Genealogy Serendipity and the False Identity Story

From the cover of 'Inside History'

A few days ago, in False Identity and other Eureka Moments in Family History, I mentioned my article (published in Inside History magazine) about 19th century immigrants to Australia who travelled using false identities.

Today I received an email that stunned and delighted me. It said,

You came to Coffs Harbour and gave us a talk some time ago... I have just read your article in Inside History regarding John and Peter Anderson travelling under false names on the Hannah Landels. John Anderson is my great grandfather... I have searched and searched and had the Oxley Library and others in Queensland look for me and we couldn't find them on the passenger list.

The chances of a descendant reading that article must surely have been very small - and yet it happened, and the descendant is someone I've met. This is just amazing - and, for that descendant, a big Eureka moment!

False Identity and other Eureka moments in Family History

The theme of the latest edition of Inside History magazine (always a good read) is 'Eureka' moments: breaking down brick walls in family history. It includes my article about 19th century immigrants to Australia who travelled using *false identities*.

Inside History, with features on social history and heritage and in-depth family history research advice, is Australia's leading bi-monthly magazine for people passionate about the past. The latest edition (Jul/Aug 2013) "throws the spotlight on shipping records and a case of false identity that will have you looking at 19th-century passenger lists in a new light". It also looks at how land title records in Queensland led to the discovery of a cache of 300 family photographs; and it describes how transcribing an old letter led one reader to solve an adoption mystery from the 1930s.

These are many other fascinating and informative articles in this edition. Experts help to date and identify family photographs. Read about the scandalous dances held in 1920s Sydney, and the anniversary of HMAS Australia, our first Navy flagship. There are book reviews, a travel feature on genealogy cruising, and a look at families in British India. Blogs have provided many research breakthroughs and Eureka moments for family historians, and this issue lists Inside History's Top 50 Genealogy Blogs 2013.
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P.S.  Inside History did not publish the original source reference, which is 'Qld State Archives item ID 847100, COL/A369, 83/4753' (a Colonial Secretary's Office in-letter). A few days after I wrote this, there was a truly amazing sequel. Read about it in Genealogy Serendipity and the False Identity story.
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Inside History is available in some public libraries.