Down Under Series

An introductory overview on English History and its effect on sources and repositories. Understand where to look for records and how to access.

An exploration of early visitors and settlers to a part of the Colony of New South Wales that today is known as Aotearoa New Zealand. A wide range of Europeans were attracted to the land across the ditch. Michelle tells the stories of some of the characters who left their marks on both sides of the Tasman Sea before the Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840.

18th April 2026 sees the release of the first new census for Ireland in decades. The 1926 census was the first taken after the island was partitioned and covers the 26 counties which are today known as the Republic of Ireland. In the 15 years since the 1911 census, Ireland had changed dramatically, not least because of partition, but also the impact of World War I, mass migration and the Spanish Flu pandemic. This session showcases the data on the 1926 census, shows researchers how to use the new census and combine it with the older ones. It will quickly become a vital resource for Irish genealogical research.

Why did some of our relatives made a choice to move half a world away and settle in a strange country? What motivated them to do this? There is no one simple answer: each person had their own reasons. This talk will look at the social, economic and political “push” factors that led to our ancestors starting a new life in another country.

This presentation looks at the State Library, State Records, Outback Australia (goldfields), Fremantle Prison (transported convicts) and BDM tips and tricks.

One of the best ways to sort DNA matches into paternal and maternal categories, is to test a close known relative (parent, half-sibling, aunt, uncle or first cousin) and identify shared matches and unshared matches, but what if that is not an option for you? No worries! The underlying inheritance pattern for autosomal DNA and the underlying technology used to test it means that even you can distinguish paternal from maternal relatives. Join us in this webinar to learn how.

Every street has a story — and every household adds a new chapter. This presentation demonstrates how to trace the history of one street across decades, uncovering the people, properties, and events that shaped its character. You’ll see how rate books, title deeds, maps, photographs, newspapers, and electoral rolls can be systematically layered to reconstruct an entire neighbourhood’s history. Our case study focuses on Harcourt Street in 1860s Brisbane — nicknamed Little Tipperary for its cluster of Irish migrant families. By following property ownership, mapping households, and analysing records in context, you’ll discover how to trace migration patterns, reveal family networks, and uncover community connections. While grounded in an Australian example, the step-by-step approach is globally adaptable —whether you’re researching rural lanes, suburban streets, or city blocks—anywhere records survive.

A whistle-stop tour of some of the key resources for tracing land and property in England from the Domesday Survey in 1086 to today, using the case study of a 15th century farmhouse in Kent. From manorial records to title deeds, tithe records to Ordnance Survey maps, there is a vast range of documentation relating to the ownership, occupation and use of land and property in England, from tiny tenements to large estates.