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Launch of Queensland WWII Historic Places website

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Queensland WWII Historic Places website launched

A website which will map more than 1000 Queensland sites of significance from World War II has been launched in Brisbane today ahead of annual Anzac Day celebrations. 

Queensland WWII Historic Places website contains over 500 citations on defined places and will document the location of up to 1000 additional sites of significance within the state. 

http://www.ww2places.qld.gov.au

Photo: Anzac Memorial, Brisbane, ca. 1939 (Source: Picture Queensland)

ABC podcast: Who Counts? A history of the census

ABC Radio's Rear Vision program examines the history of the census in Australia, Great Britain and the United States of America.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/rearvision/stories/2011/3279033.htm

Guests include:

• Beth Wright - Historian of the Australian Census. Worked for the Australian Bureau of Statistics for many years
• Edward Higgs - Historian of the British Census. Professor of History, University of Essex
• Margo Anderson - Historian of the US Census. Prof of History and Urban Studies, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

ABC podcast: Indigenous family history - Townsville Libraries

Indigenous Resource Officer Janeese Henaway talks to ABC North Queensland Radio regarding the role of Townsville Libraries in assisting locals to trace their Indigenous heritage.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2011/06/16/3245433.htm

NEW: Over 500,000 British Militia service records - Findmypast

Findmypast.co.uk has just released 500,000 militia service records between 1805 and 1915. The militia was a volunteer force of part-time soldiers.

Free access to Findmypast is available onsite at the State Library of Queensland.

http://www.slq.nnub.net

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Portal

Launched in December 2010, the State Library of Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Portal brings together information on resources, events and collections of interest to Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders, Indigenous Knowledge Centres and other public libraries, and general users interested in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander related matters.

http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/info/ind

Shipboard diaries and family history

Shipboard diaries can be a fantastic resource for family historians as they provide a fascinating insight into life and conditions on board migrant vessels.

The State Library of Queensland's John Oxley Library collection contains many shipboard diaries. A sample of six shipboard diaries have been digitised and can be viewed online.

These include:

• Diary of Maria Steley, aged 14, written on board the ship “Ariadne” and at the North Stradbroke Island quarantine camp between 6 October 1863 and 23 February 1864. In this diary, Maria records daily activities on board ship, as well as ‘useful hints’ addressed to a friend about what to bring when migrating to Australia.
• Diary of William A Smith written on board the ship “Young Australia” between 9 May and 13 August 1864. Smith describes the activities that passengers were engaged in during the voyage, such as reading, gambling, cards, drafts and chess.

 http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/coll/qhist/more/shipdiaries

You can find other shipboard diaries by searching "Manuscripts Queensland"  - http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/coll/qhist/manq

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For more family history news and events check out the State Library of Queensland's Family History Nnub - http://slq.nnub.net or follow us on Twitter -  http://twitter.com/#!/nnub_slq 

NEW: Brisbane City Council Heritage Database

The Brisbane City Council Heritage Database allows you to search for places, heritage buildings and places of significance. You can find physical details, historical information, builder, architectural period and style plus photographs.

The advanced search page can be used to combine search elements and refine or limit a heritage search.

http://heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/heritage_register/termsAccept.do

Australian War Graves Photographic Archives - ABC podcast

Listen to military historian, Matt Smith talking to 612 ABC Brisbane Radio about  the Australian War Graves Photographic Archives project and website.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2011/11/10/3361615.htm

English medieval genealogy - useful website

Tracing your English ancestry back to medieval times is no easy feat. The website "Some notes on English medieval genealogy" is a great place to start. This site provides you with links to useful resources such as manorial records, parish registers, charters, heralds' visitations, probate records and more.

http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/

UK Apprentice Books now on Ancestry

Ancestry has recently released a new collection of records - UK Apprentice Books 1710-1811.

This collection contains registers of the money received for the payment on taxes for an apprentice’s indenture between 1710-1811. The registers kept track of the money paid by masters of a trade to have an apprentice. The dates in the records are for when the tax was paid and may be some years after the apprenticeship, not when it started or finished.

Until 1752, the apprentice’s parents’ names were included, but afterward are rare. The records include:

• Sum received
• Name of master
• Address of master
• Trade
• Name of apprentice
• Date of articles of apprenticeship

Above text was taken directly from the Ancestry Library Edition website.

Free access to Ancestry's Library Edition is available in the reading rooms of the State Library of Queensland. Access is also available at most public libraries and family/local history societies.