tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post5511825329379956816..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Reflections in my latest Armidale visit - a mix of travel, history, the town: a mixed bag Jim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-28871379463039700752018-04-23T08:44:33.263+10:002018-04-23T08:44:33.263+10:00Thanks, Randy. It was!Thanks, Randy. It was!Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-11584517778630907632018-04-20T12:21:16.739+10:002018-04-20T12:21:16.739+10:00This sounds like a lovely meander!This sounds like a lovely meander!Randy McDonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04707497864911987241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-4891635023046554252018-04-19T09:52:03.948+10:002018-04-19T09:52:03.948+10:00How interesting, 2t! Has she read Nick Brodie'...How interesting, 2t! Has she read Nick Brodie's book? I wrote about it earlier http://belshaw.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/reflections-inspired-by-nick-brodies.html? I think that she might like it. It would strike chords.<br /><br />On preservation and presentation, I hope that you are right. Sites like Ancestry have made so much more material available, but we have millions of family histories now being prepared and no way to access them. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-82625039476901378062018-04-19T09:38:20.849+10:002018-04-19T09:38:20.849+10:00My wife is studying the family histories. She'...My wife is studying the family histories. She's looking at who was born when, married whom and had which children before dying. But she's also digging up the 'real' histories, finding indirect ancestors of mine attending a ball and the large role played in Shepparton's history by my family, and the deep role played in the religious and educational community in Adelaide played by hers. At present we are assisted by newspapers etc and censuses and the like, but the further back you go, the more likely it is that all records have been destroyed by fire, flood or fiat. She's tracked branches back to the 1600's using records and genetic tracing, and eliminated many family shibboleths (including the most popular ones) by careful research. It's my hope that as technology progresses more and more of this material will be preserved, and in searchable form. But the problem is bridging now to then, across the vast chasm of present storage expense.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-40306179907193662102018-04-19T07:33:07.560+10:002018-04-19T07:33:07.560+10:00Hi all. Sorry for the delay in responding.I have b...Hi all. Sorry for the delay in responding.I have been bogged down in follow up from the trip. It is a nice painting, Sue. She is a very good painting. <br /><br />Thaanks for the lead, 2t. I had a look at grant scheme and it might help a recipient for the papers. I also had a look at the evaluation report on last years' grants which took me to a paper on classification and description that was actually very helpful. I have saved a copy for reference purposes. <br /><br />As part of my continuing sorting I really need to prepare a description of the stuff I have to help consideration of options. I find it all depressing, including damage done by all my many moves in recent years. Stuff has been damaged and in some cases lost. I have also thrown out stuff that I now regret. A few years back I threw out all my earlier notes including photocopies of key documents on New England prehistory. My thought at the time was that if I ever needed the stuff again I could go the library and look it up. I had no idea that I would find myself back in that space in such an intense way. <br /><br />I really had wanted it to go to Armidale because they already have the main Drummond papers and associated record collections. Part of my thinking was that I would then be able to re-access them easily as required. I can understand Bill Oates' position. Bill is head of the Heritage Centre and Regional Archive. They lost three floors of storage space. The University is talking about building a special purpose building on the main campus, a special purpose building would be good, but don't hold your breath. Meantime, they are pruning and also placing records in hired storage adding cost. All of this has to be handled by the existing staff. I am so tired of the continuing instability associated with internal and externally imposed changes that constantly threaten continuity and make it hard to deal with the place. It also makes it hard for staff. <br /><br /> Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-9657353605392262642018-04-16T10:49:40.783+10:002018-04-16T10:49:40.783+10:00Followup: Jim, I happen to be sitting in the NAtio...Followup: Jim, I happen to be sitting in the NAtional Library. They suggested their Community Heritage Grants scheme which helps keep records in their place of origin (in your case Armidale). The web address is https://www.nla.gov.au/media-releases/2018/03/05/2018-community-heritage-grants-open.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-54294279232118987802018-04-15T20:41:16.200+10:002018-04-15T20:41:16.200+10:00Jim,
I have an archivist friend at the National A...Jim,<br /><br />I have an archivist friend at the National Archives who can reliably inform me if deeding the to the National Archives is a good/possible option (or if they have funding cuts too). There is also the National Library. I know it would be ironic for your family papers to end up in Canberra, but I see many people digging through the old letters, newspapers and other articles. They don't just moulder there. Last month we showed my wife's aunt some family artwork from the early 1800s when the family owned a farm that is now several Adelaide suburbs. Let me know.<br /><br />I shudder to think of people throwing out archive material.2 tannersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-55770503146886301932018-04-15T18:46:46.035+10:002018-04-15T18:46:46.035+10:00Interesting about the family papers and where they...Interesting about the family papers and where they could be deposited. I do hope you can make suitable arrangements.<br /><br />I loved the painting. <br /><br />SueAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-57508002962675661462018-04-15T15:29:31.550+10:002018-04-15T15:29:31.550+10:00Once again illustrating that the journey is more i...Once again illustrating that the journey is more interesting than the destination - just like life :) Thanks Jim.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com