buy many, I buy only those which I need additonal information from or to confirm I'm on the right track.
It would probably be best for you to start another thread for this under the appropriate heading.
Good luck.
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Hi Dale,
There are many factors to be taken into account when deciding whether or not to purchase certificates. Some of this I suppose comes down to gut reaction which is not a reliable method ;D. These are the main ones I use to try to get out of buying certificates.
The ancestor with the unusual name can be a double edged sword - easy to find or lost through mistranscription or misspellings or spellings not as expected today. I've been lucky enough to have a couple in my tree. These are especially useful pre 1837 as often there's little else to go on.
I like census too - mother in law in the house on census night can save £7.
Australian death certificates are helpful. I spent ages looking for the right wife in England, only to find her (or by this time, have it confirmed) by a son's death with the mother's surname in the index.
You do have to be careful though, and I've got a little off track and confused a couple of times, but sorted it out through purchasing the certificate.
I've only ever bought one English death certificate.
I'm sure others will have more suggestions.
And to get back on topic ... I've been thinking about the celebs for WDYTYA series 2. Wonder if we should start a list? My first guess is Hugh Jackman.
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And to get back on topic ... I've been thinking about the celebs for WDYTYA series 2. Wonder if we should start a list? My first guess is Hugh Jackman.
ooooh yummy!
I second that motion.
;D :D
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And to get back on topic ... I've been thinking about the celebs for WDYTYA series 2. Wonder if we should start a list? My first guess is Hugh Jackman.
Hate to burst your bubble, but according to Internet Movie Database and Wikipedia, Hugh Jackman was born in Australia to English-born parents.
So, no Aussie heritage for our Hugh.
Debbie
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how about these famous aussies
jimmy barnes
john farnham
russel crowe
mel gibson
any of the brothers gibb
;D ;D ;D ;D
seriously i think rolf harris would be good as he is so popular in the uk aswell
perth ;D
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Re: Mr Jackman, I reckon being born in Australia to English parents is fairly valid - be nice to see some English research being done.
Perth -
Isn't Russell Crowe a NZer?
I think Mel Gibson was born in America, American father but grew up here.
The Gibb brothers were born in England, English parents, but lived here for a few years.
Isn't Jimmy Barnes Scottish?
Rolf Harris and Barry Humphries were others that came to mind .... and Bert Newton ...
Gee, my mind has gone a bit blank .... can't think of any more Aussies! :P
.... just thought of another one - David Koch - from that awful (sorry anyone who likes it) Sunrise TV programme - he's a bit of a mini-celeb, but he's got to have German roots (something a bit different) and he's a good sport - I bet he'd be willing to get involved ;).
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I can't think of anyone famous who fits the bill but it would be interesting to try tracing a descendant of Afghan camel drivers - another interesting aspect of Australian history.
Jane
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David Koch is a good idea, South Australian German background I believe, and a good sport (if a bit annoying - yes, I hate that programme too!!)
My top spot would be for Rolf Harris. I love Rolf, but again I think his parents were Welsh, although he himself was born in Perth. Despite having lived over in the UK for most of his life, Rolf remains as Aussie as a lamington (in my opinion :) )
What about Ernie Dingo? Would be good to have another indigenous person involved....
Prue
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i think unless the person is indigenous they are all going to have uk or european ancestry not too far back.
how about someone that is infamous not famous. eric edgar cook the last man hung in wa could be interesting. would he have in his background anything that made him in to what he became
perth
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From this cricket fanatic -
How about Allan Border? Or Greg or Ian Chappell - they have a cricketing pedigree but perhaps too well known. Or Ricky Ponting - that's not a common name, would love to know where it comes from!
Prue, agree about Rolf Harris and Ernie Dingo!
MarieC
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i think unless the person is indigenous they are all going to have uk or european ancestry not too far back.
how about someone that is infamous not famous. eric edgar cook the last man hung in wa could be interesting. would he have in his background anything that made him in to what he became
perth
That would be interesting, Perth, but he wouldn't be very responsive in an interview :-\ ;)
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I'd be surprised if there wasn't a really well known sports personality if there is another series. A cricketer or ex cricketer sounds a real possibility. Then again....how about Ian Thorpe? There's a well known name.....
.....dee
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i think unless the person is indigenous they are all going to have uk or european ancestry not too far back.
how about someone that is infamous not famous. eric edgar cook the last man hung in wa could be interesting. would he have in his background anything that made him in to what he became
perth
That would be interesting, Perth, but he wouldn't be very responsive in an interview :-\ ;)
;D ;D There are a few ex prisoners around - Alan Bond? The WA man with the wide hat that causes all the politicians grief?
We could make a list of ex-politicians - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
One of the Chappell's would be good (I used to watch cricket in their day!) - what about (and the name escapes me) the lovely man who played Norman Gunston - aha Gary MacDonald - I have no idea if he was born in Oz.
John Walters - Jimmy Barnes I like - but was he born in Scotland - did someone mention? Normie Rowe Col Joye? - I'm starting to show the age ;D
Trish
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Dame Joan Sutherland? Cate Blanchett??
MarieC
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Ooh Gary McDonald would be good.
How about Barry Humphries (hubby thought of him)
As for politicians, I ain't saying nuffink :-X :-X :-X
...and I'm not that into sport, so I can't say any of them would interest me either :-\
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Kamahl
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...or Geoff Jansz
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Kamahl is Sri Lankan, I think - no Aussie ancestry, anyway. And I don't know who Geoff Jansz is!
MarieC
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i think unless the person is indigenous they are all going to have uk or european ancestry not too far back.
how about someone that is infamous not famous. eric edgar cook the last man hung in wa could be interesting. would he have in his background anything that made him in to what he became
perth
That would be interesting, Perth, but he wouldn't be very responsive in an interview :-\ ;)
lol prue hed be as good as some of the people on reality tv over here ;D they could do it through his son tony the former trade union leader
perth ;D
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I thought of GEoff Jansz after I thought of Kamahl...he's a TV cook, was big about 5 years ago, and his ancestry (from what I recall...) is also Sri Lankan. As is Jamie Durie's, I think?
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lol prue hed be as good as some of the people on reality tv over here ;D they could do it through his son tony the former trade union leader
perth ;D
Ahhh! Yes, that could be an interesting angle actually...good idea!
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lol prue hed be as good as some of the people on reality tv over here ;D they could do it through his son tony the former trade union leader
perth ;D
Ahhh! Yes, that could be an interesting angle actually...good idea!
lol thanks prue its not often i have them
perth
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Oh yes, Ernie Dingo would be interesting - I wonder what his story is? I have read that he has a temperamental personality, so unsure how responive he'd be.
I hate sport but on the UK series the sporty types came across really well and had interesting ancestry, even though I didn't know who some of them were - doesn't seem to get in the way of a god yarn.
Interesting people may not have an hours worth of traceable interesting family history I suppose.
Gary McDonald would be a good one, but he suffers from depression I think.
Geoff Jansz - personable fellow - could be a possible. Cate Blanchett - yes, but might be too busy - with academy award nominations she'll be getting lots of film offers.
Trish, did you mean John Waters the Actor? He's been around for years and is currently in "All Saints"- anyway I think he's a pommy. Or did you mean John Walters who I think may be a sports person of some sort .... think I'm getting confused here.
Maybe these suggestions will give Diana and her team some inspiration ;D.
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Ah Ruskie - I meant John Waters - maybe because I mentioned cricket I confused him with Doug Walters - cricketer in the 1960s.
Trish
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Yep, just googled - John Waters was born in London Trish .... and was a £10 pom - that might be an interesting story.
I can think of a few who I DON't want to see on Aussie WDYTYA - can we make a list of them too?
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Trish I thought you meant this John Waters
(he's not the one from all saints is he? - I don't watch it)
- Belinda.
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Sorry, getting my Johns mixed up, the John I was thinking of from All Saints (I don't watch the show but I see the ads, lol) is John Howard! :-[ :D
So yes, I agree, John Waters would be a fascinating WDYTYA subject.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914113/
- Belinda.
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I can think of a few who I DON't want to see on Aussie WDYTYA - can we make a list of them too?
ooooooh do tell!
;) :D
- Belinda.
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How about Warren Brown? He is very entertaining in other TV work he has done, and some of his cartoons could certainly spice up the show.
Also how about drawing from the list of living national treasures for inspiration?
http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/treasureslist.html
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Yep, that's John Waters and he's on "All Saints". Also in the Bird's Eye adds ;D.
List of don't want to sees:
Well, Nicole Kidman for one - can't stand her
Leyton Hewitt - can't stand him
There ARE more ....
Just had a quick look on nudge's list - only a few names I recognise on there, but a good place to start.
Just thought of another one for the "maybe" list inspired by nudge - Michael Leunig - promising sounding surname. I think he has some problems of a mental or health nature too ...
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Leyton Hewitt - can't stand him
Sacrilege!
If they did that C.U.B I'd send them a letter telling them I would never watch their show ever again.
:P
- Belinda.
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Here's some family history for you.
Lleyton Hewitt's grandfather Max Hewitt knocked my father unconcious during a 1950's South Australian country football grand final - cannot remember which year off the top of my head. Dad had to be carried off the field, and has no memory of the match at all, though he had kicked a crucial point.
No matter, at least his team won. It was one of three grand final appearances he had, playing for Willunga.
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.. well there you go - like grandfather like grandson, and well done nudge's dad's team ;D
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Pat Cash Pat Rafter or another tennis player.
Or see how many bogans there are in Warneys tree
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;D
... he wouldn' know what gene ... geane ...genna .... geenel ...
.... family history is, would he?
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Oooh Pat Rafter would be good!
NO, not Lllllllleyton Hewitt please! And no pollies - we get enough of them every day anyway. And at the risk of offending 90% of the population, no Michael Leunig :o
Warren Brown is a good idea, nudge, he's obviously interested in history.
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No Prue? I didn't know he was THAT popular ;D!
Agree about politicians but am wondering if maybe Gough Whitlam would have a story to tell? Also be nice to see an old person's family history traced (as most of them have been on the younger side). Alexander Downer has posh roots so may be interesting to see how they made their money and if he has any ag labs further back ;).
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Here's a start, Ruskie.....
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Opinion/A-journey-into-Downers-dark-past/2005/05/31/1117305617682.html
It's quite a way down the page.....not sure they would want to go down that track......
....dee
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Here's a start, Ruskie.....
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Opinion/A-journey-into-Downers-dark-past/2005/05/31/1117305617682.html
It's quite a way down the page.....not sure they would want to go down that track......
....dee
Hi Dee
An interesting read.
Seems to show we all have family secrets :) :) I'm always amazed that they have been kept secret for so long. Much practice in Govt circles I guess! We learn from our masters.
Trish
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I am sure there is a skeleton of some sort to be found in everyone's closet if you look hard enough and long enough, Trish! ;D ;D
.....dee
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Perhaps not Mr Downer then ....
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And what is it we learn of this distinguished family history in Roberts's book on this country's ruthless savagery by 19th-century pastoralists towards indigenous people? On pages 133 and 134 Roberts recounts how the notorious Constable Willshire, at his Port Augusta acquittal on multiple murder charges in 1891, was defended by the Foreign Minister's grandfather, "Sir John Downer, QC, former attorney-general and premier, with funds contributed by more than 60 supporters from Central Australia
surely we all have relatives in our past that did stuff we might cringe at.
However everyone one is entitled to be defended at trial........ after all this is Australia
It would appear that the Downer family may very well have contirbuted to the early formation of South Australia.
regards Jenn
oh ps I cannot stand the man. (Alexander Downer)
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Leave the celebrities to the GLOSSIES.
I think genealogical research is a bit deeper than prying into the temporally famous.
I am only interested in my own background and the effort of uncovering interesting facts of the past. That is what keeps me going, around every corner is a new discovery. The successfull result is a great boost.
That said a limited exposure of celebrity links is a good learning tool to highlight technical methods of research.
My TWO BOBS worth.
John
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Re Geoff Jantz he is also Sri Lankan.
Incidently Kamahl was born in malayasia but too Sri Lankan parentage.
regards Jenn
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It would appear that the Downer family may very well have contirbuted to the early formation of South Australia.
regards Jenn
Oh, they did indeed, Jenn. A very interesting family.....as are most in their own particular ways ..... :D
.....dee
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what about Richie Benaud?
Jenn
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Dame Edna ;D
Gazania
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Hey there Dee
Gough Whitlam is an easier trace, born in 1916 in Victoria
his dad in 1884 in Prahan, and his dad in 1857 in Castlemaine.
A true Aussie, I wonder if his grandf emmigrated or is there a skelton in that closet. ;D
Gough is getting very elderly now but he would have some stories to tell , an interesting tidbit I recall about him and margaret is that they were extras in the early Oz film "On our Selection"
Jenn
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Hi Jenn.
Thinking back, the celebrities were very cleverly chosen so that there was coverage of every state.....except the Northern Territory. Reckon someone with heritage from there should get a look in next time......
......dee
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Here's a start, Ruskie.....
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Opinion/A-journey-into-Downers-dark-past/2005/05/31/1117305617682.html
It's quite a way down the page.....not sure they would want to go down that track......
....dee
I think I saw a Downer grave on "devils island' off port arthur - he would have been an officer there as the inmates didnt warrant headstones
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How about a younger person to attract a younger audience. (No yellow sunglasses though) Gazania
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Cant think of one of those ;).
(apart from sports bods)
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Hi Jenn.
Thinking back, the celebrities were very cleverly chosen so that there was coverage of every state.....except the Northern Territory. Reckon someone with heritage from there should get a look in next time......
......dee
I have a relative who changed his name & disappeared into the NT - Family story is that he killed someone over a game of cards :o :o - Be nice if they could find him - the NT registry at great expense to me, could not find him
Trish
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I too have an ancestor who seems to have disappeared into the NT - bit of a rogue, I think he was. I don't think we're famous enough, Trish!! :( :(
MarieC
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I too have an ancestor who seems to have disappeared into the NT - bit of a rogue, I think he was. I don't think we're famous enough, Trish!! :( :(
MarieC
Maybe we're related - might be the same rogue :D
Trish
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Wouldn't that be a great thing to discover, Trish? His surname was Cox.
MarieC
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Mine changed his name ::), but when in the NT was know by Matthews (I think)
Trish
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I just saw my recording of Ita Buttrose and I have to say the woman is pure waffle Too much daytime TV work methinks
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Watched the WDYTYA repeat last night - Jack Thompson which I missed 1st time round - really enjoyed this episode and though I've never been a huge fan, I thought JT came across really well - and was genuinely very interested in the findings.
Aussie series was a little disappointing in that there was not so much DIY research as the UK participants - (but this is only a tiny critisism). Eg - how realistic is it to meet a stranger at the docks who gives you info about your ggg grandfather? Makes it look far too easy. And how many of us have ancestor's portraits in the shed and unknown relatives who've already done all the hard slog and research on common ancestors .... at least a few of the UK celebs actually went to the trouble of looking at a census!
Gee, I'd like to go to Ireland and be presented with some interesting documents related to of my unfindable Irish gggrandparents ...
I would like to see a couple of dead ends or (just a tiny ittle bit of frustration), which would add more realism. In the UK series at least they had a couple of (unbelievable) family rumours to disprove ....
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You're right Ruskie - right in appreciating this episode which I also enjoyed, right in your criticisms. People may launch into family history with unrealistic expectations! ::) ::) As you say - we all know Irish research is not nearly as easy as this!
MarieC
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....
Gee, I'd like to go to Ireland and be presented with some interesting documents related to of my unfindable Irish gggrandparents ...
Did you see Amanda in Ireland tonight! Information from the Protestant and Catholic churches. We'll have to go visit & see if they can find all our mysterious Irish - I'm not sure how I will find the one who keeps changing his place of birth!
Trish
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Yes, I saw Amanda Redman - enjoyed it.
Criticism: - the programme was too focused on her search for her uncle :-\
My gggrandfather was born in New Ross, so I was interested to see this area of Ireland mentioned. Thing is, I always thought New Ross was in Wexford, not Waterford as Amanda's relative said. I looked up Genuki after the programme but could not find a New Ross in Waterford, though there is still one in Wexford! Don't know if there is there are two, or they were wrong, or I am wrong ....
Looking forward to David Baddiel next week :D
PS. If anyone is interested the first Aussie series is available to buy (saw them in the ABC shop).
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Ruskie
I'll check with my cousin who lives in Wexford when they return from Spain :) :)
Gadget
Added - just checked the map - it is in Co. Wexford but nearer to Waterford than Wexford towns:
http://www.wexfordtourism.com/map_of_wexford.htm
and
http://homepage.eircom.net/~newrosschamber/
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Yes....it was certainly a different kind of search, wasn't it? Rather a sad story....
The family resemblance between Amanda, her mother and the new niece/cousin was very obvious. :D
.....dee
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Thanks for the map Gadget.
Oh, you have a handy Wexford cousin. Ummm, don't suppose they frequent the catholic churches looking for ancestors and are available for lookups by any chance ;D?
I wondered if there had been a border change at some time. My ancestor was born c1864 and said he was born in New Ross Wexford. Amanda Redman's uncle was born 19?? ....
Gadget, you may be interested in the Aussie series orderable online:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/02sq/
Don't know if they'll post abroad .... oh yes, it looks like they will ...
Yes, it WAS quite different Dee. In some ways quite good to see a bit of realism. I think there are many of us who idolise and admire our ancestors - this showed a darker side. I know many of my ancestors were b******s and I would not have liked them at all ....
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I'll ask her, Ruskie - if you can be more specific (PM me). They're quite up in the RC circles. Took me to see their burial plot - it's all ready for them :-\
Gadget
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Oh, thanks Gadget - I'll get my notes together and PM you ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Missed Amanda. My other love, cricket, won out when it came to the point! Will catch up with the new episodes soon....
MarieC
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I think I'm cursed by this TV show. I only managed to watch three of the Aussie series which I enjoyed (Thompson, Buttrose and Robertson), while the others I missed because;
1) I got home too late,
2) Taped ABC instead of SBS
3) Video stopped 15 mins into the show
Had a chance to watch the first Aussie repeat last Friday night - but I've already seen Jack Thompson!
Sat down to watch the English version on Sunday night - 2 phone calls, and only saw the last 10 minutes.
But overall, what I have seen I have enjoyed, but as others have commented, everything seems so easy to find. Just walk into a building, and there's someone there to hand over all the information/photo's you need, or jump on a plane, head overseas, and there's the house your ancestor lived in.
I wish I could cram in 10 years of researching into one hour, but then again it wouldn't be as much fun ;D
Les
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I wish I could cram in 10 years of researching into one hour, but then again it wouldn't be as much fun
Les
And Les you would not have meet such wonderfull folk from across the world without going out your back door mate
regards Jenn
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You won't be able to watch in Australia but if you have any relatives in the UK who can record the program.
DOCUMENTARY: Coming Home
On: BBC 1 Wales (1)
Date: Saturday 1st March 2008 (starting in 3 days)
Time: 18:30 to 19:00 (30 minutes long) VideoPlus: 59
Olivia Newton John.
Specially to mark St David's Day, international singer Olivia Newton John makes an emotional journey to Wales to discover the extraordinary story of her Welsh ancestry, beginning in her father's home town of Cardiff.
(Stereo, Widescreen, Subtitles)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=7346
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
Martin Briscoe
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Well thanks for telling us about something we won't be able to see Martin ;D!
(only a half hour programme .... doesn't seem very long ...)
ONJ was born in England wasn't she?
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Well thanks for telling us about something we won't be able to see Martin ;D!
(only a half hour programme .... doesn't seem very long ...)
ONJ was born in England wasn't she?
I presume her father's family must come from Wales.
Realise you won't see but many people must have relatives who can stick on a DVD and with luck it could get shown one day by one of your TV networks.
I am just hoping that I will be able to watch here in Scotland on the Web.
Martin Briscoe
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Let us know if it's any good ;)
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Olivia Newton John, or as we used to say at school, Bolivian Neutron Bomb, is occaisionally seen at our local supermarket (her Gaia health retreat is near us) and indeed she once came into our furniture store....
But she didn't buy anything! :'(
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Olivia Newton John, or as we used to say at school, Bolivian Neutron Bomb,
But she didn't buy anything! :'(
;D ;D ;D
This from Wikipedia:
Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England. Her parents were Brinley Newton-John and Irene Born (b. 25 May 1914). Irene was the eldest child of Max Born, a Lutheran German Nobel prize-winning physicist,[1] who had fled from Germany with his wife in the 1930s in order to avoid persecution due to his and his wife's part Jewish heritage. Olivia's father, the Cardiff-born son of a publican, was an MI5 officer attached to the Enigma machine project at Bletchley Park, and the officer who took Rudolf Hess into custody when he parachuted into Scotland in May 1941. After World War II, he became a professor of German at the UNSW annex at Tighes Hill in Newcastle, Australia.
Interesting family background, that!
MarieC
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Ooohh, that does sound interesting ... can a half hour programme do it justice I wonder?
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It is hard to imagine it doing so, isn't it? Would love to see it though.
Had an email today to say that my WDYTYA DVD is on its way! :D :D :D
.....dee
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Whoohoo, dee!!! ;D
Ruskie, no, I think you would need the full hour of WDYTYA and then some to do that background justice!
MarieC
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Suppose it depends how the programme is presented ... if, like WDYTYA, the celeb travels to many places to see where the ancestors hailed from, and there are close ups of tears and lingering shots of hugs with new found rellies etc, then it should take more than half an hour, but if they just sit ONJ n a room and present her with their findings, then it may be able to be crammed in such a short time. And this IS for St.David's day so I imagine only her Welsh ancestry will be covered.
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You won't be able to watch in Australia but if you have any relatives in the UK who can record the program.
DOCUMENTARY: Coming Home
On: BBC 1 Wales (1)
Date: Saturday 1st March 2008 (starting in 3 days)
Time: 18:30 to 19:00 (30 minutes long) VideoPlus: 59
Olivia Newton John.
Specially to mark St David's Day, international singer Olivia Newton John makes an emotional journey to Wales to discover the extraordinary story of her Welsh ancestry, beginning in her father's home town of Cardiff.
(Stereo, Widescreen, Subtitles)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=7346
Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.
Martin Briscoe
Just watched this programme on the BBC iPlayer service. Very much on the lines of Who Do You Think You Are but perhaps more fun that many of their programmes which is perhaps to be expected with two sisters let loose in a foreign country!
Olivia Newton-John's sister is a bit older and remembers a bit of Wales from her childhood. She was very amused to find that her very prim and proper Grandmother had been a barmaid in a pub in Cardiff - in what would have been a very rough part of Cardiff!
They went to the small village St Mary Hill where the John family had lived and saw a memorial inside the church to some of them back to the 18th Century and the house nearby which was a pub run by one.
They visited a fascinating chapel in Cardiff associated with one of the family. The block was bought up by the owner of a department store and incorporated into it so the front of the chapel is inside the store and the house where they had lived was part of the rear of the store.
Excellent programme, you try and get it shown on TV in Australia.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/cardiff/pages/olivianewtonjohn.shtml
When Olivia Newton-John talked of country roads taking her home she never dreamt of their ultimate destination - Cardiff.
The Grease star and elder sister Rona were brought up with vivid memories from their father Brinley, who was born in a pub in the Welsh capital, and where Rona remembers being taken to chapel five times on Sundays.
Now Olivia is making her first ever visit to Cardiff to trace her Welsh roots in Coming Home: Olivia Newton-John and discovering ancestors dating back to the 1720s in Wales.
Olivia and Rona start their search with Welsh genealogist Michael Churchill-Jones, who has traced the John family in Wales back to 1728.
But the sisters are most intrigued to find out about their barmaid grandmother, to visit the chapel where their great-grandparents married and to get a rare glimpse of the place they lived - in a surprising part of Cardiff.
Olivia continues her search to find her father's Cardiff roots, which have ties to the St Mary Hill area, near Bridgend, along the way finding new relations, and catching up with a few she hasn't seen for years.
But there's an even bigger surprise when she discovers what her father actually did in World War Two - top secret doesn't begin to cover it!
The St David's Day journey makes Olivia Newton-John the latest international celebrity to be invited to trace their Welsh family tree by Cardiff-based production company Yellow Duck, who have also tempted Donny Osmond, Petula Clark and Susan Sarandon to discover their family histories.
Martin Briscoe
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It does sound really interesting, Martin! Maybe we Aussies should start a petition to SBS....
MarieC
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Sounds great - thanks for letting us know Martin. Now, do you think 1/2 hour was enough?
On a different note - who watched David Baddiel from the UK series of WDYTYA tonight? I really enjoyed this, though I wasn't expecting to. I do like David Baddiel but wasn't expecting to enjoy his family history. I thought he came across really well, combination of compassion and "seeing the funny side" eg with his cousin (?) David Baddiel. Nice guy - like him. Again, a bit different.
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Martin, i watched Coming Home and although they didnt actually do much research it was a very enjoyable programme.
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Sounds great - thanks for letting us know Martin. Now, do you think 1/2 hour was enough?
On a different note - who watched David Baddiel from the UK series of WDYTYA tonight? I really enjoyed this, though I wasn't expecting to. I do like David Baddiel but wasn't expecting to enjoy his family history. I thought he came across really well, combination of compassion and "seeing the funny side" eg with his cousin (?) David Baddiel. Nice guy - like him. Again, a bit different.
They fitted into half an hour well without it seeming rushed though I am sure they could have expanded to fill a full hour if they had been given an opportunity to do so.
They did not mention her mother's family because the programme was about the Welsh ancestry and did not go into detail about the move to Australia. One amusing bit when the genealogist showed her tree and she spotted a Richards - "I might be related to Cliff!".
BBC Wales has a certain amount of independence from network but it is probably easier to fit a 30 minute programme into their schedules than a full hour unlike BBC1 which can run Who Do You Think You Are between 21:00 and 22:00.
Martin Briscoe
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Martin, i watched Coming Home and although they didnt actually do much research it was a very enjoyable programme.
It always seems a bit phony in Who Do You Think You Are when the celebrity "researches" through some records and "finds" their ancestor. They did not do that as much last night, the two sisters were taken to various locations and left to find the building or object with someone on hand to help so not too much time was wasted in the programme.
Martin Briscoe
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My Aussie WDYTYA DVD has just arrived....and wouldn't you know it....I have to go out today! ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
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My Aussie WDYTYA DVD has just arrived....and wouldn't you know it....I have to go out today! ;D ;D ;D
.....dee
It should be there tomorrow !!!
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I thought those involved in the research would like to know that a distant cousin of Ita's ....a descendant of her Scottish line.....googled and found our discussion. She has joined Rootschat and PMed me!
.......dee :D
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:D :D :D :D :D
Hope you've got all the stuff that I sent you - I think my copy is in Scotland on my PC there ::)
WElcome to Ita's rellie :D
Gadget
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I hope so too, Gadget. I did go mad on deleting PMs the other day..... :o ::) :-\
I'll check.....and send a longer reply later in the day.
.....dee :D
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Im going to put my two bobs worth in on the Aussie ones. I think the best ones were Jack Thompson, and Cathy Freeman as they did seem very interested in their ancestry whether their ancestors were a highwayman like Jack's or cathy's ancestors being treated horrifically
I personally am turned off with the ones who get disappointed when they find their ancestors were not rich and had plenty of money as a few have done and hence lose their interest in doing it. You can plainly see on their faces and their whole attitude changes when they find no hidden 'riches' are in their lines.
Thats so sad as I am proud as punch for my normal labourers and so forth and you would like to think that celebs would also be that way but it is shown some are not :(
Thats my two bobs worth anyways.
Shanko
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Ohh, how exciting, thanks for letting us know about Ita's rellie, Dee!
Does she have any more family info?
Did she know Ita before the programme?
Does she know how famous Ita is here?
tell us more ...
Dee, I've still got all the PM's you sent me about Ita's family - if you've deleted yours I can send them to you.
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Hmmmm I don't think I'd delve too much into Ita's family on here as its not our place to put up things like that about another ones family members.
If the family want to do it then that's ok but for anyone else I feel its not right especially living persons
Shanko
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Don't worry Shanko - the information about Ita was exchanged privately via PM, not publically on the boards. (And they're all dead ;)).
I would expect Dee to answer my questions about her relative (no names given) the same way.
It is interesting how many people find ancestors via a google search and I was curious to know how much she knew about Ita. I would like to know if the relative is Australian.
I suppose it's a moot subject - whether or not we should put up info about another's family on here. It happens all the time (but never with the living of course).
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Don't worry Shanko - this information has been exchanged privately via PM, not publically on the boards.
PS. And they're all dead ;).
PPS. Suppose it's a moot subject - whether or not we should put up info about another's family on here. It has been done many a time (but not with the living of course)
Hi Shanko & Ruskie
It was broadcast on free to air TV so I don't think there would be any issues. The earlier details that were not on the program are folks who have been deceased for rather a long time. Most of what we do on RootsChat is find other peoples ancestors :) Dee made a management decision not to reveal the story before it went to air - which was a very well made decision - should be more women in management! :D
Trish
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I've always taken the view that living relatives are off limits for public discussions, but the deceased are fair game. Is that the general ettiquette here?
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Hi Trish,
I didn't see you there ;D.
You said what I was trying to say ....
Ita is out there in the public eye - she's written a bio (or had one written) - she already knew a lot about her family history. I agree with nudge - anyone dead is fair game. Anyone possibly stilll living is not touched, or info privately PM'ed.
I remember a thread where rootschatters were looking for famous people in the census - it's all out there to be found ....
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So pleased that Ita's relative found us and has joined RC!
I agree that dead people, especially when they have been discussed in the public arena, are fair game - but not living ones, of course!
MarieC
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I've always taken the view that living relatives are off limits for public discussions, but the deceased are fair game. Is that the general ettiquette here?
Yes :) - although for the recently deceased one tends to be somewhat circumspect. Family are usually still feeling that they don't want their names plastered all over the internet (well that's how I still feel about my Mum & Dad)
Trish
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I agree with nudge - anyone dead is fair game.
The bit in red is a bit disrespectful as far as Im concerned that was not a nice respectful way of putting it. I lost my mum not so long ago and if anyone spoke of her that way then god help them.
Sorry but that is how I feel and nobody should be disrespectful to anyone who has passed over as it does and can upset the living family members by the way Nudge and Ruskie put it
Shanko
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Hi Shanko
I don't think any disrespect was meant - I think I mentioned much of what you said directly above :) - strange that when I started studying family history, I thought it would make it easier to farewell family - didn't work that way when my parents unexpectedly died within a few months of each other.
The role of RC, however, is to research those gone & we don't usually differentiate between last year and years ago. No matter how I view things, my parents are my ancestors & on the tree with their birth and death dates.
Trish
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no disrespect was intended.
I often get caught out on discussion boards by speaking in a broad aussie accent. one must remember when using colloquialisms, what is read can be different to how it is said.
I apologize for the misunderstanding
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Sorry folks, but I have been out all day and missed the discussion.
Shanko, the information gathered about any of the Australian celebrities was not published on Rootchat threads. It was gathered from the internet, public records or published biographies. It was going to be revealed on television anyway, and what we gathered and shared by PM can now be seen over and over again on the DVD of each episode. Each of those people was obviously happy to have their family history made public, or they would not have consented to taking part in the show.
Ruskie, Trish, Marie, Gadget, and anyone else who is interested,I have the information about Ita's family still. I had saved it to a Word document.
To all of you who are interested in the new Rootschatter who is distantly connected to Ita, she is a second cousin several times removed to one of Ita's Scottish gg-grandmothers. She has PMed me again, but I was out and she is now offline. She tried to attach a copy of the tree to her PM but of course being new, she didn't realise that you can't do that. I have now PMed her back again, and we'll see what develops.
Anything I share with her at this stage is only what she could find out by watching the relevant episode. If I choose to help her more privately with information on her family line that is publicly available in South Australian records, I am doing no more than a paid researcher would do for her, the only difference being that I am helping as a friendly Rootschatter.
I have lots of questions to ask her, and I am hoping that she will feel welcome enough to post on this thread.
I'll keep you up to date,
......dee
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I really hope she joins us, dee, and hope to be meeting her soon!
MarieC
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Excellent Dee - Ita's cousin is most welcome. We may be able to help her with other lines of her research!
Dee, I think you should discuss anything you wish with Ita's ancestor and no justification is required. ;)
Regarding respect for deceased ancestors ... I will not discuss my close ancestors on rootschat or anywhere else online. Some are happy to do so, others are not ...
You are right Shanko, the expression nudge used may have hit a nerve but he was not directing this personally at your mum or anyone else's close family members.
Back onto topic - is anyone else watching the repeats of Aussie WDYTYA? I saw some of Geoffrey Robinson's last week and still did not warm to him though he had an interesting tale to tell. I too, thought that Jack Thompson's was excellent (I missed it the first time round) - he really seemed to enjoy the experience.
I am very much enjoying the UK series, though last weeks episode did not venture too far into the past :D. Looking forward to Vic Reeves next Sunday!
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Back onto topic - is anyone else watching the repeats of Aussie WDYTYA? I saw some of Geoffrey Robinson's last week and still did not warm to him though he had an interesting tale to tell. I too, thought that Jack Thompson's was excellent (I missed it the first time round) - he really seemed to enjoy the experience.
I am very much enjoying the UK series, though last weeks episode did not venture too far into the past :D. Looking forward to Vic Reeves next Sunday!
I'm not watching the repeats on SBS, but have started watching them on DVD. It's amazing the little things you pick up the second time that you missed the first.
I really enjoyed the social history of last week's episode of the UK series.
.....dee
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I know we have all had our little critisisms of each episode - the same happened with the UK series, but they're really a jolly good hours viewing aren't they?
You're right Dee, you do pick up things on subsequent viewings that you missed first time round (specially if you were in the middle of cooking dinner ...).
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Ruskie,
Yes, I'm trying to watch the repeats and the Sunday night ones, though sometimes I am out on Friday evenings. Agree with your comments about particular programmes. And yes, they certainly are good viewing!
MarieC
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Hello everyone. My name is Marilyn and I live in West Sussex, England. I discovered your message board by chance when googling the name Crear. Deeiluka kindly found me wandering aimlessly and has been very helpful. Your TV personality Ita Buttrose and I share ancestors. Frances Adelaide Crear, wife of William Buttrose was my 3rd cousin 3 times removed. I have been working on my family tree for a few years now.
Scottish interest are: Wares (Warse), Crear (Creach)
Others are Koettlitz, LeCun, Dillet, Dimmock, Chappell and so on. I work full-time, but if I can help with any tracing, using the methods I have access to, I'll do my best.
Regards to all
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Hello Marilyn and welcome to Rootschat!
Were you aware of your famous relative Ita? A google search will lead you to masses of information about her, if you haven't already done so ;).
Our Australian series of WDYTYA is being repeated and tonight's episode is Ita Buttrose, which I'm looking forward to seeing again. I was a little disappointed in this on first viewing as Dee and others had already done such a good job of finding Ita's ancestors and many did not get a mention.
I hope you enjoy Rootschat and if you have any dead ends in your own research, just post your queries on the relevant boards and you might get the answers you're looking for.
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I'm not watching the repeats on SBS, but have started watching them on DVD. It's amazing the little things you pick up the second time that you missed the first.
Austar is doing a repeat at the moment and I watched an eposide on wednesday and thought oh yes I don't recall that before, so you do pick up at bit more..Shiela Hancock it was.
I must admit though as it has been previously stated by others I make grrrr noises when they just get handed the certificates and go oh ah. All so staged bet you don't walk in and get 'em just like that .
Dee... I had fun with Ita and you, all good stuff and you didn't put it about on threads and it was information anyone could find with inclination and time ;D
Jenn
Marilyn FishPonds
Yes and a big Welcome to Rootschat where fun and friendship and a lot of genealogy information abounds.
I see Chappell is amongst your names, now that is a famous name in Australia to all of us cricket tragics.
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That's right, Jenn, you like me are a cricket tragic, aren't you? ;D ;D
Welcome, Marilyn! You'll soon be as hopelessly addicted as the rest of us!
I've very much enjoyed the repeats of the Australian series on SBS. Watched Ita tonight and enjoyed it for a second time. Very much hoping that SBS get the funding to make that second series!
MarieC
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Hi,
Last night (Sun 31 Aug at 7.30 pm) I caught the tail end of a WDYTYA program on Sir Mathew Pinsent, an Olympic triple gold medallist. (Who by the way traced his family directly back to King Edward the first, then back to Adam & Eve hmmm)
I can't find any program details for the screening of another series. Perhaps this was a one off in response to SBS screening the Olympics. (Does anyone know which series had Pinsent?)
Anyway, I think we should keep checking the SBS programs.
Best wishes, Gazania
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Matthew Pinsent was on Series 4 (first shown in 2007). He actually joined rootschat although I don't know if he has returned since his initial postings in response to his appearance on WDYTYA.
I did see this episode, but would have liked to have seen it again. Perhaps a one off as you say.
Pay TV (UKTV) is currently showing series 3 on Thursday evenings at 7.30 then repeated at 9.30.
http://www.bbcwhodoyouthinkyouare.com/stories.php
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We have just had last week the third programme of Series Five in the UK. All have been excellent so far and well worth watching out for.
1. Patsy Kensit
2. Boris Johnson
3. Jerry Springer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Do_You_Think_You_Are%3F
Martin Briscoe
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I'm VERY keen to see them Martin, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait .... :'(
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I'm VERY keen to see them Martin, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait .... :'(
Patsy Kensit apparently wanted to pull out half way through recording the programme because she was getting so much bad news about her ancestors but she was persuaded to continue and ended up being very proud of a couple of her ancestors. She was in tears much of the time!
Boris Johnson has a very colourful ancestry - Johnson is his Grandmother's maiden name which the family adopted after his Turkish Great Grandfather was assassinated. His maternal side is just as interesting.
I never watch Jerry Springer's usual TV show but his family story on WDYTYA is definitely one not to miss when it appears in Australia. His family moved to England a month before the start of WWII, both his Grandmothers were lost in the Holocaust. One very moving moment when he was shown the form that had to be completed to register his Grandmother in the room where she was living with five others in a ghetto in Poland. He asked how long she was there and another form was produced which was completed when she left the address to be "resettled" (i.e. killed). He said something like "they kept a record of everything", there was a long pause then the local genealogist just repeated "they kept a record of everything".
It was done quite tastefully, he started crying on the platform of the station where his Grandmother had left for the place where she was killed but they kept the camera right back away from him.
Martin Briscoe
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Thanks for the spoilers Martin :'( ..... (only joking ;) - I've already read a bit about the new series).
Many Australians wouldn't know who half the celebs are, but I think the programme can be enjoyed despite that.
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I couldn't agree more. Each program stands alone whether we know the celebrity or not. Anyway, we have Google to find out more about their celebrity status after the show. Bye Gazania
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http://www.sbs.com.au/schedule/2008-09-7/SBS%20Television
Found on above site listing of WDYTYA programs. Jeremy Irons is on Sun 7th Sep. Bye Gazania
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Ooohh goody. ;D
Thanks gazania!
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Thanks for the spoilers Martin :'( ..... (only joking ;) - I've already read a bit about the new series).
Many Australians wouldn't know who half the celebs are, but I think the programme can be enjoyed despite that.
I left out what happened in the last few minutes of each show :o
The programmes usually don't depend on knowing the subject, I often find that I don't know any soap stars who take part.
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Just back online after a month away. Thanks Gazania! Dammit, I missed Jeremy Irons, but will be lining up for John Hurt on Sunday night. Hope there are a few more to come!
MarieC
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Hi MarieC
Was wondering where you have been - I enjoyed Sheila Hancock last week - sorry you missed it
Trish
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Hi Trish
Double dammit - that's right, make me envious of what I've missed! ;D ::) Didn't even know WDYTYA had returned to SBS till I saw this thread just now!
Managed to get various bits of FH research done in Ireland, though not without difficulty - the GRO in Dublin, like my Edward Martin, doesn't want to be found but I eventually tracked it down. ::) ::) Lots of stories to tell about researching in Ireland - it truly is a very different place, but the people, especially in the country, are lovely. Weather totally lousy - torrential rain and cold. (Memo to self - find appropriate board and post the stories there, they may entertain or help others!)
Already been helped by three wonderful Rootschatters since I first peered at the 'puter through jetlagged eyes last night - it's great to be on here again!
Hope all is well with you.
MarieC
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wdytya is back on sbs on friday nights at 7.30. bill oddie this week for all you who missed it the first time round.
perth :) :)
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We watched the Bill Oddie ep on Friday night, not having seen it before ... and were quite disappointed. Did they forget to put a lapel microphone on him, or was the sound playing up on our telly? My husband gave up, about twenty minutes into the program, ... and I did the same, a few minutes later, because we couldn't make out what was being said :-\
What I did catch seemed to focus heavily on the mother he didn't really know, ... I didn't end up seeing how many generations they went back, and there didn't seem to be a lot of time left to research them. Can anyone fill me in?
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They should provide us living in OZ with subtitles on the programme,
Billy.
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For anyone with pay TV there are back to back WDYTYAs on BBC Knowledge at the moment, starting about 1pm finishing about 11.30pm. ;D
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They should provide us living in OZ with subtitles on the programme,
Billy.
can you not understand us then?
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I do!
I am from Glasgow and I was being facetious!
We had a programme set in North of Scotland about deep sea fishing and it had subtitles! which I found funny.
Billy.
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Yes Billy, it's happened with more than one Scottish TV series. ;D
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It was subtitled for us in the UK too ::) Trawlermen obviously speak a language all of their own ::) ;D
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in America they seem to subtitle anyone who is not American ::)
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Programme on SBS last night was supposed to be Vic Reeves - but they kept calling the man Jim - did I missed something? Who is he anyway? He seemed desperate to find a relative of high standing!
Interesting to see the scenery in which he was travelling and the accents! We in Oz are so homogeneous by comparison.
Wiggy
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vic reeves real name is james and therefore he is called jim.
he is a comedian mainly but does dabble in other things. its good to see sbs are now showing the stories of people who are not so well known over here.
perth :)
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Well, the fault wasn't with our telly, after all; ... this week's episode was far easier to understand. The sound was clear, so both OH and I enjoyed the whole show.
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vic reeves real name is james and therefore he is called jim.
he is a comedian mainly but does dabble in other things. its good to see sbs are now showing the stories of people who are not so well known over here.
perth :)
Thanks Perth - it was an interesting programme - just that I came in late and missed the guy's proper name.
Wiggy