News - November 2023
Tuesday 21 November – 7:30pm General Meeting
VENUE: Old Sunday School, St Johns Park Precinct
GUEST SPEAKER: Howard Reeves
TOPIC: Dad's Grandparents - Three Convicts and an Irish Orphan Girl
This story is about two large Northern Tasmanian families, one that established itself in the North West, the other in the North East of the state. It is the story of the Reeves and Lethborg families, and their 23 first generation Tasmanians among which three Reeves and three Lethborg members married. It is a story typical of early Tasmanian settlers, their hard work to establish themselves and provide for their descendants.
Howard Reeves is a TFHS member and served as secretary on the Hobart Branch committee for more than ten years. His interest in family history research started with conversations with his father who could remember his grandmother – the Irish orphan – living with his family. He is particularly interested in the family stories and connections, rather than “stud book” facts.
Wishing all peace and joy this Christmas, and much happiness and hope for the New Year to come.
This meeting is the final one for 2023. Please bring a small plate of food to share over a chat and a cuppa afterwards. Looking forward to seeing you all there.
Important – Closing Dates for the Library
The library will be closing for the summer break Saturday 16 December 2023 and re-opening Tuesday 16 January 2024.
A big thank you to our Librarian Judith and Pam who collate the Library roster and all the Library Assistants who have given another wonderful year of service to our members and visitors.
More for Your Diary
Thu 23 Nov - 2pm Library Committee
VENUE: Branch Library, Bellerive
Tue 20 Feb 2024 – 7:30pm General Meeting
VENUE: Old Sunday School, St Johns Park Precinct
SPEAKER: Ian Terry
TOPIC: George Augustus Robinson Big River Mission 1831
From Your Branch President
Back in 2015, we had a guest speaker, Richard Merry, who told us all about the Guild of One-Name Studies, a UK-based organisation. I was inspired and joined, as it was a relatively inexpensive way to access their fabulous and ever-growing family history resources. Later I registered ‘Escott’ as a study name. In my spare time, in fits and starts, I am trying to find every Escott who ever lived and to reconstruct their families into pedigrees. This is not a required part of a one-name study, but most of us one-namers do it. Also, it enables me to help others to learn more about their Escott ancestry.
I now have about 7000 Escotts and their families in my database. I also manage a closed-group Facebook page for anyone with Escott ancestry, anywhere in the world. It draws people in and connects them with each other. My next project will be to set up a website hosted by the Guild, who provide all the support and resources. I can then put the Escott pedigrees online for the public to see.
I have connected with many interesting Escotts, including a large African-American branch, lots of Welsh miners, and almost every occupation you can think of. A convict transported for an unmentionable crime and an Escott soldier on the First Fleet who Colleen McCullough immortalised (negatively) in one of her books. My Cornish ancestors were shoemakers and agricultural labourers.
I recommend going to the Guild website, and up the top is a box ‘Is your surname here?’ where you can search to see if anyone is studying your surname/s of interest. If they are, they may be able to help you, or perhaps you can help them. You are welcome to contact me if you want to know more.
WARNING: like all family history, one-name studies are addictive.
Ros Escott president@hobart.tasfhs.org
LIBRARY ACCESSIONS OCTOBER 2023
The following items were accessioned during the month of October 2023
Books
* Aubrey, Ronald K; A Pictorial History of THE RAILWAY & TRAMWAYS OF WESTERN TASMANIA [385.09946 AUB]
* Dept of Veteran’s Affairs; BOMBER COMMAND - Australians in World War II [940.544941 REI]
* Elphinstone Editorial Committee; ELPHINSTONES - Pioneer Farmers in Tasmania [Q929.2 ELF]
* Friend, Robyn; WE WHO ARE NOT HERE - Aboriginal people of the Huon and Channel Today [994.62 FRI]
Broxam, Graeme and Michael Nash; SHIPWRECKS OF THE FURNEAUX GROUP [387.2 BRO]
Broxam, Graeme and Michael Nash; SHIPWRECKS OF KING ISLAND [387.2 BRO]
* Carne, Delma R; GEORGE HENRY SAWARD - His ancestors and descendants c.1600 to 1982 [929.2 CAN]
* Commonwealth of Australia; 1976 ELECTORAL ROLL - Division of Franklin [Q929.37 COM]
* Commonwealth of Australia; 1977 ELECTORAL ROLL - Division of Franklin [Q929.37 COM]
* Crocker, Dorothy; ELLENOR & JOSEPH & ROBERT ROWE - Brooks Bay (A collection of facts, photographs, memories, and related stories) [Q929.2 ROW]
* Hyland, Raymond John; The History of GUNNS PLAINS Through the Newspapers [Q994.63 HYL]
* Hyland, Raymond John; THE FAMILY OF JOHN AND ELEANOR JOHNS - The Early Years From Cornwall To Tasmania And Beyond [Q929.2 HYL]
* Lampkin, Marjorie; ALL THE YESTERYEARS[Q929.2]
* Mobbs, Eric & Jocelyn; STORIES THE DOCUMENTS TELL - Robert Meredith & Caroline Vantileur [Q365.6092 HOB]
* Reeve, Keith Desmond; BROTHERS IN METHODISM - Clement Reeve and the Cock Families of Northwald and Methwold in the Mid–Nineteenth Century [Q929.2 REE]
* Royal Society of Tasmania; WILLIAM & JOHN CLARK of Cluny, Bothwell, Family Papers 1812–1872 [Q9299.2 CLA]
Tasmanian Police Department; 1803–1999 TASMANIAN POLICE from Force to Service [362.209946 TAS]
* Wannan, Bill; THE WEARING OF THE GREEN - The Lore, Literature, Legend, and Balladry of the Irish in Australia [820…WAN]
* Denotes complimentary or donated item
Maree's Mutterings
Two recently digitised records from Library Tasmania relating to convicts are now available.
1. CON 96
For those with convicts within the system April 1841 - end March 1851. The information is tabulated under headings: place where convict was last rationed, name, ship and number, place to which convict discharged (including name of employer, where applicable). Each day's rations are noted against the days of the month, and the daily rations are totalled under the class of diet, i.e., full, half, solitary, or mechanic's (which included tea and sugar).
These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives
System of Arrangement:
The first two volumes are roughly alphabetical and the third and fourth have an index.
I noticed one of the volumes is not online yet...
2. GO33-1-100
This chart is for female convicts and dated 1849. Within the Probation system, Task work was introduced for probationary labour, and the scales of daily labour requirements was in proportion to the seasons/length of daylight, as well as the capabilities of the person.
1st class or maximum for able bodied - doing work for which they were experienced.
2nd class or medium for able bodied – doing work for which they were not familiar or vice versa.
3rd class or minimum for inexperienced not fully fit.
Plan/Map - Oversize Chart of Convict Department Revised Scale of Task Work Adapted to the Capacity of the several Classes of Female Convicts and proportioned to the various Seasons of the year. It may be found here.
Open House Richmnond
In conjunction with the Richmond Bicentenary, Open House (Hobart) is super excited to announce Open House Richmond. This special one-off event will be held on Saturday 24 Feb 2024, and will form part of an extensive program that celebrates Richmond's bicentenary.
Friends of Soldiers Memorial Avenue Inc.
Memories of the Avenue – Adrian Howard needs your help!
The Soldiers Memorial Avenue is a special place. It is a place of, and for, memories of those who died on active service during the Great War. As a place, it means different things to different people. Those with a family connection to the Avenue might remember a tree from family visits many decades ago or more recently. For some, the place has only become part of contemporary life in the last two decades when the family connection was discovered.
By the nature of the Avenue, people have many different ways of approaching it, quite literally. It is common to have an impression of part of the Avenue depending on the location of the tree. As a landscape, it is varied in views and ‘distance’ from the city and the general rush of life. It is fundamentally a memorial, but it has also become a place of recreation and relaxation. There are also different patterns in visits – on Anzac Day, the date of death of a soldier, or perhaps a birthday.
Part of FOSMA’s role in preserving the Avenue is preserving memories such as these. Adrian Howard is currently researching more on the significance of the Avenue to the people of Hobart and the descendants of those who died. He would be very grateful if readers could share their thoughts and memories of the Avenue. You should also feel free to share photos of family and friends on the Avenue visiting a tree. Send responses to:
‘FOSMA Memories’ GPO Box 1867, Hobart TAS 7001, email to soldiermemave@gmail.com or via the Soldiers Memorial Avenue website.