Moonee Valley Family & Local History Blog

Ancestry , Australia's number one family history website has launched online the England and Wales National Probate Calendar, 1861-1941 - an index to more than six million wills across the 19th and 20th centuries, included are the wills of more than 4,500 people who died in Australia. The records for the British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 is now available on Ancestry. The Ancestry database is available at the Moonee Valley Library Service , to book a PC contact your nearest library.

The Essendon Historical Society is making all 4 volumes of the Annuals of Essendon available at this bargain price. The author Bob Chalmers has recorded in chronological order the events that have occurred in Essendon and the district since 1802 to the year 2000, this special price will be available to the end of September 2010. The annals may be purchased at the Essendon Historical Society, 768 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, open Sundays 2-5pm Ph. 9370 4607.

The Moonee Valley Library Service has a new edition in paperback of The Oxford Companion to Family and Local History, edited by David Hey. This book is available at the Sam Merrifield Local History Room LH 929.1072041 OXF

The podcasts of the annual SLV Family History Feast held on Monday 2 August 2010 are now available on the State Library website.

Professor Graeme Davison will be the guest Speaker at the anniversary dinner. Prof Davison is the Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor of History at Monash University and the author of 'The Rise and Fall of Marvellous Melbourne' and 'Car Wars'. Graeme grew up in Essendon and went to school at Aberfeldie Primary and Essendon High. His parents George and May were both involved in the EHS between 1979-1992. The dinner will be held at Gannawarra Convention Centre, Keilor Road, North Essendon, on Tuesday August 24th, 2010. Bookings and payments by August 15th please ring Essendon Historical Society on 9370 4607.

Family History Fair & Open Day Saturday 7th August 2010 10am - 4pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 285 Heidelberg Road, Northcote (entrance via Westgarth Street) " Come and Search for your Ancestors " Featuring Britih Isles, Australian, Chinese, Scottish Family History, Pacific Islands Records, New Zealand, Computers, Film and Fiche Readers, Census, IGI, Family Search, New Family Search, Darebin Library, Old Period Costumes Display, Old Photography Display, Heritage Photography, How to Write your Family History and Publish It, FIBIS, Tour of Centre and Learn about the Heidelberg Family History Centre and its extensive Collection and Holdings, How to start Your Family History, Military Records, Find My Past, "Hit a Stone Wall Ask The Expert", Histories & Book Library, Children's Family History Activities and many more. This is a Free Community Service. Open to the Public

August 4th 10.30am - 12 noon - Starting Your Family History . Topics include: Gathering family information, confirming and recording this information, using indexes to births, deaths and marriages, investigating other records including passenger lists, cemeteries, naturalizations, wills and inquests. August 5th 2.00 - 3.00pm . - Using Archive Digital Books Australia . This class shows how to effectively search ADBA to fill out the details on your ancestors in Australia and elsewhere. It is a means of searching across many resources such as directories, Police & Government gazettes. August 7th 11.00am - 12 noon . Using ScotlandsPeople. ScotlandsPeople is the official government source of genealogical data for Scotland. The class will cover: what records the site includes, how to register as a user, how to buy credits and how to make the best use of searching the site. FREE but bookings essential. Ph: 9662 4455 Fax: 9663 0841 Email: gsv@gsv.org.au Web: http://www.gsv.org.au...