G - Germany

Germany doesn’t really feature in my tree. Although there have been discussions about the brickwall great-great grandfather who “could” have come from there and anglicised his name. Until more convincing evidence is found I think that is as much conjecture as my daughter’s theory that he was from gypsy stock.

Germany though does feature in her paternal tree.

Her great-great-great grandparents emigrated to Australia in 1852. The Germany that they left was not the Germany we know today. Prior to the unification and formation of the German Empire in 1871, “Germany” was made up of a number of kingdoms, grand duchies, duchies and principalities of German speaking peoples. Included in this group were Austro-Hungarian Empire, Luxembourg and Switzerland which remained outside the empire when it was formed.

I wonder what is was that propelled them and some of their friends to leave for a new life on the other side of the planet. They were Roman Catholic, so they wouldn’t have faced the persecution that the Lutheran did. Perhaps it was just the opportunity to change the direction of the lives of their children.

Ruedesheim, on the steep banks of the Rhine is a charming, if touristy town. It seems that every spare patch of land is planted with grape vines. Riesling has been the most highly prized variety in the area since the late 15^th century. Today 84% of the total vineyard area in the Rheingau is planted with Riesling vines; no other area in the world grows such high proportion of Riesling.

On their immigration record, where they interestingly were accompanied by just 2 of their 4 children, Friedrich stated his occupation as “Vine dresser”. There weren’t too many vineyards around Sydney in 1852, so a change in career ensued. He became a stone mason. (In case you were concerned, their other 2 children travelled to Australia with different families, they weren't left behind as such.)

Two of Friedrich’s sisters emigrated a few years later, and possibly a brother. The sisters settled in the Mudgee area of New South Wales. Somewhat of a surprise came when I learnt that their father had also emigrated to Australia, after the death of their mother. He passed his twilight years with his daughters near Mudgee. One sister had remained in Germany. Did she not want to take her father in ? Or had he had aspirations to emigrate all along ?

There is another potential German connection. More research is required to prove that the evidence some have attributed to people in their trees is actually for the right family. John George vs Johann Georg ? the birthdays differ by about 5 years, but with chicken scratch writing in old church records 1733 could be 1738…couldn’t it ? A few DNA matches would come in handy for this branch, but since testers are few and far between and most likely in the range which Ancestry has deemed “invaluable”, they might be lost forever.

F - Frederick Stagg

Frederick Stagg is somebody new-ish in our tree.

I knew there were Stagg’s in the tree. Ann Cooper, sister of my great-great-grandfather married Charles Stagg in 1812, in Montacute, Somerset. Many hours spent with Dad reading the church records on microfilm at the National Library in Wellington (thanks to the LDS and the Wellington branch of NZSG), found that Charles and Ann had 10 children.

All I had was a list of names though. I managed to track some of them through the various census’. At least four of their children died before they were ten years old as was often the case in times gone by.

I also found Ann’s burial – aged 101 ! and a newspaper account (which I have failed to write down the source for – there’s a job for the weekend) which reported her death and her approaching 102^nd birthday. Great genes, I thought. Anyway, that was about all I knew of this piece of the tree, until I came across a couple of DNA matches in New Zealand who shared DNA with lots of my Cooper line.

It made sense, so many other settler families in our tree either followed or came with siblings and cousins to the colonies. So why not this one too ? So I built their tree- cos that’s what I do, and discovered that Charles and Ann’s daughter Jane had come to New Zealand. I’m still not exactly sure when, but she married (apparently for the 2^nd time) near Wanganui in 1859 and had just one child.

The next thing I found was some affidavits on Archway and Family Search concerned with the death of Frederick Stagg who had died intestate at Wellington in 1875. One from Jane Woodman who said she was his sister and another from Fred Cooper, the seedsman, younger brother of my great-great-grandfather. In his affidavit, Fred confirmed that Jane was Frederick’s sister. They would have been first cousins. Jane & Fred were both mentioned in the notices placed in the New Zealand Times, 7 December 1875, declaring that the Public Trustee would administer Frederick’s estate.

More recently I have found that Frederick Stagg was a grocer, having a store and living on Thorndon Quay, Wellington, close to where some of his Cooper cousins were doing business as soft drink and cordial manufacturers. He was also married, to Marion/Merion and had at least three children. Two of them died in infancy, one was reported in the Evening Post, 10 March 1870. In the matters relating to his death though, there was no mention of his wife or any surviving children.

More questions than answers, again. I think I will have to buy a couple of certificates to try to discover some more.

When did they arrive in New Zealand ? Had they come direct from England ? Or via Australia where another uncle had emigrated in the 1840s. Who was Jane’s first husband and where did they marry ? Is the William Frederick Stagg aka Henshaw marriage in 1896 actually Frederick William Stagg the surviving child from Frederick Stagg’s marriage ?

And if that is him – how ironic in this crazy year to see that he named his daughter Corona !!

E - Exeter

Exeter is a town that has several appearances in our family tree. Mostly weddings and baptisms, but now a whole new event to research !

I received a letter the other day from England, passing on some pieces of information about the research done by earlier genealogists in the family. Some I had seen or heard before, some I hadn’t.

There has been talk over the years about members of the family being involved on the wrong side of an uprising – but which ? Monmouth was suggested. Records weren’t accessible, even to those living and researching in England, so it just remained “something’ in the back of my mind.

But now !! It seems there might be a connection to an event which took place in Exeter in a tumultuous religious time. The Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549. This is now thought to have been the most important attempt in England to oppose the Protestant Reformation of the reign of the boy-King, 9 year old Edward VI.

The rebels were protesting against the new Prayer Book, which had been translated from Latin to English. They wanted to keep the old Latin book, Cornishmen in particular (where the uprising began) were angered because they did not speak English and were used to the Latin services. The leaders sent a draft of their demands to the King. Unlike the petitions produced by some other rebellions, where protesters asked the King to grant what they wanted, these rebels insisted their demands be met. Among their demands were that Mass be in Latin and all Latin services and ceremonies be restored.

In 1539, concerned that the Catholic doctrine was under threat from the influence of the Lutheran Protestants who would remove all symbols of Catholic imagery from churches, Henry VIII gave his support to the passing of a parliamentary Act known as the Six Articles of Religion. He did this against the wishes of his Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer. Henry VIII remained a devout Catholic throughout his life and this Act aimed to enshrine some of the important element of Catholicism in law. In his will, Henry stipulated that these Articles should remain in force until his young son, the future King came of age.

Henry had been reluctant to introduce the sweeping changes that many Protestants were wanting, apart from where he could appropriate the wealth of the church by dissolving the monasteries. His last parliament, in the dying days of his reign passed an Act empowering him to take into his hands all chantries, hospitals, colleges, free chapel, fraternities, guilds and their possessions. Commissioners would be appointed to inquire into their revenue and inventories would be made of all their goods and certificates returned to the Court of Augmentations. It was left to the King to determine which should stand and which should be dissolved or refounded. Perhaps he still had misgivings, because this did not begin in earnest until after his death.

Cranmer however left no-one in doubt of his intentions proclaiming in his speech at the boy King Edward VI’s coronation that he would see idolatry destroyed and the tyranny of Rome banished.

The government decreed that the church in all parishes must use the new Prayer Book from WhitSunday on June 9^th. This caused widespread anger, in Sampford Courtenay the parish priest was prevented from saying the new service and urged to wear his popish robes and say the mass and all the service as in times past. Although the movement was supported by many clergy, it was predominately a layman’s movement by the people, who did not want to lose the devotional practices to which they had become accustomed.

Numbers grew and the Devonshire rebels were joined near Crediton by rebels from Cornwall about June 19^th. In July the combined force numbering 4,000-6,000 made the fateful decision to besiege Exeter which had remained loyal to the Crown. The siege dragged on for 5 or 6 weeks.  Vengeance followed with brutal executions.

There are some books I need to hunt down and read which involve the churches and parishioners in some of the parishes where our family lived. Maybe there will be further developments later in this challenge. (If the books arrive quickly enough and I can read them all in double quick time too)

The Unfolding Pandemic - July

1 July 2020 – WHO holds a second research and innovation forum to discuss progress and knowledge gaps, and to define research priorities for the remainder of the year.

The total number of cases in Victoria is 2303 with 77 new cases. This is the sixteenth consecutive day of double-digit case growth in Victoria, with a continuing and concerning number of new cases associated with transmission in households and families. There are 63 active cases in New South Wales, that majority are returned internal travellers in hotel quarantine.

2 July 2020 — New Zealand’s Health Minister David Clark resigns after a series of blunders amid the country’s COVID-19 response.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appointed Chris Hipkins as interim Health Minister until the General Election scheduled for 19 September, in the wake of David Clark’s resignation from that role. Megan Woods took on the responsibility for Border Management (Covid response and Quarantine).

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced a Judicial inquiry into Hotel Quarantine program. This follows some cases of coronavirus in Victoria being linked to a breach in hotel quarantine infection control. There were 66 new cases confirmed. A returned traveller to New South Wales tested positive after leaving hotel quarantine in Victoria.

3 July 2020 — Confirmed cases globally surpass 11 million only 5 days after the total reached 10 million. UNITAID and UNICEF agree to an initial purchase of dexamethasone to expand the drug’s access for low-and middle-income countries.

No new cases reported in New Zealand for the 12^th day in a row.

108 new cases in Victoria.

4 July 2020 – WHO discontinues the lopinavir/ritonavir treatment arm of the Solidarity Trial after a recommendation from the trial’s steering committee that found the treatment produced little or no difference to patient mortality when compared to standard of care.

A further two postcodes in Victoria are placed in lockdown until 29 July, and nine public housing towers  with 3,000 residents were added, with an additional condition that residents cannot leave the tower under any circumstances for 5 days – possibly longer, raising concerns about residents mental health. 74 new cases confirmed in Victoria.

5 July 2020 –

At the request of the New South Wales Government, the Federal Government introduced restrictions on the number of passengers arriving at Sydney Airport. A maximum of 50 passengers per flight, and 450 international arrivals per day was set. 127 new cases in Victoria.

6 July 2020 – The US submit their formal notification to withdraw from WHO. UN is reviewing whether they have met the conditions to do so. 239 scientists urge the agency, in an open letter, to recognise the potential for airborne spread of the virus.

127 new cases are reported in Victoria. The New South Wales and Victorian Governments announce their border would close on 8 July. 191 new Victorian cases.

7 July 2020 – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tests positive following months of downplaying the crisis, while cases and deaths from the virus continue to rise. Brazil has the world’s 2^nd largest confirmed caseload with 1.7 million cases. Globally there are 11.5 million cases, and 536,000 deaths.

There are 22 active cases in New Zealand. The Government asked Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines to manage international bookings to New Zealand over the next three weeks to ensure that quarantine facilities are not overwhelmed. Air New Zealand said 5,500 people were booked to travel in the next three weeks.

Premier Andrews announced that metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire would re-enter lockdown for a minimum of 6 weeks starting at 12am 9 July. 134 new cases in Victoria.

8 July 2020 – Confirmed cases in Africa surpass 500,000, in the past month cases have doubled in 22 countries. WHO say Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa account for 71% of cases on the African continent.

165 new cases in Victoria.

9 July 2020 – Former New Zealand Prime Minster Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will co-chair the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response tasked with evaluating the global response to COVID-19. The panel is expected to deliver an interim report in November and the full report at the World Health Assembly in May 2021. In response to the open letter from scientists, WHO updates a scientific brief on transmission of COVID-19 saying more research is required on airborne transmission.

Lockdown begins for metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. 288 new cases in Victoria.

10 July 2020 –

216 new cases in Victoria. The number of cases in New South Wales number 3,278 the majority of new cases are returning travellers in hotel quarantine. Two new case are linked to the Crossroads Hotel at Casula after they had been there on 3 July.

11 July 2020 – A study in the UK of 90 patients and healthcare workers finds that only 17% of patients retained a potent antibody response to COVID-19 three months later.

The New South Wales Government announced that compulsory hotel quarantine, previously free to international arrivals, would now be charged for from 18 July. Those already in quarantine would not be charged and neither would those who had purchased flights and had a confirmed international arrival date before 11.59pm 12 July 2020 AEST. Victoria reported 273 new cases.

12 July 2020 – WHO received reports of 230.000 new cases, almost 80% are from just 10 countries.

The number of active cases in New Zealand has risen to 25.

177 new cases in Victoria. New South Wales Government urges anyone who has visited the Crossroads Hotel at Casula to be tested after a business person from Victoria tested positive. The total number of cases linked to the hotel is 9.

13 July 2020 – The 2020 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report estimates that between 83 million and 132 million people could be pushed into hunger this year, many through job losses amid lockdown measures. Globally cases surpass 13 million.

270 new cases in Victoria.

14 July 2020 – American biotech Moderna publishes interim results from ongoing human clinical trials of its candidate vaccine for COVID-19 finding that it was safe and provoked an immune response in all 45 volunteers.

Because of an increase in new cases the New South Wales Government announced tightened preventative measures reintroducing new requirements for pubs. 238 new cases in Victoria.

15 July 2020 – 75 countries have expressed an interest in joining the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility – COVAX, which is a mechanism aimed at increasing equitable access to future COVID-19 vaccines.

Prime Minister Ardern released  the Government’s COVID-19 response framework, which would involve localised lock-downs in the event there was another community-wide outbreak of COVID-19.

317 new cases reported in Victoria, the total number of cases in the State have more than doubled in the last two weeks. The total is now 4750.

16 July 2020 – Research  from the Jubilee Debt Campaign finds that $11.3billion in International Monetary Fund loans to countries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic is effectively enabling those countries to continue paying loans to private lenders rather than tackling their health and economic crises.

428 new cases in Victoria

17 July 2020 – Globally cases of COVID-19 reach 14 million. The UN releases the third updated appeal for the global COVID-19 humanitarian response plan, amounting to $10.3 billion – a more than fivefold increase to the initial $2 billion appeal in March. The issue of reinfection is an active area of research globally. It is known that people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus will develop an immune response providing some protection against reinfection, but is not clear how long the protection lasts or whether a person can be reinfected after the immunity wears off.

In New South Wales the number of diners at tables in venues was reduced from 20 to 10 and a maximum number of 3000 are permitted at any venue. Another 217 new cases in Victoria,

18 July 2020 – Confirmed deaths globally surpass 600,000.

Federal Government announced that the scheduled sitting for the first wo weeks of August would  be cancelled after medical advice stated there would be significant risk of members returning to Canberra from all over  the country. The sitting will now start on 24 August. 363 new cases in Victoria. New South Wales saw an increase of 62 new cases.

19 July 2020 –

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that wearing masks or face coverings would be mandatory in metropolitan Melbourne from 11.59pm on 22 July. The State of Emergency was extended to 16 August. 275 new cases in Victoria.

20 July 2020 – WHO raises concerns over the spread of COVID-19 among Indigenous peoples of America saying there have been more than 700,000 cases reported in the region and over 2000 deaths. They stress the importance of contact tracing to suppress the transmission of the virus. A new study at Oxford University is showing a promising vaccine candidate. The UK announces it has secured 90 million doses of three promising vaccine candidates in advance.

The number of daily overseas arrivals at Sydney Airport was reduced from 450 to 350 daily. Federal Government announced that the Coronavirus Supplement and JobKeeper subsidy would be extended but in an altered form at a lower level beyond 24 September. 374 new Victorian cases.

21 July 2020 – The Pan American Health Organisation warns that 3 in 10 people in the Americas are at risk of developing severe COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions. The region recorded almost 900,000 new cases and close to 22,000 deaths in the past week. Brazil, Mexico and the United States account for the majority of cases.

Health Minister Chris Hipkins announce the Government would be investing $302 million into health services.

484 new cases in Victoria.

22 July 2020 – Globally cases surpass 15 million.

Visiting aged care/health care settings in Victoria is restricted to carers only and a limit of one hour per day. 403 new cases.

23 July 2020 – Low levels of testing in the Central African region is a serious concern. One of the main challenges is access to testing facilities, for example there are only one or two testing sites in the country of Chad. Globally the WHO reported 247,225 new cases and 7097 deaths in the last 24 hours.

There are 22 active cases in New Zealand, all in Managed Isolation facilities.

300 new cases.

24 July 2020 – 15 lawmakers and 11 parliamentary staff test positive for COVID-19 in Zambia.

357 new cases in Victoria

25 July 2020 –
No new cases in New Zealand.

There have been 459 new cases in Victoria in the past day and 10 more deaths. The total cases for the State now number 8181, almost doubling again in the last ten days. There are 560 cases linked to aged care facilities, 369 cases are linked to public housing towers. 228 patients are in hospital including 42 in intensive care. In New South Wales this week there have been 81 new cases, most have been locally acquired through community transmission after the initial cluster introduced by an interstate traveller.

26 July 2020 – Vietnam reimposes social distancing restrictions in the city of Danang after confirming locally transmitted COVID-19 cases over the weekend. Cases globally have reached 16 million.

Another 532 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours in Victoria and 6 deaths.

27 July 2020 – Nearly 15 million children were vaccinated against measles in a 10 day vaccination campaign in Ethiopia according to WHO, it was originally scheduled for April but delayed because of the challenges of conducting a vaccination campaign during the pandemic.

There were 384 new cases overnight and 6 deaths in Victoria.

28 July 2020 –

There were 295 new cases and 9 deaths in Victoria. 3 new cases are reported in Queensland after 2 residents returned from Victoria and gave false border declarations about their movements.

29 July 2020 –

Housing Minister Megan Woods announced that some travellers entering New Zealand would have to pay for their 14 day stay in managed isolation. The isolation stay will cost $3100 for the first adult in each hotel room, $950 for each additional adult and $475 for each child sharing the room. Travellers affected by the ruling include New Zealanders who have left the country after the rules came in to effect , those who intend to stay for less than 90 days, and most temporary visa holders with the exception of family members of citizens who were not liable, diplomats, or those in the country for the Christchurch Mosque trial. New Zealanders returning home permanently will be exempt.

A staggering 723 cases were recorded overnight bringing the state total to 9,998. The State Government announced that from midnight 2 August it would be mandatory to wear a face mask outside of homes across the state. Queensland records 3 new cases, two had returned from New South Wales but had not been in a declared hot-spot, the 3^rd had returned from overseas. There are now 11 active cases in Queensland including 5 in hospital. Aged care facilities in South Brisbane are not permitted to accept visitors due to the increased risk of COVID-19.

30 July 2020 – Six months after the WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern confirmed cases surpass 17 million globally. In the past 25 days cases on the African continent have almost doubled. The number of cases in the US have now surpassed 4,495,000.

Victoria recorded 627 new cases overnight and a further eight deaths. Queensland records a further 3 cases.

31 July 2020 – COVID-19 Emergency Committee meets again to discuss and review thegloabal pandemic response via videoconference.

There are now 10,931 cases in Victoria, close to 6,000 are active cases. There have been 116 deaths in the state with another 4 recorded overnight and a further 397 new cases. The State of Emergency has been extended until midnight 16 August. There were 17 new cases in New South Wales bringing the state total to 3,584. Queensland have announced that their border is closed to residents of the Sydney Metropolitan area. The Northern Territory have closed their border with Queensland in response to the now 7 new cases in that state.

Total cases globally as of July 31, 2020: 17,396,943 and 675,060 deaths

Total cases in Australia: 17,282, 200 deaths, 10,201 recovered

Total cases in New Zealand: 1212, deaths 22, 1190 recovered

(figures from WHO)

Sources:

https://www.devex.com/news/covid-19-a-timeline-of-the-coronavirus-outbreak-96396

https://shorthand.radionz.co.nz/coronavirus-timeline/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Australia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_New_Zealand

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-current-situation

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-current-situation-and-case-numbers

https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus/updates

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/2020-nsw-health.aspx

https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19

D - Dam People

I spent my early years on the banks of the Waikato River. Not literally, but in the city that was built on both sides of it.

It is the longest river in New Zealand at 425 kilometres, flowing from its source on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu through Lake Taupo then on to the sea at Port Waikato south of Auckland. Along the way, its energy has been harnessed, lakes created and great dams constructed.

Hydro electric power. New Zealand is lucky, there are several rivers such as the Waikato offering the opportunity to manipulate the flow and generate electricity in a sustainable, renewable way.

My maternal grandfather, a fitter and turner, worked most of his adult life in this industry and so did my father, an engineer. Grandad worked at Coleridge, near Christchurch for a short time before moving on to Waitaki. These were the first two hydro electric stations that the Government was involved with. The beginnings of the State Hydro Department and still going strong today producing energy to keep our homes and workplaces running smoothly.

Waitaki, Highbank, Mangahao, Maraetai, Whakamaru.

My father left school and became a draughting cadet then progressed to become an engineer. While in working in Hamilton many days were spent visiting the stations along the Waikato. Arapuni, Karapiro, Aratiatia, Atiamuri, Waipapa, Whakamaru, Maraetai, Rangipo, and Tokaanu some of which were still under construction.

As well as hydro power generation there was steam at Wairakei and coal fired at Meremere. More recently a new geothermal station Ohaaki and a larger coal fired station at Huntly, although Dad didn’t have much involvement with them.

After we moved to Wellington, the upper Waitaki became Dad’s area of responsibility. Aviemore and Benmore had recently been completed and yet to come were Ohau A, B & C and Tekapo A & B.

My grandfather’s brother left New Zealand and worked on the Snowy Hydro Scheme and in the coal fired stations at Yallourn and in the LaTrobe Valley.

What a cutting edge industry it must have been in those early years, bringing unimaginable change to our society. It seems to me that it was probably comparable to the change that rail brought to our great and great grandparents lives.

Railways provided new opportunities for employment, travel for all and a step into a different socio-economic group. Electricity generation for the masses improved living conditions, promoted the use of new transportation (electric trams as opposed to horse drawn) and lit the streets at night making it safer for those of our ancestors finding their way home in the evenings or later at night.

There are Dam people in my tree – and I’m pretty damned proud to say so.

C - Cyclopedia

C is for cookie and cookie is for me…

So much choice, Christchurch, Castles, Cars, Christmas, Climate…Claire.

Here is a bit about me then.

Eldest child, sister, mother, daughter, cousin, aunt, friend, collector of family history, storyteller, name nerd, puzzle solver, cross-stitcher, card maker, baker, maker, reader, traveller…

It was names that got me interested in genealogy – so many James’ and Johns, Marys and Anns. I remembered tallying them all up once when I was still at college to see how many of each there were. Lots. Some names were definitely overused. Not like today's parents – our ancestors stuck with the tried and true, over and over again. How did they even tell them apart or get the right person to respond ? Even now it is refreshing to see something new – an Arabella, Kerenhappuch, Roxillianna, LaFayette, Aeneas, Balthasar.

Along with names there were the stories people would share, offering a peek into their childhood memories and places they had been. The idea of large families fascinated me. Being one of two and my parents one of two and one of three, the idea of having a whole bunch of siblings seemed so foreign – but fun all the same. I imagined it would be like being one of “The Waltons”, or the Bradfords on “Eight is Enough”.

I think I have always liked history, miniseries such as “The Pallisers”, “Family at War”, “Poldark” and early soaps like “The Sullivans” captured my attention. I loved history at school even though the Third Reich , the Potato Famine & Rise of Sinn Feinn seemed quite disconnected to life in New Zealand and where my roots were.

Over time though, that love of society, people and history has influenced my reading choices and captivated me. Historical fiction is a great way to learn about history and how people of the times experienced the events around them. This led to me trying to learn more and more, and to imagine my ancestors in those times. How did world events, or local events affect them personally. Which events were catalysts for them to change the way they lived ? Who were they ? How did they feel ? What did they believe ? What did they like ? What drove them to make a change in the direction their lives took ? So many of them were from Ag Lab stock. What was it that inspired them to take the leap, leave the village where their families had lived for generations and make a new life in a new town or to find employment with the railways or in large industrial mills ?

I love family history, it consumes a lot of my spare time. Studying DNA matches looking for links, reconnecting with cousins all across the globe, planning where to visit next (when we are ever allowed to do that again). Remembering those who have passed, telling their stories so that their memory will live on for others. Celebrating them and the sacrifices they made – if not for their actions in the face of adversity and their planning in the good times none of us would be here.

Always thinking and wondering, sometimes it is hard to make my mind just stop and reflect. It's a bit like a cyclopedia that I always have with me.

And just as I am sitting here another thought occurred to me.

C is for Coromandel. I read just the other night that gold had been discovered there in 1862. I wonder if that news influenced the decision to not go to Albertland since it was only a few short years after their arrival that the Davys family left Auckland and set up home north of Thames on the peninsular felling trees, saw-milling and gold mining. What resilience and determination they had.

B - Betty

Betty Yeandle was my 4 x great grandmother. We have had her name in our tree for many years. Dad had begun researching but had been unable (in those pre-internet days of the 1970’s) to get back further than the immigrant couple. After writing to a selection of people in the right area of England with the right surname a collaboration with his 5^th and 4^th once removed cousins began. For them, we were the missing branch.

The Yeandle and Davys families had many connections across the generations. But how did you know if they were all part of the same family or just part of another family with the same name.

Just recently, I was able to connect Betty to a set of parents I already had in my tree. As yet I haven’t found her baptism, maybe it hasn’t survived, or maybe the book has but the ink on the page has deteriorated and can no longer be read.

This revelation came from a will. I had been transcribing the will of her husband’s father James Davys, in which he had left instruction that his watch be given to his grandson James (my 2 x great grandfather). I knew as well that my 3 x great grandmother was Mary Yeandle and that her brother John had married a sister of her husband James.

The next will I began to transcribe was John Yeandle’s. It confirmed which of James’ sisters he had married and then set to leaving instructions for his estate including naming the same grandchildren that his brother-in-law James had named.

What ?

But there it was, John had only had two children, and his daughter Betty had married her first cousin James. Their son James was gifted a watch from one grandfather and some ££ from the other.

Betty is rumoured to have left HER grandson James £600 in her will, which I am yet to read because it isn’t available online. It has been suggested that James used that money in part to fund his family’s emigration to New Zealand.

I have just requested a quote for a copy of another document which I think will detail the inheritance of my 2 x great grandfather and his brother after their father predeceased their grandfather. Betty is mentioned in the yet to be seen document too.

Maybe I will get an answer and be able to share the news later in the month. Meanwhile I will try not to get all the Yeandles and the James’ tangled up in my head !