Prendergast Slave owners in Jamaica during the 1700s.

Historians are like detectives. They question, analyze and interpret evidence from the past. Studying history is diving into the unexpected and unknown. By understanding our past you'll also learn to create a better future. Reference; Utas history unit handbook. As they say, you cannot change history so with this in mind I have decided to blog about … Continue reading Prendergast Slave owners in Jamaica during the 1700s.

Utas diploma of family history 2020

Following my invigorating research trip to the Hawkesbury NSW in June/July 2019, I felt inspired to plan a P[r]endergast family reunion and coordinate a "go fund me" and heritage grant to raise funds to restore the family Vault at the old Catholic Cemetery Windsor during 2020. The Whitsundays where I live is a very long … Continue reading Utas diploma of family history 2020

Repository Visit to Sydney.

In January 2019, I travelled to Sydney to conduct genealogy research into property owned by the Prendergast family in the Hawkesbury district of NSW. The records were held at various Repositories in Sydney, Kingswood and Wollombi. I wanted to locate records at the repositories and then visit the land of my forbears to get a … Continue reading Repository Visit to Sydney.

Fond memories and exciting new research

Saturday 19 August, 2017 I am back in the Whitsundays and constantly in awe of the amazing trip I enjoyed to Ireland in May/June this year. London Visiting the National Archives at Kew, I changed trains at Turnham Green Station. This is the very area where King William 111 would have been assassinated had … Continue reading Fond memories and exciting new research

A Princess in Enniscorthy Castle.

Tuesday 30 May, 2017 Every little girl dreams of being a Princess in a Castle. We grow up with stories of Snow White and Cinderella but no one really believes that they can live in a Castle - even for a short time. Today I felt like a Princess. As I watched the tables being … Continue reading A Princess in Enniscorthy Castle.

Antiques, Grave stone Rubbings and Prendergast family Deeds.

Wednesday 24 May, 2017. At 10am this morning, a warm welcome awaited me at the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland when Aaron Binchy, a relative of my favourite author Maeve Binchy, greeted me at the door of the Society. Conor Lucey, the President took me on a personally escorted tour around the building and … Continue reading Antiques, Grave stone Rubbings and Prendergast family Deeds.

Interesting discovery in Dublin and at the National Archives of Ireland

Tuesday 23 May, 2017 John Prendergast, my 5x Grandfather died intestate in 1833. In Windsor, Australia, shortly before his death, he distributed all of his possessions to his children. Why did he die without leaving a Will? Was it to save his family the expense of paying death taxes? Was it so that he could … Continue reading Interesting discovery in Dublin and at the National Archives of Ireland

Conference papers and Certificate ceremony

Clans and Surnames Conference, Nenagh, Tipperary. Friday 19 May, 2017 I awoke bright and early and very excited. Today is the day I deliver my Conference paper 'The Quest to find Prendergast ancestry'' The day started with Dr. Michael C. Kean who has written a book from Laois (pronounced Leesh) to Kerry. Dr. Penny Walters … Continue reading Conference papers and Certificate ceremony

The importance of taking care of your family history

Clans and Surnames Conference, Nenagh, Tipperary Ireland Last year with the help of the lovely Rachel Spano, Senior Archivist of the State Library of Queensland, Australia, I was able to pass on techniques for Preservation, Conservation and Restoration at a Workshop that I conducted where Rachel Spano participated in an outreach skype session. When I … Continue reading The importance of taking care of your family history

Portumna Workhouse and Portumna Castle visit

Clans and Surnames Conference Nenagh, Tipperary. Wednesday May 17, 2017 We started the day with a Round table discussion. Tony Browne was very knowledgeable on the subject of Limerick Surnames. He had us all laughing with some of his stories about tracing family names. Civil Parishes and Death Registration sources was discussed at … Continue reading Portumna Workhouse and Portumna Castle visit