Miss W. and her Smartboard

I am a very keen genealogist and have researched my family extensively.  I have one branch back to 1603 in Bedfordshire, England but most branches I have placed in England in the early 1800’s or late 1700’s. As you can gather from the dates, I probably have convict blood in me - well I am proud to say, I have so far found eight convicts in my direct line of ancestors. But I have also got some free settlers interspersed in there as well.  I wonder how families reacted when a child of convict parents married a child of free settler parents?

Next weekend, I might hear some stories of just that.   My great grandfather Henry Lewis ENGLAND was the son of convict parents John ENGLAND and Rebecca Jackson.  My great grandmother Julia Charlotte ENGLAND (nee CHANDLER) was the daughter of two free settlers, William Charles CHANDLER and Caroline CHANDLER (nee BRYANT).

In the 1858 Valuation Roll for the City of Hobart Town both John and William were occupiers of houses not owners, despite William coming out as a free settler. But he and his family did move around as he was a gardener and had worked on estates at Monavale as well as Government House in Hobart.   John though was an labourer back in England before being transported and by the time of the birth of his second son, my great grandfather, John was listed as a moulder.

Back now to running the reunion.  A few things to do to make sure it runs smoothly. 
Before the reunion

• Contact relatives you know who live locally and send them their part of the tree to update.  They usually then contact others and ask for information to add to their part of the tree. 
•  Always have a phone number or email address for people to contact to ask questions or give information.
• Start the organization at least a year in advance so you have a chance to contact people interstate and overseas.  Some might want to plan a holiday around the reunion date.
• Put an advert in the local newspaper, the local genealogy magazine, internet reunion pages, rootsweb email lists etc.  Publicise a lot.

At the reunion

• Have a sign in book for visitors to include a phone number or email address so you can keep in touch or use for the next reunion.
• Have sticky labels using different colours for different branches, so people can easily find direct relatives or members of their branch.
• Have the tree displayed so visitors can add to it.
• Preferably have a computer, printer and scanner available with someone adding to the family tree on the computer software programme.
• Have an area for photographs or newspaper clippings etc to be displayed.   
• Have refreshments like tea, coffee and biscuits.  This then allows for chatting among the relatives.
• Have a definite begin and end time for the reunion.

Well, I think I am nearly ready for the reunion next weekend.  Just have to update my software programme and add in the extra dates I have received, then maybe print out some copies ready for people to take away with them.