This month, guest speaker Dawn Stephens spoke about using the My Heritage ‘Book’ feature to produce a book for her husband, Frank Stephens, their children and grandchildren. Dawn described the processes involved, including changing the My Heritage report from pdf to word; the online printing firm she chose, features selected, the cost involved and more.   Dawn used a crease marked photograph of herself as a child to demonstrate My Heritage’s Photo Restoration feature.  We had such a laugh when Dawn also applied the ‘animation’ feature to her photo!  Thank you for an engaging and informative presentation, Dawn!

In our Pains and Gains, Tips and Tricks segment,

• Malcolm described the processes involved in updating the lettering on family plaques at a cemetery.  He spoke about the requirements to provide documents relating to ancestors and self and to having to sign a Statutory Declaration for the Cemetery Trust as proof of the right to update the plaque/s.  He stressed the need to involve family & recommended taking photos of the text on headstones, as it  canl fade over time.   Estimated cost? $150 per headstone. Stonemason = approx. $350. 
• Deb described difficulties finding birth records for the youngest three of her maternal great great grandmother’s six children and a breakthrough via Ancestry, resulting in her having a name for previously unidentified a g-g-grand aunt in a family photo.
• Marg has located an Ancestry family tree which includes her great grandfather, Percy Watson, and confirms his death location in Paris.  Options suggested by  the Embassy in Paris will hopefully assist her to find his death certificate & burial place.
• Andi shared a family tree diagram she has designed to include in a book for her siblings.  We all agreed it was easy to follow and achieved her goal of including as much information as possible without being cluttered.
• New member Graham Jensen described using local researchers in lieu of travelling.  His current use of free local research available in Denmark is proving positive. 
• Graeme Morris, keen to develop a ‘glossary’ of terms, suggested “typing “amp” for quick access to the Ampersand symbol. Remember that ampersand is also code.
  
• Jane, who as lots of voluntary responsibilities, said her gain this month was finally finding time to write her first story for our class!
  

 In our Family Stories segment on 'Myth Busting' or a previous topic,

• Jane wrote about how finding out a surprising new fact, that her mother wasn't the oldest child in her family, shattered a long-held myth.   
• Deb spoke about recent research which has resulted in a fascinating hypothesis, however also the concern that ‘putting it out there’ might create yet another myth!  
• ​Bev explored the family myth that her great, great grandfather was a Ship’s Captain (busted) and an ‘East India Man’ (almost certainly true), while
• David described how 'calling a friend' helped him to gain some clarity about, if not fully disprove, a family myth relating to having an extremely wealthy relative.

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Marg shared an obituary for another of her great grandmothers, Josephine Moore, who experienced the tragic loss of two young children, then an adult son, William Leopold Moore.  William disappeared in 1906 after going to the races.  His body was never found, with implictions for family Wills and unresolved family grief.  

​July's family story topic is 'There's No Place Like Home'.  The brief?  'Describe a family tree related home you remember from your childhood or that you have located in your research – where was it, who lived in it, what were your childhood impressions of it if you knew it/as you look at it through a ‘family history lens? What has become of it?'

We are thrilled that a new Australian season of 'Who do you think you are?' is underway - Tuesdays 7.30 pm SBS/SBS on Demand.  Highly recommended viewing!

Bev Lee