GENEALOGY. 201

For my mum, her mother died when she was 5. At about 30 (1970's) my mum wrote to an aunt of hers and got some genie info. But pretty much left it at that. Mum's cousin's husband put all the info on a "Hardie" (the main surname that they were interested in) tree around 1991 not that there was alot of info there. It pretty much sat in the corner lol.

For me I was born in 1981 and my mum was 41, so I was always worried that she may die, I didn't have any brothers or sisters, I also didn't know who my father was(til I was 16) and both my mothers parents were dead. So for me I have wanted to have a tree since grade 9 (14 or 15). I guess for a sense of belonging.

I started doing my tree april 2004 and have gone from only having about 30 people in my mothers side to about 50-80, with some great finds along the way. A famous General in India, and other soliders in India, finding an Apothary(sp?) was cool as I had never heard of one of them (I am in born 1981 lol).

The most coolest thing was-is my fathers side, I went from knowing my fathers name ONLY and a guess at his fathers name, and my mother knowing where he grew up, to a family file of about 250 people!!! Every day I am adding more meat to everyones bones, and I even have 4 contacts on my fathers side that I chat to. One lady has even sent me some photos of our common ancestor couple that arrived in aus in 1828 and 1836. Also the child that directly links to me and one of the other children.

I probably had the best stroke of luck, as the place that my father had grown up in so did many generations before him, I am also lucky that the family name is not like smith-white-williams. I have been able to do all this with out even once speaking to my father. :) I even have his brother and sister. All I am missing is his mothers last name. Which I find funny. I could have so much more if I knew my grand mothers name! I have great stories so far from this side, 2.5 convicts. the .5 is a lbutt that was charged in Ireland and sent as a convict but turned in to a buttisted immigrant in NSW. 1 buttisted Imm. to SA. A cop in 1880, about 15 WWI and WWII people (some died in each war, which I only just found out about 1 month ago, this lot from all the great war Search facilities online.) One of the convicts had many jobs... they were, a captain of 2 ships, was a gold miner, labourer and a Fishemen's Boy(Don't yet fully know what that job was)and built a flour mill. Lol.

Needless to say I am most happy I started this hobby! My mother is enjoying it too. Our best discovery was when she found the parents of our French general (living-working India) and his brother(our ancestor also in India) but the two were born in France and thanks to the wonderful internet and one VERY KIND man, we got not only the two boys baptism records but also ALL other siblings ones, the parents, some uncles & aunts and the g'parents were noted as being there so we have their names. He did this for free which we thought was the most wonderful thing! And is still bringing us much joy. The earliers bapt is 1750. He said next time he goes there (he visits a bro.) he will see if he can find the parents births and rests. If time permits he will look for the other siblings rests too. I hope I haven't bored you but that is my story.