Are you attending the Scottish and German Roadshow this August?

Whilst reading a recent family history magazine from the United Kingdom I came across an article by Chris Paton a Scottish historian, ‘From Donegal to the Peninsular War’.  He was talking about his Scots/Irish family from Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland.  This caught my interest as I have a number of families from the same area.  The McKnights, Dunlops, Greggs, Wilsons, Thompsons, Nesbitt and others. None of these names featured in his article but his ancestor, John Holmes was a shoemaker in Raphoe in the 1840s and my ancestors must have known him.

Cooladerry, near Raphoe

Chris Paton is one of two presenters who will be in Melbourne for a two day roadshow, ‘Researching Abroad, Finding European and British Isles Ancestors’ on 18 and 19 August. They are also going to Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Sydney.  I’ll be hoping to meet Chris and discuss our Raphoe connections.

The program is split evenly over the two days with Chris presenting on the first day in Melbourne.  The second day will have presentations by Dirk Weissleder whom I haven’t heard speak before.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend Rootstech earlier this year where he did attend.  With my German connections, the Erhardts, Mergenthalers, Doblers, Frohlichs and other names from the Waiblingen in the Wurttemberg region I’m looking forward to hearing firsthand about some new sources.

Linen factory, Myslakowice (Erdamannsdorf)

I also have the Fiedlers and Siefferts from what was Erdmannsdorf in Silesia, Prussia and although this is now in Poland hope he will talk about records that encompass the Germans in Poland.  I have visited this area but only briefly to have a look at the countryside and need to go back again.

There is also a talk on DNA which I am very interested in having been on a huge learning curve over recent months.  I’ve tested my parents, myself, my sister and a cousin and looking forward to sharing research with my new found cousins.

Let me know if you’re going to the event in Melbourne so that we can catch up.  Further information can be found at Researching Abroad.

 

As usual if you recognise any of these surnames and places I’d love to hear from you.

#utproadshow17