Topic: A Family Pattern My Scottish Johnstons were not a very imaginative lot. Within five generations there are eight Charles, eight Georges, 12 Marys (five with the same middle name, originally a Generation 3 surname) five Alexanders and four Margarets, Peters and Roberts. Almost all born in Lanarkshire, particularly Glasgow. The earliest known who can… Read more

Theme: an Address with a story. A formal address can include the name of a house or building as well as the street and town/city, etc. I have chosen to focus on a house name. The first time I encountered the name “Redmarley” was on a huge ornate nameplate near the front door of my… Read more

Theme: Conflicting Clues. After over 20 years of occasional searching, my GGGUncle Reuben Hunt remains undiscovered. Born on February 6, 1824 to Thomas Hunt and Ann (Nancy) Welding, he was baptised on October 25 in St. Lawrence, Reading. He is in the 1841 Census (name misspelled) with his parents and siblings. His father is described… Read more

Theme: A Big Decision. Of all my immigrant ancestors who came to Australia from Ireland, Scotland and England in the nineteenth century, surely the biggest decision was made by the biggest family – school Headmaster Edwin Hunt (Brother of Emma in the previous 52 Ancestors theme) and his wife Margaret Morgan, and eight of their… Read more

Theme: What the Census Suggests. My Great Great Aunt Emma Hunt, born 1829 in Reading, Berkshire, was the fourth child and only daughter who stayed in England – three of her siblings emigrated to Australia and one brother is thought to have gone to America. The 1851 England & Wales Census shows Emma, aged just… Read more

Topic: Favourite Photo. This is the only photo I have of my Grandfather Alex Johnston (1868-1952), indeed the only known photo of him at all. A very private man, he reluctantly succumbed to the pleas of his granddaughter when I was about 10 and armed with my first camera, a Baby Brownie box camera with… Read more