My year in review - 2011

Happy New Year to you all!

Those of you valiant people who are still subscribing to Hunting Ancestors, will no doubt fall off your chairs "My goodness, Genebrarian has posted a blog!" No doubt, you've probably forgotten that you even subscribe, since you've not had a feed to your Google Reader (or however you choose to subscribe).

I've not blogged here since March. I have three blogs in draft format unfinished.

I had to abandon the 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History blogging challenge after only eight weeks.

I also had to abandon the Daily Image 2011 that I'd joined up for on Flickr. This was a group of mainly librarians, who were posting a photo/drawing/video with themselves in it somewhere, every day (a photo blog).

I enjoy blogging. I do.  I just kept running out of time to do so. My work blog Kintalk suffered too, with me posting minimally to it in the last year. My colleagues often helping me out when the gaps between blogs got too big.

I (only) managed to complete one of the tertiary papers I signed up to do this year, but had to defer the other; which means a delay in completing my Diploma in Records Management.

This year has been somewhat fraught. Family-work-study juggling act has resulted in too many balls in the air at the same time. 

On the personal front, my husband was hospitalised twice, mother twice, father once. Fortunately, all three seem ok now (touch wood), although they all had me terribly worried for a while.

On the positive side: I ran a couple of successful blog challenges in 2011. One of them focussed on Waitangi Day, through this blog. The other a trans-Tasman ANZAC-Day focused challenge with our Australian friends, in partnership with Shelley of TwigsofYore. Wrap up of this blog challenge can be read here.

I rolled out a training programme to approximately 200 staff in the new 55 libraries group, during July and September, which meant a raised awareness of family history resources within the library group (specifically my Research Centre) and also hands-on experience of how to use our Family History eResources and databases.

As well as my regular chatty updates in the New Zealand Society of Genealogists (NZSG) magazine The Genealogist, I managed to get a Rugby World Cup themed article published in the August edition of the UK Family Tree magazine.

August was Family History Month, and I "roadshowed" around approx 28 libraries during the month, showcasing our family history pages on our website, and our Family History eResources - this time to customers.

I attended the NZSG Conference in Dunedin in June; and spoke twice at the 2011 New Zealand Family History Fair in August. One presentation went really well, the other not so well, as it was to do with genealogy for medical reasons and was a bit too close to my own family circumstances at the time.

I assisted in organising the UnlockthePast shore-based Auckland seminars, prior to their Scottish-Irish History and Genealogy Cruise in November, in partnership with the NZSG and UnlockthePast.

We also had some amazing speakers, both local and international. Our normal family history lunchtime sessions were a success, but we also had extra ones too.

I was out and about during work time, and in the evenings and at weekends speaking throughout the Auckland region for libraries and other community groups such as SeniorNet etc.

 These conferences, exhibitions and events I have attended has allowed me to network and meet many people in the genealogy/family history community. I've made some fabulous friendships which I treasure. Wonderful to have personal and professional relationships with people who share my passion.

Of course, although my blogging was scarce, I still made measured use of social media tools and forums to promote all our events, and that in itself takes a whole heap of time!

And to round off the year, I have planned next year's events up till the end of July. Keep an eye on this page of our website, for upcoming events.

When I return to work at the beginning of February, I will have another Family History month (August) to organise, and the remainder of the year!

So having written this blog now, starting out feeling bad about neglecting it, and bad about the things I didn't manage to do - I don't feel so bad now.

Its been great to write this, and realise that I did achieve quite a bit after all. Must remember to celebrate the successes! And make sure I don't try and bite off more than I can chew!

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History:- Week 8, Technology

The earthquake in Christchurch distracted all New Zealanders, and many many people worldwide, from the day-to-day activities that we would otherwise have been part of. Nothing else seemed more important to us, than what was occurring in Christchurch. It was difficult to focus on anything else.

My family were nice and safe up here in Auckland. I have friends in Christchurch, who are also safe (although their homes aren't). However, hundreds of lives have been lost, thousands of lives have been impacted. A city will never be the same again.

Somehow I didn't have the heart to blog about technology, when people had lost their lives or that of their loved ones, when they had lost their homes and businesses and way of life, when they had lost their City.

When they had no toilets, let alone technology. When many had no power, no water, no phones, no way of watching TV. All the things we take for granted in today's technology-driven world.

The pictures and the stories reminded me of what technology we take for granted. A Christchurch blogger Moata Tamaira can give you a much better run-down on what life is like down there than I - she's living it, I am watching it from the comfort of my Auckland-based sofa. She's better writer than I, managing to be witty and poignant all at the same time. Read Moata's Blog Idle if you want to know more. Its well worth the read.

But in the meantime, life goes on as it must. So as I write this reflecting on technology, I will be remembering my fellow Kiwis in Christchurch, some of whom are still going without their computers, as the electricity company struggles to get their power back on.

Week 8: Technology. What are some of the technological advances that happened during your childhood? What types of technology to you enjoy using today, and which do you avoid?

As a child growing up, life was so simple. Wasn't really aware of technology as such, on a day to day basis. Not like today's children.

When I was really young, I remember we got a home telephone. It was on a "party-line", which was shared with the neighbours. I remember times when my mother had to wait for the neighbour to get off the line before making her call. I also remember getting "crossed lines", when you could hear someone else's conversation, while having your own. Eventually, every home got their own phone line.

Nowadays, everyone has a home phone and most people also have a cellphone. Added to that you can now Skype each other using your computer - and see the person you are speaking to, even if they are over the other side of the world!

My Dad was in the Navy, and when he was away at sea we used to send him recordings on an old reel-to-reel tape recorder. I remember, singing "Sailor" to send to him once.

I vaguely remember us getting a black and white TV. I remember watching Andy Pandy on it. As I got older I remember us getting a colour TV a while after they came out. They were horrendously expensive and I know Mum and Dad got it on a rent-to-buy basis. Too expensive for us to buy outright at the time, but it had the bonus of allowing us to update our TV when the later models came out. Eventually colour TVs came down in price, and we started to buy outright. We have gone from one channel, to two - and then to four, all free to view.

Then SkyTV came to New Zealand, giving us a multitude of channels to pay for if we wish. I avoid Sky at the moment. I experienced repeated poor customer service from them, so when we decided we needed to economise, Sky was the first thing to go. Not saying it wouldn't have anyway, but it was an easy decision to make after all the hassles we'd had. Miss the History channel though . . .

We now have LCD or Plasma screens for better picture quality, and our TV signals are being digitised. The advent of digital TV means that we now have up to 19 free-to-view channels available. I'll leave it to you to decide which channels are worth watching though . . .

I'd left home I think by the time my parents bought a video recorder - but these days we have gone on to DVDs and recording TV programmes straight to hard-drive. We have a TiVo box,  which we really love.

While I was at high school, the typing classes got increasingly lighter manual typewriters, then eventually electric typewriters. By the time I left school, electronic typewriters had started to make an appearance. When I started working, one of my first purchases was an electronic typewriter with a memory and a marching display.

I've always been an early-ish adopter of new technology, and there are no technologies which I avoid as such. There's plenty I can't afford though! :-)

I'll just close by saying that I wish the people of Canterbury, their families and friends the very best. I send you my condolences - for your losses. You are in my thoughts all the time. My heart goes out to you. I wish you well in your rebuild.

Kia Kaha Canterbury.

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History:- Week 7, Toys

This week's blog challenge:

• Week 7: Toys. What was your favourite childhood toy? Is it still being made in some form today?

I was a real bookworm as a child. In fact, I use to read so much, curled up in my room, or on the sofa in the lounge, that my Dad used to often tell me to go outside and play.

Dad often brought toys back from his trips at sea - often from the States. Toys that we couldn't get in NZ. I remember when I was very young, Dad brought home a walking talking doll that was as big as me! She had curly hair, and I remember the first time I saw her walking: Dad had set her off, and she came walking into my bedroom crying "Ma-Ma, Ma-Ma". Well, I freaked out . . .  she terrified me!

As I said in the previous week, I was given a mechanical Dalek - which I thought really cool. Didn't last for long, as it broke. I played with my various Barbie dolls of course. Loving the ones with bendy knees. I use to role play, and act stories out with them; later I was to get good marks at school for my creative writing.

My Dad brought a lime green bike back from a trip, it had ape hangers and a banana seat, with "Dill Pickle" painted across its crossbar.

I remember a space hopper and a pogo stick at one point. And roller skates - I loved my roller skates. They were adjustable, strap on kind. We had a rink nearby that played disco music. I loved to dance (still do) and roller skating to music was just so much fun!

I played tennis, badminton and netball. So got a tennis racquet, badminton set and a netball at various stages of my life.

If I can't choose books, then I guess my favourite "toy" from when I was a young child, was probably my Barbie dolls (if I couldn't read books, then I could make stories up).

And when I was a young teen, it would have been my roller skates.

My daughters have had Barbie dolls of all sorts (including the Disney ones), and they have had roller blades - the boot expandable types.

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Radio & Television

This week's challenge:

Week 6: Radio and Television. What was your favorite radio or television show from your childhood? What was the program about and who was in it?

When I was still at primary school, my parents used to give me Dad's "wireless" radio to listen to on Sunday mornings. My "treat" was that I was allowed to lie in bed and listen to the morning stories. Stories such as Molly Woppy, Sparky and the Talking Train, Diana and the Golden Apple, Little Toot, and songs such as Flick the Fire Engine etc.

I thought it was a fabulous treat . . . of course it was a ploy to keep me in bed longer! And it worked!


TV: I was a big Doctor Who fan growing up. "My" Doctor was Jon Pertwee. The Daleks and the Cybernauts were my favourite baddies. I used to hide behind the couch when they came on (as nearly ever child my age did no doubt). I remember being given a toy Dalek, which another child broke (I never broke my own toys, others always did it for me). It was never quite the same for me when Tom Baker took over.

I also loved Follyfoot Farm. I love all animals, and I was a huge horse fan. Used to spend hours drawing horses. Reading horse books. Watching any programmes that had horses in it.

I also loved Lassie (dogs), Daktari (lions), Flipper (dolphins), and Skippy (the bush kangaroo).


I rarely missed an episode of the Tomorrow People. They use to "jaunt" everywhere  - hold on to their belts and disappear from one place and reappear in another. I remember the shaggy 70s haircuts and bell bottom.

Star Trek, Space 1999 were also huge. Not sure if I was a SciFi fan as such, or if it was just people had such a fascination with space due to the Moon landings, that those are the programmes that were made. Interestingly, my husband's father was an electrician who did "special effects" on Space 1999, (he also did Alien - which is another story).

Then there was an Australian convict drama I used to love called Against the Wind, it starred Jon English and he also sung the theme song "Six Ribbons". I was a teen then, and had a wee crush on Jon. Loved his moody eyes etc.

Wow - walk down memory street or what?

Waitangi Day Blog Challenge - Your earliest known New Zealand ancestor

I set this challenge, after seeing the huge success of the similar Australian blog challenge set by Shelley of Twigs of Yore, I thought I'd better contribute myself. I'm terribly embarrassed that this is so late, but had a very sick husband to contend with.

The challenge was to write a blog about your earliest NZ ancestor:

• How different is our life from that of your early NZ ancestors? (settler or Maori)
• What stories can you tell us about their lives? 

or 

• If you are first generation New Zealander or maybe a new Kiwi, perhaps you might like to tell us of your first impressions of New Zealand, and your experiences of settling in here; and how Kiwi traditions and culture differs from your own.

I wasn't born here, but definitely consider myself a Kiwi. I was born in Plymouth in England, and we emigrated to New Zealand when I was about four years old.

Dad was in the Royal Navy, and had had various postings around the UK and world. We had a spell in Bahrain when I was about two. Returning to England, I was plagued with chronic chest infections, tonsilitis etc.  The advice was to emigrate to a warmer climate.

Dad wanted Canada, as we had relatives there. Mum fancied New Zealand. She knew of people that had been there. So New Zealand it was. Dad transferred to the New Zealand Navy. More sensible idea probably - New Zealand's climate is more temperate, especially the North Island.

It was the late (19)60s, so we were hardly early settlers, but nevertheless moving to the other side of the world away from your family and starting again, in those days was still pretty admirable.

I don't really remember life much prior to arriving in New Zealand. Vague snatches of memory, that might not be true memories - could be implanted memories through hearing so many stories.

We lived in Devonport, Auckland. My early memories in New Zealand, are of beaches, and hot sunny summers. Freedom climbing trees.

We went back to the UK when I was eight. My sister had been born by then (a true Kiwi), and my mother was in the early stages of pregnancy. We were returning as "married accompanied".

Dad was one of the crew taking the HMNZS Blackpool back to the UK to be decommissioned; and would be returning later with the newly commissioned HMNZS Canterbury.

My memories of the UK then, are of being cold and damp. Snow, rain and greyness.

I also have memories of family. This trip enabled me to meet family again but this time, I would be able to remember them as I was older.

We spent time with my paternal grandfather Hedley, and my godfather who was also my great-uncle Jim. My Aunty Eve, and my Great-Aunty Maggie; and a variety of cousins.

Dad was again stationed at various places around the UK:- Portsmouth and Gosport are the two I remember the best in England; and Edinburgh in Scotland.

In Scotland, I got to spend time with my mother's parents. I lived with my maternal grandparents for a while, when my parents wanted to ensure I had settled schooling for a period. My grandparents lived in Corstorphine, and I was very proud of my school uniform which was a grey pinafore with white blouse and a tie. I got to meet my Scots Uncle and Aunty, and my cousins too.

My brother and sister were born in Edinburgh - my mother unexpectedly had twins! These were pre-scan days, and so they were a real surprise. The twins were the first babies born to a crew member that were christened on board HMNZS Canterbury. Not the first babies sadly, a non-crew member bet us to it. All their names are engraved on the ships bell, which is now in the naval museum.

Returning to New Zealand, I remember being very ill. I had a tummy upset, which I blamed at the time on the fact that I was made to eat pease pudding, which I hated. Turned out to be a bug though.

Dad sailed back with the Canterbury of course; so my poor mother had a (sick) eight year old, a two year old, and twins who were only a few months old, to cope with on the very long flights home!

Arriving back in New Zealand was confusing. We drove to the "Navy Pool House" that we would be living in, and found some kind soul had unpacked it for us and put everything away. I remember seeing my sister's Elephant Ride-On and saying "I thought Dumbo was in New Zealand".

Being back in New Zealand again evokes memories of sunshine, beaches and freedom. Again, we were in Auckland.

However, we soon moved to Wellington, when Dad arrived back, and lived there for a number of years. Wellington was cooler and damper, but still had glorious summers.

I remember Mum telling stories of little faux pas, that were made in the early days. In England, you would buy corned beef. When Mum bought the equivalent here, she found it very tough and salty. In the UK, she'd have slow roasted it in the oven. Course here, its corned silverside, and its slowly pot roasted (preferably in a crockpot).

Then there is the confusing "bring a plate" instruction, when coming to someone's house. Even more confusing is the "bring a bottle". Fortunately, with more frequent international travel and the influence of TV, these instructions are not so confusing these days.

I went back to the UK again, when I was 26. Felt my roots calling me, wanted to visit family, and wanted to travel.

First sensation, getting off a tube in Victoria Station, was the panicked feeling of claustrophobia. Too many people, feeling crushed. People seemed shorter. The streets were dirty, dusty. But I also felt awestruck - gorgeous heritage buildings, so much history.

I was in the UK for 11 years. During that time, I met my husband, and brought him back to New Zealand for a few visits. I saw New Zealand through the eyes of a tourist. Beautiful country, clean, green, gorgeous scenery. Friendly people.

When our girls were born, we realised what NZ had to offer for families. Its a family-friendly country. Parks are clean and free of litter and dog pooh (no syringes, cigarette butts or condoms either). We could let our girls down to play. The malls and shops all had decent parent and baby rooms. (I remember trying to breastfeed the girls in Debenhams in Kingston upon Thames, in a mother and baby room which was little more than a window-less cupboard with a chair in it).

That trip was the decider for us. I was coming home, and bringing my family with me. 

– My "One large and two small souvenirs of my big OE"!

See other Waitangi Day Blogs on Facebook.

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History:- Week 5, Favourite Food

This week's blog challenge:

Week 5: Favorite Food. What was your favorite food from childhood? If it was homemade, who made it? What was in this dish, and why was it your favorite? What is your favorite dish now?

Food was largely plain when I was growing up. New Zealand in the 1970s didn't have lot of choices in the shops. Cooking was largely bland, with few people experimenting. Our home wasn't that different, I expect.

However, one thing my mum cooked that I loved, was a sweet curry. True, it was a tamed down version of curry, but curry it was nonetheless.

She used to make it with chicken, and put sultanas, apples, pears, bananas - oh whatever she got her hands on, in it. I loved it. Mum had learned to cook it when Dad was stationed in Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf (when he was still in the Royal Navy). We lived there for a couple of years from when I was about two.

The weather was very hot there of course, and the idea was to eat hot spicy food to bring your internal body temperature up to your external body temperature.

I still love sweet currys (although spicier than when I was a child). I love the fact that you can get so many different ingredients, and eat food from so many different ethnicities.

My favourite food of choice though, is Italian food. Not so much the pastas and pizzas, but the other Italian dishes. I just love the mix of herbs, spices - the sauces etc.

I do cook a mean lasagne actually, so I am told by anyone who has it. I usually cook a beef lasagne, although I have been known to whip up a vegetable lasagne when we have a vegetarian come over for dinner.

I love the Kiwi barbecue. My husband, who is English, has a Kiwi soul. And even before I'd brought him back to NZ for a visit, he could cook a barbecue better than most people I know. We like meats with marinades, yummy potato salads, and I do a green salad that has so many different ingredients in it: sweetcorn kernels, egg, cheese, tomatoes, beetroot, cucumber, peppers, grated carrot - and lettuce (mesculin preferably).

Now its 11.30pm and all this talk of food has made my tummy rumble . . . I'm hungry!

Waitangi Day Blog ChallengeYour earliest known New Zealand ancestor

Recently our Australian cousins have all been encouraged to blog about their earliest piece of research about an Australian ancestor in celebration of Australia Day (see Shelley’s blog at Twigs of Yore)

We think this is a terrific idea and have noticed that it has provoked participation from loads of people.

Waitangi Day, on February 6, is our national day.

Its intent is to celebrate a bringing together of the peoples of New Zealand and its usually a family day. Often we spend it on the beach, or maybe have a barbecue with family and friends.

We'd like to invite you to write a blog - post the link to your blog in the discussion board on our Facebook page.

If you don't have a blog, perhaps post your story itself within this discussion board instead. Just click reply.

Write about:

* How different is our life from that of your early NZ ancestors? (settler or Maori)

* What stories can you tell us about their lives?

or

If you are first generation New Zealander or maybe a new Kiwi, perhaps you might like to tell us of your first impressions of New Zealand, and your experiences, of settling in here; and how Kiwi traditions and culture differs from your own.

If you are on Twitter, you can follow the hashtag #waitangiblog for updates and alerts.

Please join us, we’d be interested in hearing your stories!