In July 1874 Kate Hickson was 29 years old, an unmarried Irish emigre who had arrived in Sydney, New South Wales with her younger brother George some ten and a half years previously, when they were respectively 19 and 18 years of age. For the … Continue reading A death in the family
Tag: Sydney
A Mosman connection
My great grandparents, William and Alice Ross, and my great grandfather, Charles Holdorf (Holford), lived in Mosman, arguably one of the most beautiful suburbs of Sydney’s North Shore, for many years. They were my father’s grandparents, William and Alice the parents of his mother, and … Continue reading A Mosman connection
Mostly Irish
My two grandmothers, Winifred Ross and Gertrude Byrne, form the core of my family history. They were second cousins, though as far as I can tell they didn't seem to be aware of it. Their respective grandfathers were brothers, their mother's were cousins. They had, … Continue reading Mostly Irish
Hickson emigration from Kerry
Arrival of William Hickson and family in Sydney 24th February 1878. Why leave? In Kay Caball’s latest blog on her Kerry ancestry and genealogy website (mykerryancestors.com) she asks the question: “Why did your ancestors emigrate?” Her answer? To get work is the immediate answer. Opportunities for education, … Continue reading Hickson emigration from Kerry
Arrival
Early in the antipodean Spring of 1973 I stood on the deck of an old passenger ship, Ellinis, as it sailed through the heads of Sydney Harbour and made its way slowly towards the iconic Bridge and Opera House. It was the end of a … Continue reading Arrival