Grave tales – Alstonville

Alstonville is a lovely town on the way to Lismore from Ballina on the northern rivers area of New South Wales. As with most towns along the north coast, the settlers were attracted by the plentiful supply of red cedar, a sought after timber for the colony and the export industry. Land was selected inContinue reading “Grave tales – Alstonville”

Love letters from the front

Yesterday the Australian War Memorial announced a request for volunteers to assist them to transcribe thousands of love letters written between soldiers and their loved ones at home during the major conflicts. I signed up to the website and started to transcribe a letter from Dorothy Williams to her love Malcolm ‘Mac’ Keshan. The letterContinue reading “Love letters from the front”

Christmas Conversations

Christmas is a great time to have a conversation with family members about family history. Chatting about family stories with older family members while gathered is an important element to gathering clues to help piece together an ancestor’s life. My grandfather Frederick James Peeling was born in Shepherds Bush, London on 19 May 1908, toContinue reading “Christmas Conversations”