Belinda Murrell: Bringing Australian History To Life | Page 32
WORKSHEET
WORKSHEET: BECOMING A
FAMILY HISTORY DETECTIVE
GENEALOGISTS USE ALL SORTS OF TOOLS AND EVIDENCE TO WORK OUT A FAMILY’S HISTORY. BELINDA
MURRELL WAS LUCKY THAT HER ANCESTORS, THE ATKINSON FAMILY, WROTE LOTS OF STORIES AND
LETTERS ABOUT THEIR LIVES IN THE 1840S AND BEYOND.
AS A FAMILY HISTORY DETECTIVE, WHAT EVIDENCE CAN YOU UNEARTH ABOUT YOUR FAMILY’S PAST – OR
ABOUT YOUR LIFE TODAY THAT SOMEONE IN THE FUTURE COULD USE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR
FAMILY? SEE WHICH OF THESE CLUES YOU CAN FIND . . .
Type of clue
What clues did Belinda Murrell find?
A birth, marriage or death
certificate or notice
What clues did YOU find?
Belinda found birth and death notices n
the National Library’s Trove website
A photo or account or newspaper Belinda found a newspaper article about
clipping of a family celebration or Charlotte being dux of her school
achievement
An oral story from an older person Belinda’s Nonnie and Papa told her stories
about the Atkinson family
about what their life was like
when they were young
A family heirloom
Belinda’s mum still has the charm bracelet
with the river pebble charm
A map or address showing where Belinda visited Oldbury, the house in
someone in your family lived
the NSW Southern Highlands where her
ancestors lived
A letter or journal someone in
your family wrote
Belinda found letters between Charlotte
and the executors of her husband’s estate,
and Charlotte’s journal of her journey to
Australia
A school report or class photo of
someone in your family
Belinda found evidence that the Atkinson
children attended College High School in
Sydney
A newspaper article about
someone in your family
Belinda found lots of articles written
about or by her family on the National
Library’s Trove website
Something unique to your family
– perhaps related to their job?
Belinda found botanical sketches and
paintings by her ancestors, and read
Charlotte Atkinson’s published book
32 randomhouse.com.au/teachers