General News
15 November, 2024
Life members honoured
The Wimmera Association for Genealogy had a dilemma - five life members and nowhere to display their names.
But retired builder and Horsham Men's Shed coordinator Chas McDonald solved the problem and now an honour roll hangs in the association's Pynsent Street premises.
The board lists the names of life members Jack Gillespie, Dorothy King, Ann Bird, Ken Flack and Ian Rees - with ample room for more.
Mr Gillespie was an inaugural member in 1971 and chairman until 1984. During that time he received a Genealogy Society of Victoria fellowship. His wife Barbara was also active in the Wimmera group and was treasurer and publicity officer.
Dorothy King transcribed many cemetery records from district cemeteries and was a long-time committee member. She also helped produce the association's magazine 'Wimmera Whispers'.
Ann Bird was secretary for many years and helped with research. She died in August this year.
Ken Flack joined the organisation in 1998 and became president in 2001. His research on First World War soldiers, buried in Horsham cemeteries, is included in the two-volume 'Strewth' books compiled by John and Gillian Francis. The names are also on a memorial at the cemetery.
Ian Rees, a former electrical engineer with the SEC, attended his first association meeting in 1998. He has been treasurer since 2001 and is the group's key research officer. He has sourced many thousands of records, particularly on land grants. Mr Rees also helps people research information on their families.
The association, which meets on the third Monday of each month, promotes and encourages the study of genealogy and assists people wanting to trace their family history.
The organisation has comprehensive computer data on births, deaths and marriages; parish plans; assisted migration and shipping records; genealogical books and magazines; family histories and transcriptions from Wimmera and Mallee cemeteries.