Introduction
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My philosophy for living a happy life is to live, to learn, to love and to leave a legacy. This family history is my legacy to my descendants. It is the culmination of almost 15 years' research from a starting point of knowing only my parents and paternal grandmother, none of whom spoke of their ancestry. My maternal grandmother lived in Queensland, and I can only remember seeing her once. Both grandfathers died before I was born and there was not an opportunity for interaction between my aunts, uncles and cousins, when I was young. However, I am proud to say that the family history presented here is extensive. In the first decade of my research, I was very enthusiastic to share my knowledge with the extended family. I spent an inordinate amount of time researching and writing family histories, then copying and binding them (see below). They were duly posted to family members, but I was often disappointed by the lack of acknowledgment or in some instances, hostile criticism. My method of writing has been to view our ancestors as ordinary people, living extraordinary lives. Their human frailties and in some cases, impoverished backgrounds have not been overlooked and of course, many readers would prefer an aristocratic approach! Research can sometimes be a lonely task and it was therefore important for me to develop genealogical networks. I have been a member of The Western Australian Genealogical Society, the Perth Dead Persons' Society (a progressive group which communicates mainly via the internet) and held memberships with overseas societies. I set my goals early and decided on the eventual outcome of my research - a comprehensive, but easy to read account of our family history. Obviously, I have spent a great deal of time and money on this endeavour. I am fortunate to be blessed with a co-operative husband and have had the financial freedom to visit places all over the world where our ancestors lived and died. I have learned a little about geography, history, politics, religion and sleuthing. I have also met interesting people from all over the world and have ended up with something to pass on to the future - my family's past. As I won't be taking it with me, I ask that future generations treasure their family history. Losing it would be the only "crime". To anyone contemplating researching extended branches of our the family history - a piece of advice: "Wer auf
jede Feder acht That is: "The person
who worries about every feather Make a start, documenting and sourcing what you know and add to it a little at a time. Look to your goal and don't focus on the obstacles.
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My Publications
The following home produced books were specifically written for contributing family members. Copies have been lodged in various genealogical societies and libraries [as indicated]. Work is always in progress, so please contact me for information on updated editions.
Editor, "The Whiskin Warbler" newsletter.
Personal Diary of Sergeant Edward Gilmore Dodd 4209 AIF (transcript)
[Western Australian Genealogical Society; Army Museum of Western Australia] Also, article on above for the Society’s publication Western Ancestor.
[Winner of the 1998 Clan MacRae Society of Australia and New Zealand’s annual writing competition. Published in the Society’s magazine and The Scots Link No. 47 Nov 1998. The article is also on-line at http://www.clanmacrae.org/documents/Tolmie.htm.]
[Winner of the Australian Family Tree Connections’ competition for an article written about computers. Also published on-line at: http://www.benet.net.au/~brandis/readers/dodd004.html]
[Published in "Western Ancestor" and on-line at http://www.benet.net.au/~brandis/readers/dodd001.html]
My genealogical data base is on-line at "Our Ancestors". Other researchers in my family:
Dian Maney, my sister-in-law, Daphne McMahon and Iain MacGregor, who have co-authored and co-researched several of the above books.
Jim Brown has extensive notes on our Brown and Guerin families
Gillian & John Butler have written The Kempthorne Family History 1295-1995
The Rev & Mrs John Gardner and their Family by Dr Keith Smith (Keith has asked me to take over as editor) Includes: Forrest; Gardner and Jarvie.
History of the Smith Family by Max Smith
Jenkyn – Exclusively Cornish by A.W. Jenkyn, MBE
The First One Hundred Years North Perth School 1899-1999 edited by Alpha Pilpel and Susan Levy, includes information I submitted on the Whiskin family.
I am indebted to a great many friends for their time in researching our family history, including David Hawkes, Margaret Myles, Margaret Bauer, Jan Forsberg, Jenni Hamilton, Barry Alexander, Dave Tait, Fiona Campbell, Geoff Yeowell, Harry Poole, Helen Curtis, Karen Craft, Michael Quin-Conroy, Peter Keegan, Helen Holland, Reg Schryver and others.
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Webmaster: Sirrah Computing
Date : March 1999
Copyright © 1997 by Gail Dodd. All Rights Reserved.
All trademarks or product names mentioned herein are the property of their respective
owners.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~dodd/gail/public.html