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Review by Mary Holmes, April 2017

A Woman of Importance: Emily Childers in Melbourne, 1850–1856

Author: Jean Uhl

Publisher: Jean Uhl, Blackburn, Vic. 1992.

ISBN 0 9596631 4 2. Hardback copy. 340 pages.

Purchased at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.

Emily Childers became a woman of importance in the social life of the colony of Victoria and she knew many who impacted on Melbourne’s early history. This book gives an account of the six years Emily Childers spent as a young married woman in the rapidly growing Melbourne until she returned to England.

We read of her daily life, her motherhood joys and sorrows and also of a time when she acted as First Lady to Sir Edward Macarthur, the Acting-Governor. The reader will enjoy accompanying Emily to Hobart, Geelong, Queenscliff, Portland and The Heads and reading about the houses in which she lived in St Kilda, Jolimont, Collingwood, Hawthorn and St Heliers in Abbotsford; some of these houses are heritage-listed today. Uhl quotes extensively from Emily’s diaries and letters so we see Melbourne very much through Emily’s eyes. She provides excellent context and background information and the narrative and the diary entries flow comfortably. Uhl’s analysis and commentary enrich the original texts.

The structure of the book would be of particular interest to those who are writing a family history and are fortunate to have access to diaries, letters and journals. Uhl has organised the book into chronological chapters covering the years 1850 to 1856.

The comprehensive notes at the end of each chapter are interesting references and may give new directions to explore for a writer interested in Melbourne during this time. As well, the book has an extensive index of names and a general index. Biographical information of the people mentioned in the diaries is comprehensive and covers people well-known and not so well-known, including church leaders, squatters, medical practitioners, stockbrokers and friends of Hugh and Emily Childers. A few photos of the Childers family are also included.

Emily’s diaries provide a glimpse of life in Melbourne at this time – the everyday chores and trials as well as the sophisticated and stylish. This is a book that will appeal to researchers and historians as well as general readers.

GSV

13 April 2017 - This post commences a new category which we hope keeps you better informed about the resources in our Library that may help you with your family history research.

The GSV receives about 250 family history and genealogy periodicals from Australian and international societies. These are available for members and visitors to access. Articles in the majority of these journals are indexed by our volunteers in the searchable GSV online library catalogue.

Articles of broad interest in recently received periodicals are highlighted quarterly in GSV's Ancestor journal in the regular column, 'Jottings...and library news'. Members receive this journal as part of their membership.

Recent periodicals received by the GSV library (March 2017 quarter) include articles on:

• the diary of Walter Williams, a private soldier in India 1878-1888
• 'Dundee: tracing the Tay Valley's history on ScotlandsPlaces'
• tracing ancestors - Irish, Huguenot, Royal Navy, and Army, as well articles on the '1939 register', on places and families in Buckinghamshire and another containing a good introduction to the enclosure of shared strips of land after 1773.
• Ancestry's indexing of 'Ireland School Masters and Mistresses 1826', British Army pension records, pensioners records of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham 1724-1924, Royal Hospital Chelsea 1715-1925 and Pensioner Soldier Records 1760-1920.
• genetic genealogy
• a new release online for the first time of over 2.1 million new fully searchable records of individuals; baptisms 1538-1751; marriages 1538-1753 and burials 1838-1865.
• an interesting article about un-named death records held by the various Australian State registries. The NSW records have over 3000 records for 'Unknown'.
• useful tips in 'Some of our ancestors are missing' (Buckinghamshire).

You can follow up these in our catalogue - online before your visit.

13 April 2017 -

'All writers need support and advice about their work. Last week as always, members of this GSV group generously offered thoughtful analysis and encouragement for two of its writers.'

Tina Hocking reports: Last Wednesday (5 April) the GSV Writers Circle met for the first time at GSV's new Centre at 85 Queen Street. It was also possibly the first time we reviewed a submission from an interstate member unable to attend the meeting.

The 'row of chairs' arrangement in the meeting room should suit our structured 'topic' meetings, but we hope to recreate our informal 'circle friendly' atmosphere in future meetings.

There was spirited discussion of the submissions by two of our members, which focused on immigrant families from quite different backgrounds. Some members had already emailed their responses to our two presenters, with others to follow.

The feedback provided at this session for our Adelaide member should encourage any writers on our email list of over 80 who cannot attend meetings due to distance, to join in either as submitters or email reviewers. And there is also the GSV Writers Closed Facebook site for continuing the discussion. (This is part of a GSV membership).

One of the participants - who is writing the odyssey of the Dedes and Wares families - wrote:

'Thank you for your most helpful analysis of my work - I appreciate the comments. Along with other observations from the group, I have lots to follow up! 

Now that the GSV has moved closer to the Victoria's Immigration Museum we are looking forward to being closer!

GSV Members are invited to two days of complimentary admission to the Immigration Museum - 18 and 19 August.

Set in the beautifully restored 19th century Customs House, the Immigration Museum is the perfect place for learning about our ancestor’s journey to Australia, exploring Australia’s migration history, sharing personal stories, researching contemporary issues, and understanding our culturally diverse community.

GSV Members can celebrate Family History Month with free entry into the Museum on Friday 18 August, Saturday 19 August. Simply show your GSV membership card upon entry to the Museum.

Visit the Immigration Museum website for information about current exhibitions and activities. idc@museum.vic.gov.au

Open 10 am – 5 pm, 7 Days. Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day.      400 Flinders Street Melbourne

Those who are chasing DNA and exploring genetic inheritances might be interested in the latest blog entry by renowned Irish genealogist, John Grenham. John's unique style, great curiosity and fascinating insights always make for interesting reading, whether or not your heritage is Irish. This blog is no exception.

https://www.johngrenham.com/blog/2017/04/03/dormant-abeyant-forfeited-and-extinct/

REMEMBER to check out the GSV's DNA Discussion Circle - for Members. See the website here https://dev.gsv.org.au/special-interest-groups/dna-discussion-circle

Our new Centre opened last week and it looks good! Congratulations to all who made it happen! Pop in and visit us soon. This coming week our program continues with the following events:

DNA Discussion Circle

Wed 12 April 2017 - 10.30am to 12 noon.

At: GSV Research & Education Centre. Members only. See website for information about this group:  https://dev.gsv.org.au/special-interest-groups/dna-discussion-circle

South West England Research & Discussion Circle (SWERD)

Wed 12 April 2017. 12.30 pm - 2.00 pm.

At: GSV Research & Education Centre. Members only. See website for information about this group https://dev.gsv.org.au/special-interest-groups/south-west-england-research-discussion-circle

GSV Library catalogue and databases

Thurs 13 April 2017 - 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm.

These small-group classes are designed to enable you to get the most out of the computer-based resources available in the GSV Research & Education Centre and at home. Duration 1 hour.

At: GSV Research & Education Centre. Free for GSV members. $20 non-members, $15 AIGS,RHSV. Bookings are required and can be made online, in person, by email or by telephone.

GSV opens the doors at our new Research and Education Centre on Tuesday NEXT WEEK - 4 APRIL - L6, 85 Queen Street, Melbourne.

Two Events next week:

Wed 5 April at 12.30 pm - The GSV Writers Circle meets to review two pieces of writing submitted by members - one 'The Odyssey of Two Families: the Dedes and the Wares' and the other a saga of Simeon Kneebone and family: two generations of a mining family from Gwennap, Cornwall. The writers of these interesting developed drafts will have the opportunity to discuss their writing with the members of this Group, and receive useful feedback: everything from meaning and structure to style and punctuation. GSV Members only (but you can join on the day and see if this Group could be useful for you).

23 March 2017

At the next GSV Writers Circle meeting (for members) on 5 April at our new Research and Education Centre, the group will discuss and offer suggestions on draft pieces of family history writing submitted by two of the Group. One of this month's writers can rarely attend the Group as she lives interstate, but she still joins in and benefits from the GSV Writers Circle by way of email. She writes: 'I circulated this story at the end of last year. I received one small correction and a detailed and very helpful review... I am re-circulating it again for discussion at the April meeting. Much [extra research] has happened in the almost six month since I wrote it... Whilst I had intended to make only small changes now and to wait until after the April meeting to revise the story, I have done a little more than I originally intended and also worked on the majority of [the previous] suggestions... While I was writing the background to [this] life I realised that the two-generation story was more interesting.' Where else can you receive knowledgeable help with your writing - the GSV Writers Circle includes many published writers - at no additional cost to your GSV membership? The aim of this GSV group is to help its members turn their research into accurate and readable stories. Your research deserves to be told and kept for the future.

Sunday 5 March