Getting Started

My purpose for this blog is to help family and friends getting started on their family tree. 

http://www.ancestry.com.au/ - have a 14 day free trial to get started on your tree - they are hoping you get hooked (this is definately the case)  You need to supply your credit card no. but I trust them and have never had any problems.  Make sure you have plenty of time during those 14 days AND make sure you cancel before day 14 so your credit card doesnt get charged.  After that time you can do a monthly subscription - I do the $24.95 one as it provides extra UK info.  Once again, cancel your subscription after a few days, then it will only run for the month and your wont get an ongoing charge on your credit card.

You start your tree (with yourself) and then add parents and any other information you know.  It will give you links to others trees and records, bear in mind though the other trees may not necessarily be correct.  It will also tell you who else is researching your family member and provide a private message to them without revealing who you are.  I have met some fantastic people on this site AND 2 cousins!!!  Would you believe my tree meets my husbands??  The common denominator had actually written a lengthy story about my great, great, great grandfather and sent me the CD!!!

Once you are not in a paid membership (or free trial) you can still access your tree and it will show part of the suggestions, however to go any further you need to pay.  I pay twice a year or so, just to keep up with my hints.....

Another great activity on this site are the message boards - some of the readers have the BMD records on CD and are happy to do look ups for you.....you just need to ask the question!

http://www.familysearch.org/ - have the UK 1881 census for free, together with trees submitted by their Latter Day Saints members.  Make sure you also look at the pedigree links if you should find a family member.  WEA run a course on using this website..

http://www.findmypast.com/  - I use this mainly for shipping into South Australia - 1890 - 1960 just searching surname to start with and the port of Adelaide as a search item http://www.findmypast.co.uk/passengerListPersonSearchStart.action?redef=0

They also have the 1911 UK census which has been great assistance to me.  You need to purchase credits and use them within a certain time, but browsing is free.  I recently paid for a Australian 12 month (around $50) membership which has trade directories, cyclopedia of South Australia, Police and Government gazettes and the like - now to search all my hundreds of people!!!!

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/  I have a basic tree here and pay $19.95 for 6 months - to see others trees and talk to others.  Once again, met a long lost cousin on this site (in the UK) and she sent photos over....together with a Christmas card......

There are many more sites, and as you can imagine, a lot of time to be spent!!!!

More websites to try

I also get a lot of information and support  from a fantastic facebook group Australian Genealogy - talltrees@groups.facebook.com

One lovely South Australian posted these sites for me to share ;

Cemeteries
http://www.aca.sa.gov.au/RecordsSearch.aspx
http://www.centennialpark.org/deceased-search.html
http://www.coppercoast.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=764
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~deadsearch/index.html
http://www.australiancemeteries.com/sa/index.htm
http://austcemindex.com/
 Military
http://members.pcug.org.au/~croe/ozb/oz_boer.cgi
http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/index.html
http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/
http://naa12.naa.gov.au/Scripts/SuggestLogon.asp
http://www.cwgc.org/default.asp
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.awm.gov.au%2F&h=PAQEsFH22AQGlQYmWPMNAxFKDa8jtqjSlbMYjswuMh0Yn_g
http://www.tributesofhonour.info/php/wm_names_register.php
http://www.ww1sa.gravesecrets.net/index.html
http://www.twgpp.org/index.php

http://www.familyhistorysa.info/
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/passengerlists/index.htm
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/SAShips1840.htm
http://www.archives.sa.gov.au/
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~deadsearch/shipping_pages.htm
http://www.saghs.org.au/index.html
http://www.pictureaustralia.org/apps/pictureaustralia/
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/h/h4.htm#hermitage
http://sabdmsonline.weebly.com/index.html

 

Thanks to Michelle  for these links.....

Starting at the end!!!

A lot of great genealogical information can be gathered from the end of life!!!

Apart from dragging the kids around cemeteries (and even the Adelaide Gaol) in the school holidays, there are many searchable databases for cemeteries and, if you are lucky, a photo of a headstone or two.

My favourite two cemeteries are Centennial Park and West Terrace Cemeteries.

http://aca.sa.gov.au/RecordsSearch.aspx

The West Terrace Cemetery search also allows for Cheltenham, Smithfield and Enfield

When you find a person, check out the site information at the bottom of the page, as that will also list who shares that site (plot). 

http://www.centennialpark.org/index.php?option=com_burials&view=search&template=centennial&Itemid=130&viewtype=detailed&lname=&fname=&year=&maplinkid=134591

This also lets you see who else is in the plot, click on the "more info" section on the right hand side, then look at the bottom of the record for others interred at this site.

With any record search, I always start the search quite broadly, generally with the surname (unless it is a very common name)

One of my all time favourite South Aussie websites is Family History SA

http://www.familyhistorysa.info/births-marriages-deaths/cemeteries/

I have spent many an hour searching all my names in the various search facilities there.  Early shipping info can be found (together with vital maiden names) together with early SA Birth, Death and Marriage info.

The SAGHS has a death and burial index too.

http://www.saghs.org.au/graves.htm

The SAGHS has a 2 night introductory course to their library which is worthwhile, especially if you join up (bear in mind their year runs with the financial year July-June)  You can use the library for a day, but after a few visits you may as well have joined up for the year.  I have found a lot of info from scouring their databases - including books/pamphlets etc. which you can then look up at the State Library of South Australia.....  The SLSA have a huge Family History section (as does the Tea Tree Gully Library)  The SLSA has the BDM registration books produced by the SAGHS.  Also check out the Sands and Mac's directories.

Thats enough for my first post.....but take my advice - keep meticulous records (I havent)  Start an exercise book (a fat one) and carry it with you when you are likely to be researching.....some way of cross referencing things you have found would also help later.  Oh - and pencils with rubbers at the end!!!