New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries in 1852

While our focus is often on the prison era of the St Helena Penal Establishment from 1867, the previous 15 years saw St Helena Island used as a quarantine site. Moreton Bay settlement was opened up to free immigrants in 1842 and in doing so it became exposed to outbreaks of disease the immigrants brought with them on the ships. The story of these immigrant … Continue reading New arrivals, new stories and old mysteries in 1852

100 years ago – ANZAC Day and perspective

2020 starts with us all commemorating Anzac Day in new and different ways than tradition has dictated for over 100 years. This year, we’ve lined our driveways and listened to the last post on our iPhones with our family. My way of commemorating was spend the day delving back into WWI by accessing Ancestry’s military collection which had free access over the weekend. The experience … Continue reading 100 years ago – ANZAC Day and perspective

100 years ago – 1920 to 2020

It’s 2020!  The beginning of a new decade always brings a sense of excitement and possibility. Psychologically we’re entering a new chapter that seems to be an open book in front of us, waiting to be written in. Numerically 2020 has a nice ring to it through the repetition of numbers. I thought I’d start this year reviving an old, annual tradition from the time … Continue reading 100 years ago – 1920 to 2020