Genealogy stuff

Australasian Section
Trove: The National Library of Australia database (link)

Searching for Australian Indigenous family history (link)

Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders family tree resources (link)

Queensland State Archives (link)

AIATSIS Family History section is a good index for other sources (link)
colsec: NSW Colonial Secretary Index (link)
Wills, probate and intestacies in family history index from QLD gov (link)
The National Archives of Australia (link) 285164
Australian War Memorial: Service (link)
Brisbane City Council: Grave location database (link)
Queensland Government: Births Deaths and Marriages (link)
Queensland Immigration passenger lists: (link)
Tweed - Gold Coast Family History Heritage Assn (link)
NSW Government:  Births Deaths and Marriages (link)
NSW State Records/Archives (link)
Victorian Public Record Office (link)

Ballarat Genealogy Society (link)
Tasmanian Govt. Heritage service LINC (link) & Lower Court records for Wynyard (link p268)
Founders and Survivors - Tasmanian convicts, research partnership (link)
Female Convicts Research Centre (link) and their conference series (link)
A reference for Tasmanian Convict Record Abbreviations (link)
Telstra White Pages (link)
First Families 2001 archive on Pandora  (link)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (link)
World War 2 Nominal Roll for men and women who served in Australia's defence forces and Merchant Navy (link)
Family History Index at the State Library of Queensland (link)
Austcemindex: A partial cemetery index with inscriptions and photos recorded (link)
RootsWeb (link)
FindMyPast (link) & Irish specific section (link)
Australian Convict Records community (link)
Immigration and shipping records NSW (link)
Online microfilm of shipping lists (link)
Coraweb genealogy resource website (link)
A link to the South Australian bdm archives via Genealogy SA(link)
The Society of Australian Genealogists (link)
New Zealand: Births Deaths and Marriages (link)
New Zealand: Newspaper archives (link)

Ireland/UK Section
Irish Military Archives (link)
The National Library of Ireland has put Irish Catholic parish registers online (registers.nli.ie link)
The Irish Genealogy site (hosted by the dept of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltact) (link)
Genealogy section of National Archives: (link)
The genealogy section of the National Archives of Ireland (link)
Wills and Administrations 1858 - 1920 at National Archives of Ireland (link)
Tithe Applotment Books at National Archives of Ireland (link)
National Archives: Census of Ireland 1901/1911 (link)
Valuation Office Books - Primary (or Griffith’s) Valuation Office Books covering 1824 to 1856 from the National Archives site (link)
The really excellent Irish-Genealogy-Toolkit (link)
Irish Graveyards - incomplete listing (link), also see Interment (link) and Findagrave.com (link)
Co. Kerry Cemetery Records (link)
Property Registration Authority of Ireland, Registry of Deeds (link) with mapping facility to land titles (Landdirect.ie)
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (link)
UK GRO (General Register Office - link)
RIC Members at National Archives of UK (link)
UK National Archives: passenger lists emigration (link)
Useful links and background from the Irish Times (link)
Griffith's Valuation, property and tenants lists 1847-1864 (link)
Manuscript archive containing rateable valuation information of all property in the state from mid 1850s until the early 1990s (link)

Townlands of Kerry: Barony, Parish, Union (link)

Irish Emigration Database (link)
The Irish General Register Office (link)
The LDS's amazing Familysearch.org (link)
UK National Archives "Discovery" tool (link)
UK National Archives Digital Microfilm project (link) warning, each file approx 400Mb in size.
Irish Newspaper Archive (link) - account required.
Stoke Damerel, Devon GENUKI (link)
The Free UK Genealogy Project (link)
FreeBDM transcription project for Civil Registration indices (freebdm.org.uk | link)
Graham and Emma Maxwell's Scotland Census, prison and court records, Quaker registers, mental health institution records at: (link)
Scotland's People: Govt genealogical site (link) - example article (link)
National Records of Scotland (link)

Americas Section
US Immigrant records from ship manifests, Ellis Island passenger search (link)
US Library of Congress: Newspapers from 1789-1963 (link)
Digital Public Library of America (link)
HathiTrust Index, Catalogue and   Digital Library (link)

Europe Section
Europeana digitisation initiative of EU (link)


General Learning
YYYY/A1234 references are QLD BDM index
A1234/YYYY references are NSW BDM index
Genie work is both intriguing and frustrating. In the modern era we are showered with an ever growing collection of wonderful databases for discovering and triangulating the identities and careers of our forebears. However many of these databases are often populated with erroneous information, sometimes due to software errors, sometimes human.
For example:
Death notices where the parents names are filled by birth location: Herbert's record in the Queensland database.
Misspelling: Kathleen/Catherine
People using their second name as their first name: Edna/Eileen
Misspelling: Mary Ann Andrews / Andrew
Ommision of a maiden name: Mary Ann Irwin
No record of Father's name (e.g. for Hector Arthur)
Various native spellings used because people didn't know or didn't hold to a single standard spelling because their surname was prior to an agreed spelt form (e.g. Clarke, Clark, Clerk)

Some personal notes:
Relevant posts on ancestry.com (link)

Rowing, morning on the Liffey

I love this image of one of the crews I row with. A moment of morning stillness on the river while Dublin is still sleepy. Probably taken in spring time or early summer (in the northern hemisphere the sun can be up a good while before any reasonable waking hour but rowers are early risers). Quiet and not puff of wind. The water all the way out into Dublin Bay and the Irish Sea beyond is calm. 

Old Collegians VIII, heading East, seaward, passing the Samuel Beckett Bridge, River Liffey, Dublin

The tide and timing needs to be just right do do this. The tide should be higher than usual, filling the lower reach of the Liffey, peaking ideally around 8 or 8.30am. The crew `slip the weir' (portage the VIII) at Islandbridge. Then with the tide still filling we take the familiar route the the mouth of the river. We'll turn after the Tom Clarke Bridge (the East-Link), taking care not to encroach on the harbour master's domain which is generally agreed starts opposite the Alexandra Basin. Then we row back up to Islandbridge. We pass under twenty bridges each way, some new, some old. 

The river gods of Ireland, sculpted by Edward Smyth, stare down from Gandon's Custom House. The god of the Liffey is the keystone head on O'Connell Bridge and the O'Donovan Rossa Bridge beside the Four Courts hosts six keystone heads on each side of its three arches "Plenty, Anna Liffey and Industry gaze eastwards to the bay, and Commerce, Hibernia and Peace watch over the city to the west." (link). 

On a very high tide the O'Donovan Rossa can be tricky as the river fills toward the top of the arches. Like many of the Liffey's bridges you'll feel like ducking your head. Trust your cox. The centre arch is safest but even so your oars may brush the stone on either side (to get a feel for how tight it can be have a look at Oona Tully's photograph of the bridge at high tide link). 

I love the echoing boom when you pass under low arching bridges. The sound like a drumbeat, the splash of the oars, the run of the boat, audio reflections in the confines under the arch. A moment of crisp feedback for the crew before launching into the light on the other side.

Reminders to useful Final Cut tips

More German

Total German With Thomas Michel 2 CD
Meine Übungssätze: My practice sentences:

Ich kann Sie nicht sehr gut verstehe: I cannot understand you well.
Wollen Sie es mir bringen: Do you want to bring it to me?
Können Sie es mir heute bringen: Can you bring it to me today?
Wir haben es: We have it.
Wir haben es nicht: We don't have it.
Warum haben Sie es nicht: Why don't you have it?
Warum haben Sie es nicht für mich: Why don't you have it for me?
Ich muss es haben: I must have it. I have to have it.
Es tut mir leid Ich haben es nicht: I'm sorry I do not have it.
I kann es leider jetzt nicht tun: I can not unfortunately do it now.
Es tut mir leid aber Ich haber es nicht fur Sie jetzt. I'm sorry I don't have it for you yet.
I kann nicht es Ihnen jetzt bringen: I cannot bring it to you now (Ihnen - you - to you)
Ich habe es jetzt nicht: I don't have it yet.

An email...

Hallo Michaela

Vielen Dank. 

Ich werde für den Besuch im Liudgerhaus übernachten.

Ja, bitte, ein Schreibtisch wäre schön. Bei so vielen Besuchern wird es interessant.

(Ich hoffe mein Deutsch ist verständlich.)

Pass auf dich und bis bald.

And translated...

Hello Michaela

Thanks very much.

I will be staying at the Liudger House for the visit.

Yes please, a desk would be nice. With so many visitors, it gets interesting.

(I hope my German is understandable.)

Take care and see you soon.

Boardgames for adult Christmas stockings

Cards Against Humanity
The Resistance
Pandemic
Skull
Zombie Dice

For adults now!
I am a fan of 'selectively curated' versions of Cards Against Humanity, aiming to keep the humour on the right side of potty. Cards Against Humanity (a nasty game for nasty people) is one of the most interesting and innovative games created in the last decade. It's origin, development, and continuing story is fascinating (see the Wikipedia article). It is a game for both large and small groups, and really cashes in on 'clever thinking' of players matching 'responses' to the 'prompt'. Very very rude and deeply offensive, however I have crafted a 'Irish Mammy's' version and a friend has also made a 'University not so PC' version.


Another game I like is Pandemic. A cooperative game, you play against the system and very difficult to win. It says 2-4 players but more can take part as players tend to discuss and strategise, and because you're all on one team really, fighting against viruses and plagues that relentlessly multiply and spread around the world. This game is a modern classic. It takes about 45' to play through, after which you want to play it again again as you delude yourself into thinking "next time I won't get my ass whipped".


The next are two of my favourite casual games that can be carried around in the bottom of a backpack and brought out in a lonely pub on the Western fringe of civilisation with an Atlantic gale proving that water falls upwards.
Skull -
Zombie Dice -
Both amenable to drinking punishments.


Oh, and The Resistance.
If you like Werewolf and hidden identity games then the Resistance is one of the best new reboots of the hidden identity mechanic. It also scales well to larger groups.

Zugspitze Trip

St.-Martin-Straße 40, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany (map-link)
1/2 day snowboarding lessons with Skischule Garmisch-Partenkirchen approx €54 (link)
Zugspitze News (link)
Summit cams on Zugspitz (link)
Check the weather conditions via livecams in Garmisch Partenkirchen (link)
Christmas markets (link)
Susanna Kelly (the wandering chocobo) wrote an informative post on travelling from Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen 

Notes on German
I want to practice speaking German. Ok vielen Dank :-) Wir hoffen auch auf Schnee.

German at Work Post-Beginners 1: Deutsch am Arbeitsplatzhttps://www.futurelearn.com/courses/german-1/3/steps/422408

Focus - at level A1/A2 of the Common European Framework.

Topics:

• meeting people in a work context
• introducing yourself and others
• dealing with time and dates
• speaking on the telephone
• talking about professions and daily work routine
• travelling
• understanding and writing basic emails
• work and leisure.

Motivation:
What made you decide to join the course? I am travelling to Germany and wish to improve my basic German language skills.
Why do you want to learn work-related German? I also work with colleagues at a University in Germany so would like to follow work-related conversations rather than having to ask them or expect them to converse in English.
What do you want to be able to do with your knowledge of German? I would really like to navigate confidently through the Deutsche Bahn, to order food and shop.

Exercises:

Meine Muttersprache ist Englisch. Meine Arbeitsprache ist auch Englisch. Ich spreche ein bischen Japanisch. Ich lerne zurzeit Deutsch und Japanisch.
Wie heißen Sie? - What is your name?
Seit wann wohen Sie schon in Warschau? - (time) from when you are living in Warsaw?
Ich habe eine interessant Arbeit - I have an interesting job.
Ich bin Progammierer bei IBM - I am a programmer at IBM.
Habt ihr auch alle interessante Jobs? - Do you have any interesting jobs?
Mein Vater kommt aus der Ukraine, aber meine Mutter ist Chinesin. - My father (he) comes from the Ukraine but my mother comes from China.
Wirklich? Ihr seid eine sehr multikulturelle Familie! - Really, you are a very multicultural family.

Darf ich vorstellen? Das ist... / Das sind... - May I introduce? This is...

Verben im Präsens - Regular verb kommen - come

ich komme           |        wir kommen

du kommst           |        ihr kommt

er/sie/es kommt    |       sie kommen / Sie kommen

ich - I

du - you (familiar)

er - he

sie - she

es - it

wir - we

ihr - you (familiar plural)

sie - they

Sie - you (formal singular+plural)

Verben im Präsens - Regular verb wohnen - live

ich wohne           |        wir wohnen

du wohnst           |        ihr wohnt

er/sie/es wohnt    |       sie wohnen / Sie wohnen

Verben im Präsens - Regular verb heißen - called

ich heiße             |        wir heißen

du heißt              |        ihr heißt

er/sie/es heißt     |       sie heißen / Sie heißen

Verben im Präsens - Regular verb sprechen - speak

ich spreche         |        wir sprechen

du sprichst          |        ihr sprecht

er/sie/es spricht  |       sie sprechen / Sie sprechen

Irregular Verbs:

Verben im Präsens - Irregular verb sein - be / to be

ich bin                |        wir sind

du bist                |        ihr seid

er/sie/es ist         |       sie sind / Sie Sind

Verben im Präsens - Irregular verb haben - have

ich habe             |        wir haben

du hast               |        ihr habt

er/sie/es hat       |       sie heißen / Sie haben

Ich heiße Allen.
Ich komme du Deutschland mit meine Sohn.
Wir wohnen in Dublin, Ireland.
Wir sind urlauben in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Hast du hat besucht in Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

Tools:

Google Translate (link)

SpeakPipe audio recording service (link)

VoiceSpice online voice recorder (link)

SoundCloud online audio recording and archive (link)

Typing special characters in German: e.g. Ä =Ae, ä=ae, Ö=Oe, ö=oe, Ü =Ue, ü=ue, ß=ss

Vocab:

Wort - word

Muttersprache - mother tongue

Schreiben Sie in die Lücken - write in the boxes

Zweit - second

Arbeits - work

sind - are
Ich lerne zurzeit - I am currently learning
zurzeit - currently/ now time

Meine - my

Grüß Gott - (formal) good day

Hallo - (informal) hello

Grüß dich - (informal) hello there

Guten Morgen - (formal) good morning

Guten Tag - (formal) good day

Grüß euch / Grüßt euch - (informal) good day

Wir können uns gerne duzen - (informal) we are happy to be with you/communicate 

Servis - (informal) hi/goodbye

Tschüss - (informal) goodbye

aber - but

Wohnung - flat/apartment

wohnen - live/stay

jetzt - now

geboren - born

andere - other

ursprünglich - originally

Verben - verbs

Präsens - present tense

schreiben - write

Sätze - sentences

urlauben - holidaying, vacationing

Wählen Sie aus - you should choose from

ursprünglich - originally

zusammen - together
Sich vorstellen - introduce yourself
Ich bin verheiratet - I am married
Ich bin ledig -  I am single
Ich habe einen Freundin -  I have a girlfriend
Ich habe ein Freund - I have a boyfriend
der Sohn – die Söhne - son / sons
die Tochter – die Töchter - daughter / daughters
das Kind – die Kinder - child / children
Ich habe mich verlaufen. Können Sie mir helfen? - I've gotten lost. Can you help me?
richtig - true 
falsch - false

Over the weir... Sat Oct 6th 2018

Lower reach of the Liffey. Oct 2018 from Allen Higgins on Vimeo.

Rowing, VIII, masters rowing, River Liffey, Islandbridge