Theme: Leisure Time My father Warwick Johnston (1912 – 1988), an accountant, was an enthusiastic amateur ‘ham’ radio operator, a lifelong interest probably started by his father, who loved all things technical. He most likely built a crystal radio or two in his youth. Some time after his marriage he joined the Waverley (Sydney, Australia)… Read more

Theme: A Record I Read Differently Now Perhaps I should retitle this to “A record I read differently after obtaining further information.” (!) My great great uncle Robert Wentworth Wade was the Mayor of Hokitika, NZ in 1892 to 1894, and a Councillor for several years on either side of those dates. I knew he… Read more

Theme: A Place That Mattters The little township of Maude on the Murrumbidgee River, established in 1860 in the western Riverina area of Southwestern NSW, has featured more than once in the history of my Darchy family. My GGGF Thomas Darchy (1820-1877) arrived in the Riverina area about 1844 with his bride Susan Byrne –… Read more

Theme: A Name with Meaning. My GGGrandmother Mary Learmonth/Lairmonth was born on 30 July 1790 in Glasgow, to Wright Peter Learmonth/Lamont and Agnes Thomson. She married Charles Johnston (1797-1848), a shoemaker, on 28 March 1815 in Glasgow. I will call her Mary I. Subsequent Mary Learmonths are labelled according to their birth date. Charles and… Read more

Theme: A Question the Records Can’t Answer Where did GG GrandFather Thomas Darchy (1820-1877) spend the years 1829-1839? Many members of the extended Darchy family have tried to work this out over the years but even with modern-day access to multiple records, it remains a mystery. First the facts: Thomas was born in Augsburg, Bavaria… Read more

Theme: A Quiet Life. My GGGF Dr. Thomas Lyle 1791-1859 may have sought a quiet life, but did not entirely succeed in this ambition. Although described in the 1851 Census as “a Surgeon in general practice”, it appears certain from the numerous books and collections he left behind that he was far more interested in… Read more