Stories from Dead Relatives

In this week's post, we have been asked to look behind an "unusual name" and I've chosen my great-aunt's husband, Frederick Nay, because it's not a name you hear every day and it is a great example of the challenges of searching for your family, because it turns out that names can change (quite a lot!). Fred was born in Warialda, in north-west NSW in 1902. He is the father of my Aunty Yvonne (and her six younger siblings), who is actually my 1st cousin, once-removed.  Fred's father was George Nay, who was born in Mudgee in 1849. George Nay and his wife, Mary Ann Peglar George's father was Robert Nay, who was born in Shoreditch, England in 1817. In 1832 at the age of 15, he was convicted of larceny and sentenced to 7 years and sent to Australia on the convict ship Waterloo in 1833. Robert Nay and his wife, Mary Fleming Robert's father was James Nay, who was also born in Shoreditch, England in 1789. His father was Francis...

FIRST - a new year and another attempt at recording some of my family history via the 52 Ancestors prompts! This week, the prompt is "First" and I'm delving deeper into my first Ancestor to arrive in Australia - Samuel Freeman. He was my 4th Greatfather and his offspring eventually led to my maternal Grandmother and my Dad. I think he was born about 1799 in Hertfordshire, England, but I have no definitive records of that (more research to do - Freeman is a very common name!). At age 21, he was working as a millwright (a high-precision craftsman or tradesman who installs, dismantles, repairs, reassembles and moves machinery in corn mills). At about 5pm on 10 October 1799, he was caught stealing out of the chamber room of Thomas Bigg of Kimpton Mill. He stole a "scarlet printed Kersymere waistcoat (worth 10 shillings) and one pair of dark-coloured breeches (worth 15 shillings). He also stole from the sleeping room of Joseph Bigg one Bank of England note of 20...