Family Origins Research

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Family Origins Research Family and Historical Research Services Researching your family history is an exciting and extremely rewarding venture. Where did our ancestors come from?

Family Origins Ancestral and Historical Research Services is a Wollongong based genealogy business dedicated to increasing your knowledge about your ancestral lines. When uncovering the paths of our ancestors, we often discover an extraordinary kinship to those we have never met, and can either relate to, or empathise with, the circumstances within their lives. What kind of occupations did they have? If Australian, when did they arrive? Were they free immigrants or convicts? These are just a sample of the many questions we can answer relating to your family line. Often family research can be an overwhelming experience due to the plethora of online services and information, but at Family Origins we hope to provide a personal gateway to unlocking the complexities of researching your family tree.

One of the ‘bedrooms’ in the women’s wing of Beechworth Asylum. The windows were generally blocked by the wooden shutter...
26/04/2018

One of the ‘bedrooms’ in the women’s wing of Beechworth Asylum. The windows were generally blocked by the wooden shutters, especially at the time of a full moon! 📚

For the women who were able, weaving was one of the jobs undertaken in Beechworth Asylum.
26/04/2018

For the women who were able, weaving was one of the jobs undertaken in Beechworth Asylum.

Beechworth Asylum, Beechworth Victoria. These photos are from the women’s section of the hospital. The scratch marks on ...
26/04/2018

Beechworth Asylum, Beechworth Victoria. These photos are from the women’s section of the hospital. The scratch marks on the inside of the heavy doors are heartbreaking.

The Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum, also known as Beechworth Asylum, was one of the  largest hospitals built in Victoria, t...
26/04/2018

The Mayday Hills Lunatic Asylum, also known as Beechworth Asylum, was one of the largest hospitals built in Victoria, to house those with mental health problems. It was commissioned in 1867 and operated until 1995. It didn’t take a lot of effort to be admitted into the Asylum. Any person considered to be unstable, uncared for, or a vagrant for example, could be admitted by a friend, relative or law enforcement. It generally took just two signatures to be incarcerated and eight to be released.

At its peak, Mayday Hills had 67 operational buildings and housed 1200 patients and 500 staff. After enjoying a tour of the building and it’s grounds it was easy to imagine that recovery was probably not an option for many of the patients. For those who were ‘uncontrollable’, they spent time locked up in rooms that were no wider than a wingspan, in complete darkness. Even though the building is now old and somewhat dilapidated, it’s hard not to let your imagination run wild and think how cold and dark it must have been and how tough it must have been for the patients. Perhaps I’m looking at it through a modern lens. What do you think?

Sometimes it can be tricky to tell a client about a family member who has done something shocking. This was the case wit...
15/02/2018

Sometimes it can be tricky to tell a client about a family member who has done something shocking. This was the case with Robert Williams. Robert was firstly accused, then acquitted, of ra**ng his daughter and years later, murdering his wife. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. However the sentence was commuted to life in prison as Robert claimed that he had been hearing voices that told him his wife was unfaithful.

This lovely lady is 102 years old today. Imagine the amount of change she has experienced throughout the years! Happy bi...
01/02/2018

This lovely lady is 102 years old today. Imagine the amount of change she has experienced throughout the years! Happy birthday to my beautiful grandmother, Elsie. 😘❤️🎉

I think these young men were a group of apprentices in Poland in the early 1930s.
31/01/2018

I think these young men were a group of apprentices in Poland in the early 1930s.

O’Connell family. 1960s.
31/01/2018

O’Connell family. 1960s.

Richard Clements, a well known grazier of Whoroughly, was killed when he was thrown from his horse, in 1890. The Age rep...
13/08/2017

Richard Clements, a well known grazier of Whoroughly, was killed when he was thrown from his horse, in 1890. The Age reported that Mr Clements had left the Connor's Hotel around 7:30pm but it was only his horse that made it home. The following morning, thinking the animal had escaped it's owner, a man named Chaplain, discovered Richard's body, whilst endeavouring to return the horse. (The Age, 21 Mar 1890, p.6)

The cemetery in Bowmans Forest, Victoria was established in 1868. It is a picturesque setting with all graves facing the...
13/08/2017

The cemetery in Bowmans Forest, Victoria was established in 1868. It is a picturesque setting with all graves facing the beautiful mountains.

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