The Native Headmen of British Ceylon
The lead photo (see below) for the Ceylon Civil Widow and Orphan Fund Application index features a couple of British officials surrounded by native Sinhalese and Tamil head men who…
Rats of Tobruk tribute website & database
Cairns Family History was recently alerted to the existence of a very comprehensive Rats of Tobruk Tribute website, produced by ex-serviceman Owen Carlton as an element of his Rats of…
The Anderson name in the British Ceylon Widow and Orphans Fund records
For a number of years I have been researching the Anderson Family in British Ceylon. Any Anderson name found in Ceylon or Indian records was a potential clue. My goal…
Stories from the Shadows – Mary Anne Lovelock
Mary Anne Lovelock was the second of seven children born to George and Mary (nee Shanahan) Lovelock. Mary Anne was born on the 24 January, 1869 in Bowen, Queensland. Mary…
Ancestry British Ceylon – Vital Records Research
Over the last 12 months, researchers and visitors at the Cairns and District Family History Centre would have seen a sprightly, bespectacled, grey haired gentleman, peering intently into the microfilm…
One of the perks of CDFHS membership
I first caught the bug for Family History way back in 1986 during a trip to Glasgow. The bug went away for a while but has come back big time…
Thirkill Family Brickwall
I have been researching my partner Neil’s paternal grandmother’s family – the Thirkills – for a couple of years now, and would really love some fresh eyes to look at it and see if they can find any new clues to help me break down my research brick walls.
Neil’s 3 x great grandmother, Mary Worby (nee Thirkill) and her husband George appear in the records for 1865 when they got married, however I can find no other record of their existence until they turn up again in the 1901 Census. (more…)
Mystery plaque found in Cairns
CDFHS has been informed of the existence of a marble plaque - broken in two - that was found in a building in Cairns which is set for demolition. There…
DNA test raffle encourages new testers
Far North Queensland must be one of the DNA testing hotspots of Australia, but here at Cairns & District Family History Society we still work hard at encouraging even more of our members (and their families and friends) and visitors to try DNA testing as a part of their family history research. (more…)
Cairns-born adoptee finds his birth mother
Email from David (Nov, 2015)
I was born in Cairns in 1947 and my mother kept me for a short time and then decided to adopt me out. I had always known my birth mother’s name but had never been successful in tracking down any information. (more…)
My ‘elusive’ grandfather – George Frederick Davies
I started my own family history research some 25 years ago. At the time, I was the Historical and Genealogical Officer with the New South Wales Land Titles Office, and had been assisting the general public for many years, through early land records research. I only ever knew one grandparent, my maternal grandmother, Anna Davies (nee Wilson), who I adored, the others having died long before my birth. I was one of her favorites. (more…)
Google Search Tips for Genealogy
Google is an everyday tool used for searching for clues in our family histories. Out of habit, most users simply type one or more keywords into the search box and take it from there. But learning a few basic Google tips can have a significant impact on your genealogical research outcomes. (more…)
A Navy Anzac – William Hunter, 111
William (Bill) Hunter was born 19 February 1891 in Yarraville, Victoria, to Scottish parents James Hunter and Mary Neilson. He was brought up on a farm in Beenak, Victoria, with…
Browser settings important for image accessibility
Are you having trouble viewing some digital images linked to the Qld State Archives Indexes? Well, that was a problem that I was having, as were some other researchers. (more…)
Cemetery exposes city’s past
Cairns Post Tuesday 3 Feb, 2015The following article appeared prominently in the Cairns Post yesterday. It features the McLeod Street Pioneer Cemetery education kit researched and written by Cairns & District…