Newsletter No 31           October 2005

SHEPPARTON  FAMILY  HISTORY  GROUP  inc.

SFHG Presidents Report:

              Another most successful year has gone by and I must congratulate our dedicated volunteers for their time spent assisting members and the general public who call into the centre. The AGM was low key and all committee positions were filled. Figures presented to the meeting showed over 800 persons passed through the centres doors over the past 12 months. The library resources are being kept up to date with many new purchases of CD's and printed material, showing the financial position of the group is healthy.

            Members continue to attend book launches at the Shepparton Library, expos' and Government information offices in Melbourne. I must not forget the people who have donated various family history books and other items that are found very useful in researching local family history ie; Murray division electoral rolls, old phone books etc

            Finally I thank the members for seeing fit to again elect me as president for another 12 months.
                        President  Bruce Manson.

Vale  Don Reid  21/3/1934 - 21/10/2005.

            All members of the Shepparton Family History Group will be saddened to learn of the recent passing of Alexander Donald Reid at Shepparton. Our sympathy goes out to Lorraine and family on this sad occasion. Don was well known to everyone interested in local history not only for his seemingly endless enthusiasm for indexing early Shepparton newspapers but also for his history writings and his willingness to share his knowledge with others. Everyone who can now quickly and easily locate items from the Shepparton News microfilm should spare a few moments thought for Don and the thousands of hours he dedicated to searching and cataloguing this information.

 


Coming Events

                         Presenting "No Locked Doors" The story of Jewish life in the Shepparton District.        

                    Members a plate please.       

                                          

The sixth annual Goulburn and Murray Association of Local and Family History Groups is on once again. It is essential that all members support this very worthwhile day to ensure that it continues to be a major Family History Expo in the Murray Goulburn region.

     Venue: Mulwala and District Services Club Mulwala.

Cost: $ 10  (includes guest speakers)    

     Raffle tickets available for $200 fuel voucher from SFHG rooms.                                  

See attached flyer for more information or visit www.vicnet.net.au/~gmags


                Recent Additions to SFHG library:

        History of Postal Services in Victoria

        Cape Otway-Coast of Secrets

        Holy Trinity Nathalia

        St Mels Parish Shepparton   1955-2005

        Reflections of 50 years  St Mels Parish  1955-2005

        Langwarrin State School Register

Pine Lodge North State School  - Plaque Commemoration Day booklet

        Yabba South State School  - Plaque Commemoration Day booklet

        St Kilda Cemetery -Transcripts of Memorial Inscriptions and Name Index  (CD)

        Private Lives - Public Records. A PROV Publication.

        "From Hargest to Argus" : History of Argus Families of Australia and New Zealand

        "Furphy - The Water Cart and The Word"     John Barnes and Andrew Furphy

        Electoral Rolls for Murray Electorate  1955/1964/1968/1970/1972/1980

        Telephone Directories Northern and Central Victoria 1960's and 1970's (assorted)

        Voters List: East Riding of the Shire of Goulburn   1972

From "ANCESTOR"

            Noted from Ancestor Vol 27 No 7 that the Hobart branch of Tasmania Family History Society have released a CD with an index of Hobart Mercury BDM's 1854 -1930. Available from GSV bookshop Melbourne.

                Also noted is an interesting article from same copy of Ancestor on Page 4 titled "London Ancestor". Definitely worth reading if you have British ancestors. This magazine held at the SFHG  rooms.

   The Internet
Web Pages of Interest

www.lostcousins.com     Find others researching your family names from British 1881 census

www.familyrelatives.org    Research of forebears from England & Wales

www.1837online.com     Search British records incl 1861 census

www.bmdindex.co.uk      Search BMD in Britain from 1837

www.freebmd.org.uk       Free searching of part BMD index for 1837-1983

www.northshorecity.govt.nz  link to Cemetery Search Auckland district

www.oldbaileyonline.org    Old Bailey court proceedings searchable

www.londonancestor.com    Genealogy, Local & Family History in London, England

http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/search.htm  The NSW BDM index is free online (births to 1905,marriages to 1954, deaths to 1974).


Research Requests

Recent research requests forwarded to the SFHG have included the following surnames or items:          

 Skerry William and Eleanor, Thompson James William, Culleton Richard, Ford Francis, Ford and Hurlstone, Murray Alice and Rickard James, Gemmell James, Bristol Charles,  McDonald Hugh, Connelly Denis, Phillips Mary and Thomas, Prosser Arthur of Dookie, McIntyre James, Mundy Henry.

Local Cemetery Burials                 Brigadier Colonel Sir Murray Bourchier

Murray William James Bourchier was born near Ballarat in April 1881 but grew up on his father's property in Northern Victoria at Strathmerton. He married Miss Minona Madden in 1921and had three children. He moved to England in 1936 and died on Dec 16 1937. A funeral service was conducted at Golder's Green Crematorium and a memorial service at St Clements Dane Church, near Australia House and he was later buried in the Shepparton Cemetery. Brigadier Bourchier was posthumously Knighted in 1938.Bourchier St in Shepparton was named after Sir Murray Bourchier.

Extracts from his Obituary in the Shepparton News Dec 20 1937 read.

Brigadier M.W.J. Bourchier

    As a result of an illness which lasted for several weeks, Brigadier Bourchier, Agent General for Victoria in London, died late on Thursday night.

    Several weeks ago Brigadier Bourchier, who was aged 56 years, contracted pleurisy, from which pneumonia developed, and his condition gradually became worse.

    Mrs Bourchier received messages of sympathy from the Victorian Government and many friends in Australia and England.

Brigadier Murray William James Bourchier was one of the most spectacular cavalry leaders in the Great War and he gave distinguished service to his country. After the war he was a member of  the State Parliament for 16 years, and a Minister of the Crown for nearly five years.

    Brigadier Bourchier was born in Ballarat in 1881, and was educated privately in New South Wales and Victoria. Before the war he followed the occupation of a grazier at Katandra North.

    He left Australia with the first contingent of the Australian Imperial Forces as a lieutenant in 1914, and returned after serving continuously throughout the war as commander of his regiment. Although not present at the  famous Gallipoli landing, he served for seven months on the peninsular. He assisted in the evacuation , and subsequently served with the Light Horse through the Egyptian, Sinai, Palestine and Syrian campaigns. He also took part after the Armistice in suppressing the rebellion in Egypt in 1919.

AWARDED D.S.O.

    While on Gallipoli he was appointed captain and adjutant of the Fourth Light Horse Regiment, and was promoted to the rank of major in 1916. In 1917 he became a lieutenant-colonel, and was awarded the D.S.O. for distinguished service in the cavalry operations at Bersheeba, Palestine on December 16 of that year.

    The Bersheeba operations are regarded as of such importance that they are quoted in military text of the

books. Brigadier Bourchier was in charge of the Fourth Light Horse Regiment N.S.W, under Col. Cameron, when an attack was made on the Turkish and German Trenches at Bersheeba. Brigadier Bourchier commanded both regiments.

 In 1919 Brigadier Bourchier was awarded the C.M.G.While serving with the forces he was mentioned in despatches three times. 

   Upon his return to Australia he successfully contested the Goulburn Valley seat as a member of the Country party, and was elected at subsequent elections. When the late Mr John Allan formed his cabinet in 1925 Mr Bourchier was given the portfolio of Minister for Agriculture.

 

 

  In 1922 he was appointed to command the Fifth Cavalry Brigade for five years and was promoted to the rank of colonel.

    Brigadier Bourchier became leader of the State Parliamentary Country party in 1933.

Mr McDonald's Tribute

    Mr J.G.B.McDonald,MLA, who succeeded Brigadier Bourchier a the Goulburn Valley's representative in the Legislative Assembly stated last night:

"I deeply deplore the passing of a very good friend-Brigadier Murray Bourchier. His straight forward manliness, absolute integrity and outstanding ability will be a very real loss, not only to the Goulburn Valley, but to the state of Victoria. It was a privilege and a pleasure to know him and to have worked with him during some of the most difficult years of the establishment of irrigation and closer settlement areas. His wide experience and human sympathies made him one who immediately inspired confidence".

Sir Murray and Lady Bourchier's grave at Shepparton Cemetery

 

 

“My family coat of arms ties at the back. Is that normal?”
                                                            (Stawell FHG Newsletter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are these those recipes you may have misplaced? ( Extracts from Mrs Beeton's Book)

Mrs Beeton's late 1800's advice to the lady of the house.

 

Garnished Tongue

Genealogical Research Directory 

             Shepparton Family History Members please note that the 2006 Genealogical Research Directory surname entries are due in by Wednesday 16th November  The GRD has world wide coverage and is an ideal publication to use if you are seeking information from overseas. An entry form was attached to the last newsletter. Please return the completed form (or fill in an entry form at the Family History Rooms) if you require the surnames you are researching, to be included in the next GRD ($2.50 per entry).

We have been busy!

             During the past three months we have had 183 members and visitors sign in to do research at the rooms. Our financial members have the advantage of free research time, ($5.00 for non members), access to our lending library and the twice yearly newsletter. We not only have local family history information but also many state, interstate, overseas, cemetery and school records. Please visit our rooms where a free cuppa and bikkies are always available during research hours.

 Contributions Please!      

            To ensure that our newsletter contains interesting items of local information we need input from our readers. Items you may have for sale pertaining to family history eg, Computer programs, Genealogy Books etc, or maybe an article on your families early contribution to the Goulburn Valley area.

            Please send information to our P.O. box or leave at our club rooms.

 Public Records Office Victoria (PROV) Excursion

             Eight of our members travelled to the Public Records Office Victoria on the 29th  October to conduct Family History Research and to listen to the talk "Good Morning Boys and Girls" by Jack Martin, relating to Education Department records held by the PROV and how best to locate and access these records.

             The following is a very brief précis of  this very informative session which gave details on finding records, as well as photographs, of teachers, schools and students.

This information controls access to over 87 kilometres of records stored in the repository.

1848-1851    VA 920 Board of National Education NSW established.

1848-1862    VA 703 Denomination Schools Board established.

1851-1862    VA 919 National Schools Board established.

1862-1873    VA 713  Board of Education established.

                        1873            VA 714  Education Department.   The Central Education Agencies major responsibilities include, providing teachers for state schools, general administration of school building provision and maintenance, teachers salaries and student transport to school.

The new online web pages provide a starting point for searching educational records. The PROV staff will assist in locating the records you may be seeking.

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A conducted tour of the PROV facilities is a great way of seeing first hand the immense task of keeping so many records safe and readily accessible. The very spacious and comfortable reading room provides facilities for searching a range of records including microfiche, microfilm, photographic prints and negatives, vinyl disc records, audio and video tapes as well as more exotic items. Direct access to the online catalogue is provided as are facilities for digital photography of records and laptop computer ports.

            The repository at present holds 300 million pages (54 km) of files. 104 thousand volumes ( 6.5 km), and 650 thousand plans. These are housed at a constant temperature and humidity, in different areas depending on the type of record. The thousands of metres of compactable shelving has to be seen to appreciate the work involved in locating and then transporting up to the reading room each record we order.

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As we search through the records there are always the small items that break the possible monotony of research. These have included

·        A bunch of lucerne neatly filed with a farmer's notes to explain why his farm wasn't producing enough feed for his cows.

·        A will written on a brown paper lunch bag whilst the writer was a patient at the Alfred hospital. Only one witness, a doctor, signed the will but it was not dated. The will was later declared void.


Books for Sale

    Book 1 "Early Families of Shepparton and District " is available to purchase from the SFHG. There are 135 family stories from early days in the Goulburn Valley.    

 Price: $25.00      

   Book 2 compiled by the SFHG contains 70 stories, over 50 photographs and also articles of historical value relating to the beginning of the irrigation scheme in the Shepparton area in the early 20th century. It is a valuable historical reference and social history of life in the Shepparton area prior to the 1930's .The index contains some 700 entries.      Price:   $20.00

                  P & P is $7.50 for up to 3 books.

                         

 

 

Elizabeth Malcolm catered for a household of ten, herself and her husband, their six children, her father and a boarder-Gordon Brandon. She became actively occupied with the Shepparton Benevolent Society and there was rarely a week went by when some itinerant traveller (a swagman or swaggie) would not appear at the back door, begging for food. She would give them some bread, some German sausage, some dripping and a twist of tea and they would go on their way.

These are just a few lines from the many very interesting stories in the "Early Families of Shepparton"

                               Membership Subscriptions Due

            Membership fees of $25 single, $45 joint, are now due. Please make payment to the Treasurer (P O Box 1529 Shepparton 3632) or at the Family History Rooms (open days only).   

Family History Group inc

    Address:  154 Welsford St .Shepparton (Cnr Welsford and High St )
    Post:   P.O.Box 1529  Shepparton. Vic .3632
    Internet:                     www.vicnet.net.au/~shepfh      email: shepfhg@fastmail.fm
    Meeting Times:    8.00pm Third Wednesday of each month at the SFHG Club Rooms
    Research Times:         Every Wednesday  12.30 pm to 3.30 pm.
                                      Even Dated Sundays  1.00 to 4.00 pm.
                                      Odd Dated Fridays   10.00 am to 1.00 pm.
    Fees remain the same:  $5.00 joining fee (once only), plus $25 per annum single or $45 double.

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