Autumn 2017 EDITION Joondalup Library, Local History Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm 102 Boas Avenue, Joondalup 6027 Saturday 9.30am – 12.30pm Genie Exchange – Royal Sappers and Miners Unlocking the past, in Western Australia for the future Joondalup Local History – The Royal Sappers and Miners Around 20% of the men settled and Friday, 10.00am – 12.00noon in Western Australia website made a new life in Australia. All of sappers-minerswa.com explores them left a legacy of buildings and Woodvale Library – the history of the Corps’ presence infrastructure that can still be seen Tuesday, 10.00am – 12.00noon in Western Australia. It contains the in today’s modern Western Australia. Come along to the Genie Exchange names and profiles of many of the The Sappers and Miners who came and research your family history Sappers and their officers from the to the Swan River Colony from 1850 with help from skilled and Royal Engineers who served in the until 1862 were primarily sent to give knowledgeable volunteers in a Swan River Colony from 1837-1839 the convicts instruction in trades such warm and friendly environment. and 1850-1862. Most of the men as building and road construction. No need to book. Special resources garrisoned in the Colony returned These were trades that would benefit for research are available to borrow ‘home’. Some married and had the Colony and were necessary to its from the Local History section children. Some died here. development. at Joondalup Library and from Woodvale Library. Partially reproduced with permission from Diane Oldman, creator and author of the Royal Sappers and Miners in Western Australia website. Old Photos Old photos don’t just show ancestors, they often include their friends. If you are able to, share those photos with their descendents to spark an exchange of images and stories. Rose Vlahov with family and friends at the forestry camp, Wanneroo ca. 1934. 2 | Family and Local History 1 National Trust Heritage Festival 2017 2 Having a Voice 3 Once again the City of Joondalup will participate in the National Heritage Festival. This year’s theme 4 is ‘Having a Voice’. Pick up the complete program at a City Library, or visit the City’s website at joondalup.wa.gov.au or call 9400 4751. Writing your Family History 5 Thursday 6 April 2017 10.00am – 12.00noon Joondalup Library Cost $2.00 Genealogists are in the business 6 of storytelling. Join professional genealogist and author Loreley Morling and discover how to collect those valuable family documents and memories. Learn how to turn them into a story that relatives Researching the Voices will treasure for generations. from Yesteryear 7 Saturday 6 May 2017 Voices from Yesteryear 1.00pm – 2.30pm Joondalup Library Saturday 6 May 2017 Cost $2.00 10.00am – 11.30am Joondalup Library Join family historians Olive and Cost $2.00 Wendy and learn how to search through freely available public Learn how your ancestors had records and discover tips, tricks a voice through the use of newspapers, and hints to help you maximise PHOTO CAPTIONS electoral rolls and other records. the results of your search. See how political and public records 1. Tom Parin and the Wanneroo school bus at gave your ancestors a voice which Do you have a tricky question or Sexton property ca. 1947. can help you research your family tree. two, or three? Olive and Wendy will 2. Anastas and Constantine Vosnacos ca. 1930s. answer those difficult questions at the 3. Linda Lindsay (nee Skewes) graduation from end of the session. Claremont Teachers Training College ca. 1930s. 4. Wanneroo State School children ca. 1939. 5. Joyce Sears ca. 1930s. 6. Parin family in their vineyard ca. 1927. 7. Gay Chambers and family at Hillarys Beach ca. 1955. Family and Local History | 3 Genealogy Writing your story: how to Journals bring back ‘lost’ memories The Joondalup Library Local History Over time the circumstances subscribes to the following hard copy surrounding memories can become journals that are available for loan. difficult to recall. Diary and letter These publications offer a wide range writing is not as prevalent today. of articles that may be of interest to How can you create new memories the family history researcher. or start to conceptualise old Western Ancestor: Journal of the memories for later. It can be as Western Australian Genealogical easy as starting to write one brief Society Inc. story about your life per week or This publication contains feature using these tools to bring back ‘lost’ memories: Launch Eleanor on Loch McNess, Yanchep articles, a useful information section, National Park ca. 1940. special interest group reports, the • Free associate. Start with a blank What’s On - Society News and page and write a person, place information on the services offered or event at the top. Then begin at the Western Australian Genealogical with “I remember” and write Society (WAGS) in Bayswater. anything that comes to mind, WAGS Special Interest Groups even if it’s not a complete Newsletters thought. For example, if a Written by WAGS members these page was titled “Grandma,” newsletters cover specific areas of you might write ‘sewing’ (she interest. Copies of the Settlers Gazette, was a skilled seamstress), ‘teddy Enrolled Pensioner Guards, Convict bear’ (she gave you one for Links, Bygone Times, The Scottish Christmas when you were six), Lake Gnangara Picnic Day ca. 1947. Forum and The Irish Group are ‘blue’ (her favourite colour) and ‘Cambridge’ (the street available. • Read about the places and times where she lived). Keep going you want to remember. Ancestor: the quarterly until you run out of memories. Books, journal of the Genealogical contemporary news articles and Society of Victoria Inc.This • Immerse yourself. Go to a place photos detailing events and eras comprehensive journal related to a time in your life like the assassination of President contains informative articles, you want to recall. Visit your Kennedy, man walking on the a research corner, members’ childhood neighbourhood; walk moon, the death of Princess queries, Genies on the web, around your primary school Diana and the turn of the book reviews, What’s On Member and/or high school; have a drink millennium will bring back Societies and news from the Public at the pub where your friends mental images and memory Records Office Victoria and the Royal gathered when you were young. snippets of what you were Historical Society of Victoria. Listen to the music and eat the doing at the time. food you liked. History West (Royal • Reach out. Ask people who Western Australian knew you when you were Historical Society) growing up - what they This monthly journal has remember about being in several feature articles, primary school; the Year reports on the activities of 12 school ball or the day of the society and items of your father’s funeral. Their historical interest from around memories might fill in where Western Australia. Partially reproduced from the 6 January 2017 yours gets fuzzy. Genealogy Insider enewsletter 4 | Family and Local History Road and Joondalup Drive is now). The family ran a small market The Tapping garden there. William Jr., Lucy and their four Family children George, Veronica, Mary Ann and Ada moved to Pinjar Road, The Tapping’s were early pioneers near Lake Mariginiup in 1905 where The Tapping sisters, 1961. Left to right: Ada, Mary (Molly) and Veronica (Dolly). in the Wanneroo area. In 1886 they started a dairy and vegetable William and Mary Ann Tapping garden. To earn extra money William settled at the 16 Mile peg, Wanneroo cut rushes from the lake and sold them The sisters lived together in the house Road (now the corner of Wanneroo to Monteith’s Rope Works in Subiaco, attached to the post office. Their niece, and Dundebar Roads) and ran a dairy. carting them there in his truck. Mavis Penno (nee Murphy) loved Before settling in Wanneroo, William The Tapping family were active staying with her aunts Dolly and was a boatman on the Swan River. members of their local community. Molly. She remembers: He was captain of the passenger ship William Jr. served on the Wanneroo ‘…My aunts worked long hours in The Friends which ferried people to Road Board between 1905 and 1948 the post office, particularly with the and from Fremantle. William also representing the Central and North telephone exchange. They worked worked in the pearling industry in Wards and was involved in the from eight in the morning till eight the north-west. Wanneroo Agricultural Society. at night. The telephone service was William and Mary had eight William Jr. and Lucy’s son George, a manual system in those days and children: Eunice, William Jr, Arthur was the North Wanneroo school operated with a series of plugs. de Grey, Frederick, Thomas, Ethel, bus driver. During the week George When I was very young Aunty Doll Eva and Maud. (who had moved to North Perth) sometimes allowed me to put the plugs In 1898 William and Mary’s son, used to camp in front of the Cockman in to put through the local calls. The William Jr and his wife Lucy Jane family home on Yanchep Beach Road Post Office was a little shop too, where Tapping, were living in a small after doing the school bus run as it cool drinks and small items were corrugated iron house at the 18 was too far to go home each day. He sold…’ (Penno Oral History E0332). Mile peg, Wanneroo Road (near often joined the Cockman family Dolly and Molly sold lollies, cakes, where the intersection of Wanneroo for dinner and played cards in the cordial, ice-blocks and small items evening with them.