Threatened over my Family History research

[majm]

Hi all,

I hope someone can give me some guidance here, as this is making me quite agitated.

On my family history website I have a profile for someone born c.1870 in Australia. She was involved in an interesting court case. As part of the contemporary newspaper reporting, it was said of her that she was half Australian Aboriginal. On my website I said in a note that she was half Australian Aboriginal.

I was contacted by a member of her extended family to say that this was untrue; he had done research which showed her ancestry back on both sides to England etc.

I checked what I had written, realised that I really should have said "A contemporary newspaper reported that she has half Australian Aboriginal, but there is no evidence to support this", and emailed the other researcher to say that I would make this change, and offered to accept any further research he has done. The other researcher emailed me back with what (to me) sounded quite angry words, saying that if I didn't take this incorrect information down, he would take 'further action'. he stressed that he was not racially motivated.

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So what to do? I don't enjoy conflict and don't want this to turn into a fight. I also don't really have any skin in the game; I am not related to the subject of the article.

I've got a range of options, and could really do with some help.

Regards,

Tim

You have been given very sensible advice.  I am NSW born of NSW born parents, grandparents and back further generations.   I have been involved in family history groups since .... well ...long before the internet. 

Do not fret.   In Australia, a Deceased person has no rights, so anyone conducting research into a deceased person can interpret their findings according to their own standards.   Your audience can decide if  your research is factual or factoidal or twaddle.  If you have copied someone else's research you should acknowledge that, to avoid being considered a cheat. If you have found something in a newspaper, then cite the paper, the date and page if known.  But dont be afraid of a hector,  for your research is YOURS. Any of us can disagree with your published research, on any topic ... eg  1 +3 = 97.  Well of course it's wrong.  So what ... A bully could try to make mountains .... 97 

... and ..... well ...   do not panic.  Hasten slowly.  Dont confront, dont over react.   Australians current usage of 'racist' and 'racism' is very broad .... so I wonder if the bully is simply 'trying it on'.  Just make sure that you cite the newspaper source.  Eg "Oops, several respected family historians have asked me to cite my source.  It is from ....... newspaper of ..... date on page ......  "

JM

[ShaunJ]

I'd be inclined to add the source of the information to the website and ignore any further comments about it.

As far as I'm aware, for a defamation action to succeed, a living person would have to demonstrate that they have suffered some financial loss or damage to their own reputation. I can't see how that  would work in this case. 

[iluleah]

ThoseBefore as others have said the 'other researcher' has no 'further action' they can take... cite your source to show where you got your information from, which is public record if a newspaper report, however even if you do nothing at all, the person is long dead and dead people can't sue and the other researcher has no 'right' (legal or moral ) to bully or threaten you or anyone else about their dead ancestors origins......my advice is ignore and/or block further emails

Funny thing is some people researching their ancestry think they are the only ones who 'own' the information they have and will argue when other reseachers find something they have't seen or don't have that doesn't 'fit' their narrative.... I have experienced simular nasty reactions from a couple of other researchers , both I cut contact with as their reactions were far beyond reasonable or in any way nice, however it can shake you ( it did me at the time)

I have just been looking at FS website and checking some real records/images and if some people think that 'further action' can be taken they are mistaken... I looked at the FS transcribed record of someone I was interested in but it stated the wrong county. So I checked the image to find it was completely different County ( Suffolk not Norfolk) to what was transcribed, different parents, different country, so someone has been slopping transcribing a whole parish record book giving the wrong information in the transcription... which lead me to looking at other information, FS guess countries, guess counties eg 'Rutland Wales' when Rutland is the smallest county in England and nowhere near Wales as well as many others

[ThoseBefore]

Thank you all so very much for your responses - they are sound advice and really help in a practical sense, but also to relieve my mind. I do source everything on my website comprehensively, so I am covered there.

This is the first time I have been faced with this sort of threat - and it was another member of this family who told me about this connection anyway, so I imagine that there are fights within the family as well.

Once again, thank you all!

Regards, Tim

[BumbleB]

Good luck!

[Viktoria]

Glad you feel more relaxed about it all,and that it won’t spoil the immense pleasure you get from your family history research .
Viktoria.

[majm]

This link http://www.thosebefore.com/index.htm   

Tim,  I am quite sure that there's naught you need to change in your opening remarks on that site's current home page.    I particularly enjoyed reading the names of the localities at the "Places Index" ...  I was born and bred 'on the Lachlan'.  Some of those surnames I recognise from my school days...  ... 

Now, I share ... to bring smiles all round ...  I am a "Condo Socks" proud owner  - they are the very best clayton's socks around. Drop Bears cannot have them but if you change out of your school uniform after school hours,  you will have your Condo Socks on - or if you have been outdoors participating in sport or outdoor activities for gainful employment or for personal pleasure you will have earnt your Condo Socks too ...
BUT ONLY if you do so in Condobolin

The communities of regional central west NSW include people born in the district, people who have moved to the district from elsewhere in NSW or other jurisdictions within Australia, and even include people who have been born overseas. and who have chosen to migrate to regional Australia.  Some are aware of their ethnicities, and some are not.   Some people take offence at those who have Condo Socks and shout out about skin colours etc... while on the other-hand  some think those who take offence are far too sensitive or are simply 'trying it on'.

JM   

[ThoseBefore]

This link http://www.thosebefore.com/index.htm   

Tim,  I am quite sure that there's naught you need to change in your opening remarks on that site's current home page.    I particularly enjoyed reading the names of the localities at the "Places Index" ...  I was born and bred 'on the Lachlan'.  Some of those surnames I recognise from my school days...  ... 

Now, I share ... to bring smiles all round ...  I am a "Condo Socks" proud owner  - they are the very best clayton's socks around. Drop Bears cannot have them but if you change out of your school uniform after school hours,  you will have your Condo Socks on - or if you have been outdoors participating in sport or outdoor activities for gainful employment or for personal pleasure you will have earnt your Condo Socks too ...

JM

Thanks JM - that's an expression I haven't heard before, but I think I get what you are saying!

[majm]

Yes,   during the school day the sun never gets a chance to tan your ankles to toes cause you are required to wear socks on your feet inside your school shoes.   So, when you get home from school and change into casual cool cotton clothes and bare your feet by pulling off your school socks, you automatically are in your Condo Socks..... 

JM