Facts at fingertip Libraries provide guidance to trace family histories
FAMILY history is getting easier to trace with more government records and news articles being digitised.
Townsville City Council local history librarian Annette Burns said repatriation records of World War I soldiers were gradually being made available.
A library customer recently discovered she had an uncle who was killed at Gallipoli, long before she was born.
“We were able to assist her find a photograph, trace his movements during the battles through the battalion diaries and find images to illustrate this forgotten story,” Ms Burns said.
Ms Burns said the repatriation records contained information about the soldiers on their return to Australia.
“These can be quite revealing about the lives lived by returned soldiers and will give people an insight into their lives,” she said.
“This can be quite confronting when you see the places that the men served and the injuries they received and even the ages of the soldiers.”
Ms Burns said there was a strong interest among Townsville residents to trace family histories, with workshops invariably booked out.
“From people requiring copies of the local paper for anniversaries and birthdays to the people who are searching for an elusive relative from the 1700s, we are able to provide access to databases, hard copies, resources and more recently to digitised resources and images,” she said.
The council’s indigenous family history service is particularly useful for people looking for Stolen Generation information.
Indigenous resources officer Janeese Henaway has contacts and resources, including the Tindale genealogy charts and photographs.
Ms Burns said family history provided people with a sense of belonging in a sometimes uncertain world.
“Although my family history research has only begun recently, it has turned up an amazing amount of information and connected me to stories and to peo- ple, their triumphs tragedies,” she said.
“It has given me a sense of connection that I did not expect.”
Ms Burns said all Townsville libraries provided free forms to keep track of research.
“The first step is to record your immediate family information and then the search begins,” she said.
“I always advise people to start with their immediate family.
“Start the conversation with your grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles. Gather facts, dates and stories.”
The local history collection staff provides guidance on family history research. Contact them at h i s t o r y a n d h e r i t a g e @ t o w n s - ville. qld. gov. au and their