Tracing Family Branches

Well Christmas is over for another year and I hope that it was a wonderful one for all!  We had an unusual Christmas this year as our daughter tested positive to Covid at the end of the school year.  She is a teacher and is double vaccinated, but still caught covid.  So our household of nine people had to isolate due to her positive status and all of us being her close contacts.   This was not the end of the year that any of us expected!  Thankfully I had ordered Christmas presents online early this year and all but three items arrived before the day!  Some scrambling had to be done quickly to sort out alternatives, but where there is a will there is a way.  We were all determined that Covid was not going to ruin Christmas, especially for the grandchildren.  Ultimately online ordering and contactless home delivery saved Christmas for us all and we are eternally grateful to all of those who assisted us during this time.   Christmas Eve was spe...

  Today's post concerns the engagement of my husband's paternal Grandparents William Allardyce Martin and Violet Helen Marguerite Murray in Singapore in July 1927. The engagement is announced between William Allardice, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Martin, of Scotland, and Violet, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Harvey Murray, of Singapore. Source: NewspaperSG.  The Straits Times, 29 July 1927, Page 8.  Retrieved from  http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19270729-1.2.36.2

 Today's post involves my husband's Maternal Aunt, Maria Theresa Hunt, who is now deceased.  The article refers to her as Perri, which is either what she wanted her stage name to be or is a typo, as she was known by the name Terri to family and friends.  The article also has a lovely photograph of her and can be found here Transcription Singapore girl back from Britain: Stage-struck MISS PERRI HUNT (above) returned from Britain aboard the Canton yesterday and said she was stage-struck. Perri, a former pupil of Singapore's Good Shepherd Convent, wanted to know what her chances were of joining the Singapore Stage Club. She has been through a course of dramatics in Coventry, England, and has appeared in "quite a few amateur productions" with a fair amount of success. Miss Hunt, who has been away from Singapore for the last two years, was accompanied by her mother, Mrs. J.E. Hunt.  Her father is expected to join them in Singapore shortly.- Straits Times Picture. Sourc...

 Today's post involves my husbands paternal Grandparents and their wedding in Singapore on the 14th April 1928.  More posts involving this couple can be found here , here , here , here , here , here  and  here . SINGAPORE WEDDINGS Mr. W.A. Martin and Miss Violet Murray. On Saturday at 8 a.m.at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, a pretty wedding was solemnised between Miss Violet Helen Murray, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Murray, of Singapore, and Mr. William Allardice Martin, of the Prison Dept., Straits Settlements, only son of Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Martin, of Glasgow. The bride, who was given away by her father, looked charming in an Early Victorian frock of satin with the train was also of satin with a lover's knot of georgette and orange blossoms, and carried a bouquet of white lilies and clematis.  The bridesmaid was Miss Molly Murray, sister of the bride, who was becomingly gowned in blue satin charmeuse with hat to match.  The duties of the best...

  While researching my husband's Uncle William Allardyce James Martin I found a newspaper article mentioning the departure to England of William, his mother Violet and brother Ronnie in December 1933.  Sadly young William, who was known as Jimmy, would never return from this trip as he died in Barrow in Furness, England on the 5th March 1934.  PASSENGERS HOMEWARD The following passengers are proceeding per Chitral sailing at 9:30 a.m. to-morrow (Friday), for Penang, Colombo, Bombay and Europe: ....Mrs. V.H. Martin child and inft. ... Source: NewspaperSG. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 7 December 1933, Page 2.  Retrieved from  http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19331207-1.2.29.1 More posts involving Jimmy can be found here , here  and  here .

It has been a while since my last post as I have been busy helping out with the grandchildren’s home schooling during our latest Covid 19 lockdown and so genealogy has taken a backseat.  Living multi generationally has definitely had some advantages, making it easier for us to deal with some of the issues caused by the restrictions during this time.  Many of our restrictions were lifted last week and after one week back at school, school holidays have now started so I should be back posting a bit more often now. Home schooling for us was a positive experience given the circumstances, the grandchildren worked very well at their tasks and we received great support from their teachers and school.  The children really enjoyed their morning zoom roll call with their teacher and class each day, as they missed them all very much.  After that finished we would work through the tasks that their teachers had set, plus a few extra activities, with breaks for snacks and lunch be...

Today's post involves the arrival of my 4th Great Grandparents William wife Flora Sinclair (nee McRae) in Australia .William and Flora arrived as assisted immigrants in Australia in 1837 on the ship Earl Durham  along with their two children Peter aged three and Margaret aged one.   Source: Trove. Shipping Intelligence. (1837, September 1).  The Sydney Monitor (NSW : 1828 - 1838) , p. 2 (EVENING). Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32157216 Transcript: Shipping Intelligence. ARRIVALS. Yesterday, the ship Earl Durham, Cabell, master, from London on the 14th May with merchandise.  Passengers, Captain McLean, Mrs. McLean and 4 children, Miss McLean, P. Grant, Esq., D. McIntyre, Esq. and Mrs. McIntyre, Mr. McMillan, Mr. J. Campbell, Mr. A. McColeman, Mr. W. Dick, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson and 1 child, Mr. and Mrs. Richards and 2 children, Mr. and Mrs. Browne and 1 child, Mr. Snape, Mr. Donald Kennedy, Lydia Fraser, J. McColl, A. McNab, C. McDonald, G. Mc...