Geneameme: Accentuate the Positive 2015

I initially ignored GeniAus Jill's mention of a Geneameme to accentuate the positive genealogy achievements during 2015.  I had a Geneabreak in 2015 due to other commitments so did not feel that there would be anything to contribute.

However, when I started thinking back through the year,  I realised that although I have completed less research and written less blogs than normal, that I did still have positive genealogy achievements;

Photos were removed from plastic and
are now in Archival Albums

Precious family photos

My lovely Aunty has allowed me to borrow my grandparents photo albums.  I have moved the photos from the plastic coated albums into archival photo albums and archival storage crates, which I wrote about here.  I have scanned many of the pictures previously but I am now going through them again and scanning them all front and back.  As my research and knowledge has increased,  I have a greater understanding about many of the photos now.  They will be the source of blogs for many years to come!  I have a very long list of future topics now :)


An Ancestors Grave I found

In June we went on a Geneaholiday and visited the Daylesford/Creswick/Maryborough/Ballarat area, where my father's maternal and paternal family originally settled in the 1860s.  It was a great trip to visit the places where my ancestors had lived.  We visited many cemeteries and located many graves but the highlight for me would have been locating the unmarked grave in Ballarat cemetery of 5 of my Drayton family relatives, including my Great Great Grandmother and Great Great Great Grandfather.  I am in the process of  writing a blog about the family and erecting a headstone with QR coding (which I wrote about here) linked to the blog.  I am also very proud of the relatives who have donated money to assist me in this endeavour, which will be finalised in 2016.

A newly found family member

As a result of my blog,  I have been contacted by two family members during 2015, who are able to provide me with additional information and photos.  I need to do a trip to SA (but don't get enough annual leave each year for all the trips I want to do in 2016!)

2015 Blogs

I was very surprised to see that I wrote as many as 20 blogs during 2015. The blog that was read the most during 2015 was "How do you record your research leads for follow up?".  This was followed by an ANZAC day post; "Cards from the Front".
My personal favourite blog post for 2015 contains photos of famous airplanes and reminiscing about my Grandmother. How amazing for her to see pilot Sir Charles Kingsford Smith land the Southern Cross at Nhill!; "Did Charles Kingsford Smith inspire my grandmother to travel?"

Other Achievements during the year

1.     My Christmas present to myself was ordering 3 DNA kits, to test my mother, father and husband.  I am eagerly awaiting the results, which should be available very soon!  This will certainly be a new learning curve for me in 2016!

2.     I successfully completed the SAG Certificate in Genealogical Research while working 55-60 hours per week in my paid job.  I would love to do the Diploma but just don't think I can fit it in with my other commitments at the present.

3.     I have started collating a spreadsheet listing the details (as precise as I can be from census records etc) of the addresses/towns that my ancestors lived in.  This is in preparation for a research trip to UK

4.     I have joined Toastmasters to improve my public speaking skills as my goals include becoming more involved in the local family history group and to start speaking to local community groups about Family History.

So all things considered,  I have had a successful year from a genealogy, personal and professional perspective as I am very proud to have won a national industry award relating to my day job during 2015, which will keep me busy in 2016.  That said, I really did miss researching family history and writing blogs during 2015 so will attempt to rectify that in 2016 and I am off to a good start!