D is for…… .Dawson & Dubbo
Sometime ago, the wife of a relative asked me to look “ into the family, they (children and grandchildren) might want to know when I have gone”  Over the next almost 20 years I did little bits of research as the data and opportunity presented itself. The individual in question allowed me to borrow a book about part of her family that had been published and gave me a few notes. 
Then in 2000 that individual came to England. During that visit we talked about what she knew, what she had heard and formed a vague tree from those limited details. 
After the individual returned to Australia I did little bits of research, but in recent months, in preparation for my visit, I have pulled out the data once again. After all, I plan to spend some time researching my own lines, and in my experience,opportunities and research can present themselves at the strangest time and locations. Leave no stone unturned!
I actually know very little of the Dawson’s. The individual believed that Robert Dawson was a convict from Ireland. I think the timing is a little off, and we need to go a generation back if that is the case. That said, I located by email a descendant of the family who has shared their research with me. I am in the process of transcribing it in to a tree so that I can retrace steps and data and I plan to share whatever I find as I explore this further.
Now I am sure the non genealogical readers will be wondering why bother with someone’s family who is not mine. The lady in question was married to my Mother’s first cousin. When I arrived in Australia having trampled around Canada, Honolulu and Fiji I was immediately accepted and welcomed. I was the first member of her husband’s family to make contact since the Second World War. That acceptance and love I can not explain, except to say this little story. I had been away from their home in New South Wales and this lady was eager to take me into town to show me something. We waited for the bus and a lady who knew my relative said, “I thought I had met all your children”, the response was “ah, this is my plus one” 
Dubbo is a town in New South Wales, who initially belonged to the Tubbagah People of the Wiradjuri Nation. It was recorded as a Village in 1849, a Town in 1872 and a City in 1966. It has an interesting history and on my visit to Australia in 1996 I visited Dubbo with my husband and my Cousin and her husband. We stayed over at a local Motel and one of the places we visited was the Gaol.  Dubbo Gaol was opened initially as a courthouse lock up in 1847. It became an official Gaol in 1859 and remained so until 1966 when it was closed and due for demolition. It was though saved and is now preserved as a museum. At the time I visited, I was completely unaware of a convict connection, but even so, life inside this Gaol would have been hard for its occupants, I do not believe it would have compared to life as a transported convict. 
That said, we had a lovely day there, took lots of photos and created some happy memories. The day we visited it was hot – it was 40 degrees centigrade and it was a pleasure to explore the insides of the Gaol. 
The link for the A-Z Challenge 2011 post is HERE