Another Geneameme & Global Genealogy

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Julie Goucher

Jill at Geniaus is at it again! – It’s time for a Geneameme to celebrate August, which has been family history month in Australian (New Zealand of course took part too!)

The challenge Jill has set is laid out fully at her blog post, but the questions are:

  1. What are the titles and URLs of your genealogy blog/s?
  2. Do you have a wonderful “Cousin Bait” blog story? A link to a previous blog post might answer this question. 
  3. Why did you start blogging? Is there someone who inspired you to start blogging?
  4. How did you decide on your blog/s title/s?
  5. Do you ever blog from mobile devices? What are they?
  6. How do you let others know when you have published a new post?
  7. How long have you been blogging?
  8. What widgets or elements do you consider essential on a genealogy blog? 
  9. What is the purpose of your blog/s? Who is your intended audience?
  10. Which of your posts are you particularly proud of?
  11. How do you keep up with your blog reading?
  12. How long have you been blogging?
  13. What platform do you use for publishing your blog/s?
  14. Which of your posts has been the most popular with readers?
  15. Are you a sole blogger or do you contribute to a shared blog?
  16. How do you compose your blog posts?
  17. Do you have any blogs that are not genealogy related? If you wish please share their titles and URLs.
  18. Have you listed your blog/s at Geneabloggers?
  19. Which resources have helped you with your blogging?
  20. What advice would you give to a new Geneablogger?
My main blog is Anglers Rest, which tends to cover all my interests, but mainly genealogy and books. I also have several other blogs, which deal with specific projects – 

Grave Encounters – which looks at cemeteries, graves and memorials etc

The titles of the blogs were pretty much set by the project they were covered, with the exception of Anglers Rest, which is the name of our house.

I share my blog posts, from all blogs via a network blog link up to my twitter feed. That same feed also shares to the Anglers Rest Face Book page.I also have an email subscribe facility on my blogs. I also share via Google+, which I am just starting to embrace a bit more. I think it is important to enable others to access your blog updates in a selection of ways. That way you can welcome dialogue with others; which is one of the points of blogging. 

I welcome comments to my blogs. I do not accept anonymous comments and do not use verification codes, which drive me nuts! I have a short time window for comments, so if a comments comes in after a particular time frame, then it is moderated. 

I started the Anglers Rest blog back in 2002 when blogging was just about starting. Many of my contemporaries were using Live Journal, which I found irritating, and eventually most of them moved to WordPress. I do have a page at wordpress which I developed as an attempt to undertake a small project to see how on got on with it, but I do prefer blogger!

The purpose of Anglers Rest was initially for my own amusement. I share the items which I find interesting, which are typically books and genealogy. Over time, especially the last few years I have gained quite a following, which is lovely that anyone should feel my inane drivel is worth reading! 

My audience is typically readers and book lovers and those from within the genealogical community which is a perfect fit! There are a few others including some former colleagues who occasionally mention that they read posts. The one thing I have never done is promote or really mention my regular day job, as blogging was really a release valve for me. Over recent years I can reflect that blogging has become part of my existence and I enjoy it, the interaction with others it brings, not just in terms of reading and commenting, but development further into Google hangouts.

One of the most useful and informative sites is run by Thomas at Geneabloggers – he has daily prompts which over the years I have randomly taken part in. Usually weekly there is a list of new genealogical bloggers which is added to his huge database. Mine are included and truly, the Geneabloggers site should be one of the first places a new genealogy blogger visits.

The biggest underestimation anyone can have is the power of blogging. Apart from being potentially therapeutic, it is a a huge source of information and friendship. I have developed some great friendships because of blogging. That extended source of collaboration is great and enables even the shyest of people to take part. The team mate spirit as a group of bloggers take part in lengthy events such as the April A-Z Challenge or Family History Writing Month. February was quite a busy genealogical month as you can see from my review post HERE. Further collaboration is with Historical Tapestry, a historical fiction blog that I contribute to and I contribute to The Grave Yard Rabbits, which has been on a summer break.

The process of blogging is a two way street. Since the demise of Google Reeder I can not get into the swing of thing, and am way behind on reading and commenting. I imported by Google RSS feed into both Feedly and Flipboard, which I prefer out of the two.
I like to compost my blog posts at my desk via laptop. I have an iPad, which is getting a little tired and now could do with being upgraded, but at my desk is where I feel more comfortable. However, I often have ideas for blogs and column posts (I write a blog post and a column post each month for the In-Depth Genealogist) when I am out and about or in front of the telly. Those notes are recorded either in my notebook or in OneNote.

I have had various posts over the years that seem to have received lots of comments either privately or by comments being left. Sometimes the interest in particular posts is curious. Posts which I think will be popular are not and vice versa.

Something that has been a success is The Book of Me, Written by You, which I am now going to give a shamelessly plug to. I have not created a blog for it, but the prompts will be delivered each week from 31st August 2013 through until the end of December 2014 via Thomas at Geneabloggers and via the Anglers Rest blog. There is a Facebook group set up read for discussion. You can read all about the project and find out what it is all about HERE
Now, given what I have said in response to Jill’s questions about blogging and it’s collaboration between genealogists. I am going to set a challenge. The internet has made interaction between genealogists across the world so easy. How about this. A blog that will embrace Global Genealogy daily. If you would like to take part in this collaboration blog please leave me a comment with your email address or send me an email with Global Genealogy in the subject line.
juliegoucher@GMail.com

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Jill, I have had a lovely hour or so responding to your questions. Thanks also must go to you for planting the seed of the global genealogy.
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The In-Depth Genealogist -Online Tree’s Survey

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Julie Goucher

The In-Depth Genealogist team will be hosting a discussion at Rootstech 2014 looking at the fascinating subject of Online Trees: The Root of All Evil.

To get everyone in the mood they have devised a short survey by which you can give some feedback.

You can complete the survey HERE  (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NZTJCRJ)

Now this is a fascinating debate and something well worth considering. I have mixed views about sharing data online. For me this is devised into two issues

  1. Plagiarism
  2. Inaccuracies
Sadly these two points seem to go hand in hand. Uploading a tree to a website, either your own site or at a research site such as Ancestry is of course a great idea, however, ancestors can be claimed by people who may have flawed research, or perhaps they claim photographs and articles and then use the material as their own, or attach it to the wrong individual. Actually the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Genealogy is about building your ancestral pedigree and family history is about fleshing out those names and dates and bring those people alive. 
As a researcher I of course have family trees. When I am working on a particular family I often draw a tree, as it helps me to put data into context. I put fact in one colour and hypothesis in another. I date the tree and indicate which colour is which. My own family history programme contains fact only and it is written in a way that enables me to track back the data using the paper trail. I have a tree on line which is private and it is there purely for my benefit. On the odd occasions I share a Gedcom file there are no sources – which is a deliberate act. If I am sent a Gedcom of someones research I never merge it with mine, until I have checked and followed a paper trail.

Do I miss out on genealogical connections?

 Quite possibly, but I do share information by

  1. Blogging about ancestors, either in full or by sharing snippets of information and then by using the labels to track posts
  2. Adding material to my web page in a variety of ways
    1. Time line structure – Example
    2. Story structure – Example

Collaborating and sharing information with fellow researchers is great. If someone want to use a picture or information I am happy to share, but it is only good manners to ask. When you are asking you are developing a conversation and the opportunity to perhaps gain other information and to meet, even virtually a family member, regardless of if there is a distant or close genealogical connection.

Sadly, I won’t be at Rootstech 2014 to hear the discussion by the In-Depth Genealogist team, and I hope this is one of those that will be streamed so that I can hear it virtually. It is a fascinating debate and you can contribute by taking part in the survey and even write a blog post.

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Plagiarism Concerns……Sadly

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Julie Goucher

The definition of plagiarism is

“The practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own.”

Several weeks ago I had a communication with someone who had obviously looked at my web page and seen the list of presentation and details of “The Book of Me, Written by You”. I answered the question they raised and thought no more of it.

Why should I? – The world of genealogy, family history and taking things a step further is developing and genealogists do like to collaborate on projects, which is absolutely something I subscribe to.

Then I had another several communications with other people which left me feeling that potentially a piece or perhaps pieces of my work were potentially at risk of being plagiarized by the initial individual. I slept on the concerns and this morning after a trouble nights sleep I feel just as concerned.

  1. I have no proof, that anything will happen or indeed has happened. 
  2. I have a nagging feeling of concern that will not go away
  3. All I have are a series of individual instances that when joined together cause concern
  4. I personally always name someone if they have inspired an idea. An example of this was the February Photo Collage Festival which was inspired by Kristen and Pauleen – 
    1. That is good practice
    2. polite 
    3. morally the right thing to do.

We all work hard at what we achieve. In the relationships that we build despite the miles, we show respect and friendship. We collaborate ideas and thoughts and that is perfectly acceptable and welcomed.

What is not acceptable is that someone whose work has been created through hard graft is taken and used as someone else’s, and furthermore, that friendship offered and received is so easily tarnished, exploited and deceived.

Therefore, I will do this. Should any of my work be plagiarized by anyone, including those well known within the family history arena I will name and shame. It is as simple as that.

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London Road, Guildford circa 1912

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Julie Goucher

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Those Thursday Places – One Place Studies

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Julie Goucher

I recently had cause to contemplate the actual definition of a one place study. Having had the question presented I stopped, thought and debated.

I have an interest in three individual places

  • Puttenham in Surrey (linked to the nearby parish of Wanborough). I have family connections to the parish from 1724.
  • Sutera in Sicily which is central to my particular Orlando ancestry, Orlando being one of my one name studies
  • Walnut Tree Close in Guildford Surrey linked to my family history, but the study started in 1984 before my genealogical interest became formalised.
In each of these studies I am interested in the people, places, buildings, occupations and much, much more.
In all three of these cases I am genealogically linked, but in a similar vein I am interested in the history of my house, but do not plan to proceed to the next level and study the town in which I live. The reason for that is that despite living here I do not feel a connection to the town.
Do you need to feel a “connection” to your study?

I don’t know if it is vital, but I think there needs to be an question or X  factor, a link, a catalyst that makes us ask the question or at least be interested in the area.  The moment we ask that question or we start digging into archives we are probably on the point of no return!
Over the years I have gathered information about Lockerbie in Scotland. I feel no particular connection to the town, but my husband does. It is also the site of the air disaster in 1988 and therefore I have been interested in the various aspects of the history of the area. I have visited the memorial gardens many times.
I say gardens because there are more than one. There is a central monument located at the cemetery to all those who lost their lives, over 270 people; all those on the plane and several residents whose lives and homes were desecrated as the fuselage came to rest on the ground in Lockerbie. There is a memorial garden located where the houses were and there is a memorial room at the nearby hamlet of Tundergarth where the majority of the fuselage came to rest.
So over the last 20 years I have visited the gardens, photographed the memorial and plaques and paid my respects with my husband. My husband lost a friend in the disaster. Despite that connection, albeit, third hand I have no interest on taking that interest to a more formal level. 
There are other places, either towns or villages, specific buildings or buildings of a specific nature that hold an interest for me. The interest is there as perhaps peripheral research; flesh on the bones of other research.
I still have not come up with a definitive definition of a one place study and in broad terms I doubt anyone will. Each study will be different in terms of content and reasoning. There will obviously be common factors, such as the records available – parish records, census, maps; naming just a few.
Ultimately if you research for whatever reason an area, and gather a mixture of information depending on why your are researching, regardless if you are coming to the project with a genealogical or historical mindset, or a mixture of the two, then you are probably doing a one place study.
Welcome aboard!
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The Hospital at Stoughton Barracks circa 1906

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Julie Goucher

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Tuesday’s Tip – Facebook Messages

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Julie Goucher

Last week I discovered on Facebook a separate message box marked “other”. Inside the folder were nearly 120 messages that I have never seen. Some were immediately deleted and others were read and eventually replied to.

I still do not understand of the point of this message box and I still can not find a way of directing this mail to my physical email inbox or message box on Facebook.

To check if you have one of these message boxes –

Open Facebook and click on messages symbol there is should indicate to you that there are two message facilities – one that reads messages and one that reads other.

I am still not sure if I can see the other message box from my iPhone app. If you sent me a message via Facebook and I did not reply this is probably why.

If you have any tips about reading the other messages via iPhone, please leave a comment.

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Family Connections – A Reflection

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Julie Goucher

I suddenly became aware, following my telephone conversation on Friday that I had with Edith’s Grandchild, that on this particular line the descendant path stops here. For some strange reason I felt a degree of sadness and to be honest I have thought and reflected quite a bit on the conversation.

I offered to share the details,documents and photos but this was politely declined because quite simply no emotional connection was felt to Edith as a Grandmother, who was deceased before this Grandchild was born. Truly I am saddened.

I looked again at my Jelley family research and even though it is believed there are further descendants through the other child of Edith’s,  I suspect that there will be little interest, even if I successfully manage to locate them,

This conversation had been my first major breakthrough on this line in many years and this conversation is certainly the first between descendants of Edith and descendants of Edith’s brother John in around 100 years.

As I sat and wrote up my journal for Friday making notes of the conversation and recording the information gleaned, I decided that I shall share the details with the Jelley one name study, but the feeling of sadness remains. Illogical it might be, but fact it is.

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Old Cottages St Joseph’s Road, Guildford Circa 1912

Posted on August 18, 2013 by Julie Goucher

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Wonderful News – Family Connections!

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Julie Goucher

PictureRegular readers of this blog may recall my research into the life of my Great Great Aunt Edith Jelley nee Matthews. You can read the details on the webpage HERE.

Well research showed that the little boy in this photo did indeed marry and have a descendant. I spent some time yesterday pondering on whether I should make contact.

I located a road name,but not the number. Directory Services could give me a phone number but not a house number so it was either phone and potentially sound like and excited mad woman or write a letter and hope that the post man (or woman) knew their customers.

I pondered and pondered. Watched the news over lunch and pondered a bit more. In the end I decided that I would probably sound a bit enthusiastic, perhaps a bit excitable, like Alfie does when he knows or senses it’s WALKIES time.

I rang, and after a few rings the phone was answered. I explained who I was and what I thought I knew and after a few moments, I was greeted with the voice of my several times removed cousin. This is the first contact this side of the family had spoken to my branch of the family. How wonderful is that?

I shared what information I knew, offered  copies of the photographs I had and in exchange I was given the small snippets of information that really I think define the issues that arose once Edith had passed away, aged 40 in 1921. I left my phone number, so we might keep in touch.

As I shared the information with Stuart during our time walking Alfie, I felt a strange sense that perhaps somewhere, looking down was Edith, knowing that perhaps that despite it being over 90 years later, someone, somewhere still cared enough. I can now look at this picture and see things in a different light, and know that whilst some would perhaps not have telephoned, I am glad I did.

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