Funny Family Seach Finds
Genealogy and the search for one’s history or ancestors can sometimes be a difficult task, it also can be a whole lot of fun. Not only do we find out a lot of interesting and surprising facts about our ancestors, but every now and then we come across some funny facts.
Therefore, I thought I would include some funny family search stories that will hopefully make you smile. For example, just recently while looking for some information on one of my Australian convict ancestors, I came across a fuuny 1832 newspaper Police Incidents column in the Australian Sydney Morning Hearld.
I know times where a little bit different back in Australia in 1832, but when I saw the charges and the sentences, I couldn’t help but have a little laugh. Imagine coming across these records in a family search:
Sarah Jackson was charged with being picked up, executing curves with the greatest exactness in George Street. Sentence – one month 3rd class.
Henry Brothers, for being found singing in the market place what he called terrible, and telling the constable he didn’t care that, snapping his fingers, for Captain Rossiter. Sentence – was sent to meditate among the cells for three days. (We should bring back this bad singing law)
Ann Walker, for dipping her master’s head in a bucket of water, and then marching off, singing
” If I had a beau for a soldier who’d go, Do you think I’d refuse him, oh no, no, no.”
Bench – What have you to say for this strange conduct?
Ann.- That I have a little overstepped the modesty of nature I do not deny” but e’en my failings lean to virtue’s side.”
The Bench doubted this, and sent her to Cordonite for a month.
This one is my favourite:
John Stanbury was charged with being found steering through the streets confoundedly crank, at an early hour in the morning. The only defence Jack offered was, that he had his grog on board, but he did not mind handing out a shot to assist the poor, which he accordingly did, and was discharged.
Good on ya Jack.
Free Australian Newspaper Archives
If you are researching your Australian family history, one great source of information is the Australian newspaper archives. This is a free online service that enables full-text searching of old newspaper articles. The Australian newspaper archives includes newspapers published in each state and territory from the 1800s to the mid-1950s.
By searching the Australian newspaper archives, you can not only find birth, marriage, death and funeral notices, which might uncover unknown facts, but also social, political, economic and cultural issues of the day.
The first 100 years of the Sydney Morning Herald are now publicly available. (The Sydney Herald 1831-1842 and The Sydney Morning Herald 1842-1931). Issues from 1932-1954 will be added weekly over the next few months.
The Argus (and its previous title the Melbourne Argus) from 1846 -1945 are now completed and available. The remaining 10 years (1945-1954) of the Argus will be made available in 2010 (mid to end of year).
Other titles included in the Australian newspaper archives: The Maitland Mercury, The Courier-Mail, The Hobart Town Gazette, The Advertiser and The West Australian.
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