The Newsletter
Te Awamutu
Branch
NZ Society of
Genealogists
No 176
September 2007
Convenor: John Graham 871 8986
Email: jmrg@xtra.co.nz
Secretary: Karen Glew 871 7778
Email: kglew@xtra.co.nz
Treasurer: Sandra Metcalfe 871 3250
Email: Metcalfe@wave.co.nz
Editor at large: John Graham
Te Awamutu Website:
Email: jmrg@xtra.co.nz
www.teawamutu.net/genealogy
New Zealand Society of Genealogists Inc. www.genealogy.org.nz
Meetings are held in the Masonic Centre, corner of Sloane Street and Albert Park
Drive, Te Awamutu, at 7.30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month – February to
December. Visitors are most welcome.
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Next Meeting: Tuesday 4 September - Our very own Ngaire Philips will speak on how she
researched the history of the Methodist Church and Mangapiko Hall and there is likely to be
many a picture from yesteryear.
At our 2 October meeting the guest speaker will be Kingi Turner speaking on "The importance of
Genealogy/Whakapapa from a Māori perspective".
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Convenor’s Corner:
Spring is a matter of days away, so I guess everyone is in the cleaning mood!
As many of you know I was in the Rhodesian Army, and I am my former unit's
representative in this part of the world. Unfortunately far too many colleagues are
passing on and many left Africa and are spread across the planet. To this end, in some
cases not too much is known about them in their new land, so when it come to a eulogy
it can be rather short on substance. A colleague (who lives in Hamilton) and I thought we
should get association members to write a profile of their life (eulogy in waiting) and
lodge it with the association. This idea has been taken up and has been affectionately
given the name 'Celestial DZ', this came about because we jumped out of aeroplanes for
a living and a DZ is the Dropping Zone.
A reminder to members that the AGM is in November and we are keen to receive
nominations for the committee, so please give it some thought and consider putting your
name forward. More details and notice of motions etc will appear in the October
publication.
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Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 176 – September 2007
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
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Last meeting
Many thanks to John & Wendy Graham for opening up their home for our August pot
luck tea meeting. The hospitality was superb, the company terrific, the food delicious
and the quiz a lot of fun. There was even lots of genealogy talk! Getting together in a
warm environment in winter certainly does make a difference to meeting attendance.
We had more at the pot luck tea than we sometimes get at our normal monthly
meetings! To those who couldn’t make it, there will be a next time…… Sandra
WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND & ABOUT
Morning Group:
A reminded that these are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, Time 9.30 - 12 30 at
228 Longs Rd. (2nd house on left from Puahue Rd end.) Bring a problem and let's see
if we can help sort it!! This will recommence in February.
There is no life that does not contribute to history - Dorothy West
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From the NZSG Executive Officer
The following person submitted a contact us form:
Firstname : Jan
Lastname : Moon
City : Daintree
Country : Australia
Phone : 61 7 40986173
Email : stu_jan52@activ8.net.au
Comments : I understand that someone from the Te Awamutu branch is researching the
Walker family - how do I contact them? Also how do I advertise my surnames on
member interests?
NZSG Number: 22020
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The internet is a great medium to search and share information, but
remember DO NOT rely on its accuracy without corroborating it as
some dodgy information is posted on websites which appear genuine
at first glance.
Editor
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Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 176 – September 2007
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
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Did you know?
“Once digitized, the 1911 census will take up half a petrabyte of computer
memory, roughly equivalent to the storage now available on home PC hard drives
worldwide!” From Ancestors magazine June 2007 – Thank you Sandra
Websites – (Noted in Bishopdale newsletter)
Otago Nominal Index
This index of names in documents held
in the Hocken Library in Dunedin has
been compiled by the Hocken Library
and the Dunedin Branch of the NZSG.
It includes Electoral Rolls, Street
Directories and Police Gazettes
http://marvin.otago.ac.nz/oni/
Freemasonry
The Library and Museum of
Freemasonry in London is a great site
for finding out more about your
Masonic ancestors. There are a number
of online resources, including an index
of English and Scottish Lodges.
http://www.freemasonry.london.museu
m/
Hear the voices - Have you ever
wondered how a particular person may
have sounded? The Voices are audio
clips of people speaking from Shetland
to Penzance.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/recording
s/index.shtml
How much was that?
It is a common thought to wonder just
how much that £1 legacy in 1840
would be worth today.
That of course depends on the means
you use to make the comparison.
Based on average wages it would be
£660, but if you used a retail price
index only £61. This site from the
Economic History Association has
several ways of comparing values
through history
http://www.eh.net/hmit/
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Thank you to Maureen Kelly for sending these new websites in:
http://www.oldnewsbios.co.nz
http://www.honeastindiaco.com
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Surname Survival – Thank you to Sandra for providing this article
There is an interesting article in the September issue of Family Tree magazine.
According to the article, after 13 generations there is only a 25% chance that an
individuals surname would have survived. Once you understand that patrilineal (male)
surnames survive through a chance process of sons reaching maturity, and in turn
fathering sons, then it begins to make sense. Males need to achieve critical or
supercritical (as good as or better than) performance through all succeeding generations
if a family name is to last. Daughters, sons that have only daughters and childless
offspring all spell the end of the family name. When you consider the number of
children who didn’t survive childhood prior to the 20th Century then it is a miracle that
any surnames survived.
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 176 – September 2007
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
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In England, surnames came into common use after the Norman Conquest (1066) but the
practice of identifying each person by a first name and surname was still not in
widespread use even in the 13th & 14th centuries. Starting with a sample of 10 males in
the 13th century, each with a different surname, and assuming approximately 30
generations from the 13th-21st centuries, it is calculated that about 3 of those original
surnames would have survived to the present century.
There is also a genetic component to the probability of whether or not a surname
survives. Some genes are more susceptible to certain diseases than others, and even
blood groups can be an indicator. For example, about 20 years ago it was discovered
that people with blood group type O are much more susceptible to cholera. But type O
also appears to confer advantageous resistance to malaria & to certain cancers, giving it
an edge over types A, B & AB. And the gene that influences sexual orientation lies on
the X chromosome, with studies showing that homosexuality is highly heritable. While
gay men are less likely to father children, one theory is that women who impart their X
chromosome to their offspring are more fertile – and produce more children - if they
possess that gene.
Even if a surname is passed down through the centuries, research indicates that a child is
biologically fathered by someone other than the supposed father in approximately 3.7%
of the cases examined. On the other hand, your female line is more certain.
Mitochondrial DNA is passed down the female line unchanged, except for the occasional
random mutation. So your mitochondrial DNA, and that of your siblings and all your
descendants, is the same as that of your female line stretching back to the earliest times.
Was that how they discovered we were all descended from 7 women?
If you are interested in finding out more, the following websites could make interesting
reading
www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/surnames_01.shtml BBC family
history “Get Started” pages on names & surnames
www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/guide/intro.shtml More on the origin of surnames
www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2116621 BBC page about blood groups
www.blood.co.uk Go to “All about blood” then select “Blood around the world” to find
more on blood group origins and distribution
homepages.newnet.co.uk/dance/webpjd/intro/big.htm website about surname survival
"I often regret that I have spoken; never that I have been silent"
- Publilius Syrus -
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 176 – September 2007
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
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To All Branches and Interest Groups
At its last meeting on August 4 2007, Council considered a full report on all activities
associated with the registration with the Charities Commission. This included all written,
including e-mails, submissions from Branches, Interest Groups and members and a
report, from me, of all verbal submissions was also given.
Council thanks all Branches, Interest Groups and individuals for their submissions,
indications of position and other communications. There were some learned
communications and a number of questions and suggestions made to council about the
report from council to all Branches and Interest Groups on the procedure and
requirements for registration with the Charities Commission.
Council felt that all questions and suggestions needed full research before they could be
answered. Many would require Rule or By-Law changes and Council needs to consider
the full ramifications of such changes before agreeing. It takes some time to achieve
Rule Changes and By-Law changes and the timetable for such changes allows time for
full research before a decision is made to make such changes. The Society cannot afford
to make hasty decisions about quite fundamental ideas in the Rules and By-Laws.
Consequently, a number of actions were decided upon and these need to be completed
before Council can come to a definite and final position.
Therefore, if your group asked some questions or made some proposals, Council is
unable to give answers at this time but intends to do so after their November meeting.
Council is sorry that they cannot answer immediately but, unfortunately, this is
unavoidable.
Once again, thank you for your communications.
Regards
Peter Nash
Executive Officer
For and on behalf of Council
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 176 – September 2007
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
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New to family history or experienced.
This is for you
Family History
Seminar
Date: Saturday 15th September 2007
Tutor: Pauline Colman
Venue: Waihi Bridge Club, Union St Waihi
Time: 8.45am to 4.30pm
Cost: $10.00 whole day. $6.00 half or part day.
BYO lunch
Morning & afternoon tea provided.
If interested in attending please phone: 07 863 6063 or
E-mail: Waihi@genealogy.org.nz
Topics:
1] Getting started
2] Research, filing and presenting
3] Vital Records [referring to Birth, death and marriage
records]
4] Immigration and shipping,
5] Technology.
Each talk about 45 minutes plus time for questions.
Organised by
Waihi Informal Genealogy Group
Supported by Waihi College
Te Awamutu Branch NZSG # 176 – September 2007
Disclaimer: All efforts are made to ensure the information published is accurate
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