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"If you cannot get rid
of the family skeleton,
you may as well make
it dance"
George Bernard Shaw
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Holding a family reunion
Compiled from notes supplied by the lovely Leone Fabre
In August 1995, I held a successful family reunion to celebrate the 200th birthday of my ancestor John Norman
and I have since held another reunion. The key to being successful is being organised and planning well in advance.
The schedule for the reunion was as follows:
Questionnaire to family members
I sent out a questionnaire (with loads of questions I wanted answered) to all members
of the family that I was going to have the reunion on. The questionnaire has spaces for names and addresses, etc.
It's amazing how many people actually filled in those questions and gave me so much more information. When I received
most of them back, I ran up a database of all the names and addresses.
Decide how, when, where and theme of the family reunion
I had my reunion as a "200th birthday" for the original family member arriving in Victoria. We were
to first meet at the St Kilda Cemetery to view his grave, then for lunch at a local hotel. Consider the implications
of unpleasant weather on the day of your reunion and make alternate plans (if necessary).
Send first letter to family members
The first letter was sent out about six months before the reunion, using the names and addresses from the database
I had created earlier. I asked if people could give me any more contacts, plus if they could give me an idea of
the number of people that would be interested.
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JOHN NORMAN
born August 6 1795
in Grandborough, Buckinghamshire, England
Died August 16 1868
in Prahran, Victoria, Australia
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To all descendants of John NORMAN and his wife Ann SPRIGGS.
This year marks the 200th birthday of John NORMAN. I would like to mark this special occasion
by having a family get together on Sunday August 6th 1995.
Circle this date on your calendar now!
At this stage we will be meeting at the St Kilda cemetery to see the restored headstone of John
NORMAN and a few of the other family headstones. The suggestion is to then have lunch at a restaurant or hotel
where we can rekindle family ties.
I welcome your thoughts and suggestions on my proposal to celebrate the 200th birthday of John
Norman!
Would you please contact me by June 1st 1995.
Contact details go here (your name, address, phone, mobile, email)
Information that is required from you:
- Names and addresses of any NORMAN descendants that your know of.
- If you intend be part of the family gathering
- Any thoughts or ideas for the day?
- Do you have any memorabilia that you could share with us on the day?
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Prepare flyer and advertise the reunion
Once you are sure there is sufficient interest to hold the reunion, you should prepare a flyer and send it to
any local genealogical societies, as they often print such items in their journals. This needs to be done well
in advance, as many journals are only produced quarterly.
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NORMAN FAMILY GATHERING
Sunday August 6 1995
To celebrate the 200th birthday of John NORMAN
John NORMAN born August 6 1795 BKM England
married Ann SPRIGGS in 1823, BKM England
Their children:
Charlotte, Edmund, Newman, Eliza, Adam, Leah, Emma and Hannah
The NORMAN family arrived in Australia on board the "MANCHESTER"
in 1849, sailing from Plymouth in September 1848
Family names the children married into:
FROST, WOOD, TITLEY, REECE, SMITH & KEMPTON
Other connected names are:
JAMES, HEWITT, SUMMERS, OVERTON, PETERSON, DELANEY, CLACY, MORRELL, LAWN, BANBURY, NAISMITH,
DUNMORE, PASCO, BANNERMAN, MEEHAN, WELLS, WILLINGHAM, McCARTON, TULLOCH, ROBERTS, FABRE, HARBERT, BROWN, O'MARA,
CROWLE, HIGGS, SWAIN, DUTNEALL, POWELL, LAWLESS & ARNOLD
Some of the areas resided were:
Korweingeboora, Malvern, St Kilda, Prahran, Murrumbeena, Drouin, Musk Creek & Daylesford
FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact:
Your contact details (name, address, phone, mobile, email)
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Send second letter to family members
This letter was sent out about two months before the reunion. I actually wrote in the letter that I was thanking
family members who had given their time taking photo's etc, but in reality, I hadn't received much at all. I put
it in this letter hoping that it would spurt some others on and also to make the odd one or two feel a tad guilty
for not giving me any information. It worked, and I got a heap of information!
Another little idea I have used when asking for information on living people (when needed) was to put the year
of birth out by perhaps 3-4 years (wrong way of course!). That way, I can always be sure they write back with their
correct date of birth. Plus I usually get a bit more info. Sneaky, but it works!
John NORMAN's 200th birthday celebration's
Dear family
Plans are well in hand for the gathering on August 6 1995, when we celebrate John Norman's 200th birthday!
First of all I'd like to thank......
- all those wonderful people that have sent me the details of their branch of the family. I have quite a collection
of NORMAN descendants, in fact well over 750 of John Norman alone! That number will increase when further details
arrive shortly from two more family groups
- family members that have given their time in searching land records, taking photo's, collecting information
and sending certificates and other official documents to help "track down" more family members
- and those that have spent many hours going "back in time" to remember details that are vital in helping
piece together the history of our family
Plans for the day include:
- meeting at the St Kilda Cemetery late morning to see the restored headstone on the grave of John Norman and
his wife Ann Spriggs. An undercover area is available if the weather is unpleasant.
- gathering at the hotel one hour later where we have a large conference room available for our use and where
lunch will be served. There will be plenty of time to renew friendships, chat with "aunt Aggie", view
the family ancestor charts, take photos, and meet that "long lost cousin"!
Please complete the information on the following page and forward it to me by July 16 or earlier if possible.
I am asking that only so I can give the hotel final numbers and I need plenty of time to do all the name tags!
I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the gathering!
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YES...... I will be at the family gathering on Sunday August 6 1995
NAME OF EACH PERSON ATTENDING:
.....................................
A two course lunch (choice of two main meals & three desserts) at the hotel will cost $13.00 per person.
Drinks not included. When returning this information page to me, please include the $13.00 per person.
A receipt will be forwarded to you along with your "color-coded" name tags, map, timetable and information
sheet for August 6.
Color-coded name tags are for each of John Norman's children:
- Edmund (light blue)
- Eliza (yellow)
- Charlotte (orange)
- Leah (green)
- Emma (dark blue)
- Hannah (pink)
I descend though Edmund's family and will be wearing a light blue name tag.
NO...... I cannot attend on this day, but would like information on the family sent to me:
NAME: .................... ADDRESS .........................................
A booklet will be available (on the NORMAN family) for purchase on the day.
Your contact details (name, address, phone, mobile, email)
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Send third letter to family members
This letter was sent out a week before the reunion.
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JOHN NORMAN
born August 6 1795
in Grandborough, Buckinghamshire, England
Died August 16 1868
in Prahran, Victoria, Australia
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Dear Family
Time is moving along quickly with our NORMAN family gathering on Sunday 6th August only a matter
of days away!
I am looking forward to the event and I hope you are too. I am hoping - as we all are - that
the weather will be kind to us. Unfortunately we had no say in when John NORMAN was born. It was of course in the
middle of an English summer, but here we are celebrating his 200th birthday in the middle of an Australian winter!
And a Melbourne one at that!
Apart from immediate family members, a few already know of each other from a previous SMITH family
reunion quite sometime back, but the rest of us (me included) will be meeting for the very first time - second,
third, fourth and even fifth cousins! But thats what its all about, family meeting family, sharing a common bond
with our ancestor - John NORMAN.
Please find enclosed:
- Receipt for payment of lunch.
- Envelope containing "color-coded" name tags.
- Map of the St Kilda Cemetery (marking where to meet at the "undercover" area, main
entrance, 11.00 am)
- Map and directions for the Dick Whittington Tavern - for lunch - in relation to the cemetery.
Also lists contact numbers for the day.
- "Family Questionnaire" for you to complete. If already done so, please pass on to
another family member
For the day, DON'T FORGET:
- Your camera (and don't forget the extra film).
- Address book and pen (for when you meet those "long lost" cousins).
- A photo album (if you intend to bring along some photos).
- Your name tag (otherwise we won't know who you are!).
- Yourself - with a big, bright, cheery smile, ready to meet all those - as yet unknown - relatives.
Looking forward to seeing each and everyone of you!
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Hold the reunion
I had located the grave of John Norman at St Kilda Cemetery and had cleaned it up (it came up a treat I might
add). On the day, I had a person that has an interest in the cemetery and knows a lot of history, meet us at the
gate (100 of us) and give us a bit of a talk etc. Then I lead groups of about twenty at a time to the graveside.
I had a bit of a reading there.
Then we all met at a hotel close by for lunch and further discussions and "getting to know you's".
We booked a whole room out and it was well worth it. The meal was organised and we didn't have to worry about the
weather.
I had envelopes at the front door - one for each person. Inside that envelope there was the name of another
person at the reunion, stating what relationship they were to that person. They had to find them! That was great.
Got everyone running around looking for their third cousin (or whatever!).
I also did the usual color code card and name tag idea, with a great huge family tree stuck on the wall with
the color of each family attached. So everyone with blue names tags knew where they belonged at a glance.
The main thing to remember is that YOU must enjoy yourself. Don't worry if you don't collect all the info you
are after at the reunion. You have everyone's names and addresses.
I had also prepared two handouts on the day as a memento. The originals have a pretty flower border (please
use imagination).
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We celebrate today,
5th August 1995
the 200th birthday of our ancestor,
John NORMAN
who came to Australia in 1849 with his wife Ann and their children:
Edmund, Newman, Eliza, Adam, Charlotte, Leah, Emma and Hannah
To make their home and our heritage,
For us they faced the unknown,
For us they laboured and toiled,
Their endurance is our prosperity.
Their struggle is our freedom,
Their dream is our reality.
Their dawn is our day,
By reaping the great harvest of their lives and work,
We prosper.
We remember them with our blessings,
Great, Great, Great, Granddaughter Rose
August 1995
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John NORMAN
born 6 August 1795
his wife, Ann SPRIGGS
and their children:
Edmund
Newman
Eliza
Adam
Charlotte
Leah
Emma
Hannah
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Send thank you letter
About a month after the reunion, I wrote to everyone to thank them for attending, and ask if they have any other
information they'd like to share with me. Now they knew me and had met me, they were more inclined to do this.
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