The Women Who Made Me, Me! International Womens Day

Today, March the 8th, is International Women’s Day. It is a day to celebrate and honour women both past and present. For my contribution to International Women’s Day, I want to share with you some photos the women who have helped make me, me!

Obviously throughout everyone’s life there are many, many people who influence us. For this post I’m am sticking to the ancestral lines. Concentrating on those whose genes I have inherited at least some of. The ones who taught me things when you were young, and who embedded their values and ideals into me, and no doubt some of whose trait I have picked up.

HERE’S ME …

this is me at age 4

this is me at age 4

 

MY MUM …

Anthea Hannaford age about 3

Anthea Hannaford (age about 3). Married Alan Phillips.

 

MY 2 GRANDMA’S …

Valda Winter (age c.19)

Valda Winter age c.19 (1916-living).
Married Horace ‘Ron’ Phillips.

Evelyn Randell (1916-2006) age 5, with 'Pete', one of her bothers.She married Cecil Hannaford.

Evelyn Randell (1916-2006) age 5, with ‘Pete’, one of her bothers.
She married Cecil Hannaford.

 

MY 4 GREAT GRANDMA’S …

Winifred Lena Cosgrove (1892-1976)

Winifred Lena Cosgrove (1892-1976).
Married Horace Norman Phillips.

Irene Daley (1894-1954).Married Otto Rafael Winter.

Irene Daley (1894-1954).
Married Otto Rafael Winter.

Dorothy McCullough (1889-1987). Married Ralph Hannaford.

Dorothy McCullough (1889-1987).
Married Ralph Hannaford.

Ella Sinkinson (1876-1943).Married John Beavis "J.B." Randell.

Ella Sinkinson (1876-1943). The lady in the bottom corner is her oldest daughter, Anne.
Married John Beavis “J.B.” Randell.

MY 8 GREAT GREAT GRANDMA’S … 
Although I do have photos for 6 of my 8 great great grandma’s I have opted to simply list them, to save this becoming so ridiculously long.

Kezia Howard (Cecelia) ‘Sis’ BEECKEN (1867-1939)
m. Samuel Thomas PHILLIPS

Mary Ellen LUCAS (c.1856-1944)
m. Denis John COSGROVE

Hedvik (Karolina) VINBLAD (1856-1934)
m. Otto Edvard WINTER

Margaret Florence HAYHURST (1855-1935)
m. John DALEY

Martha Rosa KELLY (1864-1901)
m. William John HANNAFORD

Eva RICHARDSON (1860-1925)
m. Robert McCULLOUGH

Phebe ROBBINS (1838-1932)
m. William Beavis RANDELL

Lydia Amelia BAYS
m. Ebenezer SINKINSON

In case you were wondering who was who in the top picture …
Top row L-R: Phebe Robbins, Alona Phillips, Dorothy McCullough, Evelyn Randell, Martha Rosa Kelly, Evelyn Randell & Cec Hannaford’s wedding.
Bottom row L-R: Valda Winter, Winifred Lena Cosgrove, Anthea Phillips (nee Hannaford), Valda Winter’s wedding, Irene Daley.

Every one of these women (and their husbands too), played a part in making me who I am. Some were emigrants, some were pioneering women, many were hardworking country folk. And I’m sure some of their traits have come through the generations.

www.internationalwomensday.com

#MakeItHappen

#IWD2015

Honouring My Ancestors with a Touch of Bling

Let’s start off by saying I LOOOOOOOVE jewellery.

Apart from genealogy and chocolate, jewellery is a passion of mine. It all started when I was about 10 or so when an auntie gave me a beautiful silver necklace, which I wore day in and day out. This one necklace has since been replaced by a whole stash of necklaces, rings, and bracelets. And when I travel rather than buy souvenirs from the places I visit, I tend to buy jewellery. At least its small enough to bring home easily enough.

Anyway I found a site that combines my love of genealogy and jewellery. So naturally I helped the economy by doing some online shopping. And now I want to share with  you what I bought ….

The www.mynamenecklace.com.au website  is one of those places that you can order jewellery from and get it customised to have your kids names on it. Well I ordered a bracelet, but rather than get my furkids names put on it, I chose to put my ancestors surnames instead. Well, my four grandparents lines anyway – Hannaford, Randell, Winter, Phillips, and to top it off it has the Tree of Life in the centre.

my MyNameNecklace bracelet has just arrived

my MyNameNecklace bracelet has just arrived

ooh it's so pretty!

ooh it’s so pretty!

new bling added to my wrist!

new bling added to my wrist!

I’m so thrilled with my new bracelet that I have already ordered another one as well as a necklace. On those I’m getting the words Genealogy. Past. Present. Future. put on them, which should be cool. Anyway when they arrive, I’ll have pics on my Facebook page. They’re my Christmas presents from me to me (we all have those don’t we)?

I don’t normally write about companies, but I chose to do so in case any of you also have a love of jewellery and wanted to do something customised with current (or past) family names on it, I thought I’d share details of this MyNameNecklace site with you. Afterall they do have a whole range of “Family Tree” related jewellery, so how can that not be interesting?

And in the interest of disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with the MyNameNecklace company, other than being a happy customer.

Movember Ancestors #4: Gustaf Adolf ‘Gösta’ Winter

For this Movember Ancestor picture we head to Finland.

My great grandpa Otto Rafael Winter was a seaman who arrived in Australia in 1907, leaving behind his whole family in Finland.  So I am one eighth Finnish.

Otto was of six children. He had two older sisters and three younger brothers. Gustaf who was generally known as Gösta was one of his brothers.

Gustaf ‘Gosta’ Winter here with a lady who is possibly his wife Astrid Österlund, c.1926-1930

Gustaf ‘Gosta’ Winter here with a lady who is possibly his wife Astrid Österlund, c.1926-1930

Gösta has a fairly standard “English” style moustache in this picture. It is very neat, and goes well with the smart, distinguished look he has here.

The inscription on the bottom of the photo says G.A. Winter, Helsingfors (which is another name for Helsinki in Finland) and is where the Winter family came from.

Great Grandpa Winter and his Tattoos

I have written from time to time about  my great grandpa Winter (see the links below), and was inspired to do so again after reading an article today.

Although the article was about convicts their tattoos, it reminded me of Otto Winter’s tattoos which I found out about from his military records.

The image below is  portion of a page from Otto Winter’s WW1 records which are held at the National Archives of Australia – which lists his tattoos in his distinguishing marks.