Reflections on Historical Research and Storytelling

Deborah Wheeler: from Kyoomba Sanatorium to the Battle of Crete

On Saturday, 8th June, a select audience enjoyed and learnt from a compelling talk by the historian and author, Deborah Wheeler. This talk focused attention on the processes of historical research and storytelling.

Deborah began by sharing her extensive research journey into the history of Kyoomba Sanatorium, located just outside Stanthorpe. This project, which initially seemed a modest endeavour, expanded into an extensive exploration of the servicemen, women, and medical staff associated with the institution. The result of her work is contained in two comprehensive volumes. 

The first soldier Deborah identified as having spent time at the Kyoomba Sanatorium during and after the First World War, was a young man by the name of John [Jack] Edward Moffatt. Working as a surgical dresser, Jack was assigned to the hospital ships to care and transport wounded servicemen. During the period of her research, Deborah was introduced to Jack’s niece, Dawn Lippiatt. They spent quite some time together sharing information about Jack. Dawn very graciously gifted Jack’s original photo album to Deborah as part of her collection of items relating to the Kyoomba Sanatorium.

One of the most poignant parts of her talk was when Deborah recounted her work on her family history, particularly the story of her grandfather, a participant in the historic Kangaroo March from Wagga Wagga to Sydney. This personal connection added a deeply emotional layer to her research. Her father’s approval of the story before his death highlighted the significance of preserving family narratives for future generations.

Deborah's third book, "Silk Clouds and Olive Trees," delves into the Battle of Crete. Her journey began serendipitously when she encountered a young man carrying both an ANZAC commemoration flag and a Greek flag, leading to numerous meaningful connections. Her research for this book spanned multiple archives, libraries, and online resources, emphasizing the global nature of historical inquiry.

One particularly memorable character Deborah mentioned was Alf Carpenter. At 100 years old, Alf shared vivid stories of his time spent in the Middle East, Greece and Crete. His firsthand accounts, provided a unique and personal perspective on historical events. Alf's full biography can be explored further here. https://thisstory.com.au/full-bio/alf-carpenter/.

Alf Carpenter

Publishing

Deborah also shared valuable insights into the publishing process, particularly for those documenting family histories. She stressed the importance of distributing three free copies of any published work: one to the National Library via edeposit or hard copy, one to the State Library where the book was published, and one to the Parliamentary Library. This ensures the preservation and accessibility of these works for future generations.

The Aftermath

After the Zoom session concluded, social chatter indicated that attendees had not only enjoyed but also learned a great deal from Deborah's talk. Her experiences and advice inspire one to delve deeper into our own family histories and contribute to the broader tapestry of historical knowledge.

For more about Deborah Wheeler’s works, visit her website https://www.deborahcwheeler.com/books. Two of Deb's books will shortly be available for borrowing at the Heritage Library.

Here is a link to a variety of Australian military history sources for service personnel. Members of the group can also access this link on the Heritage site Quick Links.

Seven Stories You Missed

 

In a fun session at the Heritage Centre, seven people shared some gems from their family history collections.

Here's a brief summary of what you missed.

The Missing Brother

Bev told the story of how she found a grandfather's brother and his wives and children in the days before Internet databases. She ended with a lovely photo of her Mum and her mother's newly found first cousin.

The Pearly Ones

Richard told us about the Pearly Kings and Queens of London. He elaborated on their past roles as arbiters of the peace in their domain down to today as charitable workers. He shared some stunning photos of their outfits too. Read about and view some of their wonderful outfits on the Museum of London site.

The Wrong Party and the Gold Envelope

Tiny gold envelope approx. 10mm x 6mm

Joan brought along this tiny gold envelope that belonged to her grandmother. It also has a little letter inside. She told the story of how her grandfather accidentally went to the wrong party in town and that was where he met her grandmother. From age 14 until he was 65 he worked his way up in the post office with placements across country Queensland. Eventually he became a Postmaster. During WWII he was also stationed in NSW.

The Iron Hoop

Robyn shared the story of the iron hoop in the Noosa Museum and read us the story of the little French boy who was adopted by Australian soldiers in WWI. She retold the story of how they smuggled him first to Britain and then to Australia. Read more of that story here and here.

A Family History Project and a confusion of Names

Jo, a new member shared the story of how her son in Year 8 worked on his family history project. She then shared a copy of her grandmother's family history book where all the names had been changed to protect their privacy. Oh, what a mess to sort through! Her 93 yr old mother is helping to identify the persons in this book.

The book with the "mystery" names

The Scrapbook

Cathy had a fascinating story of a scrapbook which had previously been the business letters book of her German Gt.Gt. grandfather. He had a business in Point Pass, South Australia in the late 19th and early 20th century. The book contained the copies of the letters he had written throughout his years in business. 

Cathy read out one letter where he wrote to a lady in nearby Robertstown saying he had visited 11 warehouses but could not find a frock that she had ordered! Imagine someone going to that effort for a customer. Some of the pages are in English and some in German, all in his copperplate handwriting.

Siblings in Line Ups

Carmel showed photos of her 6 siblings as children when their mother lined them up in age order throughout the years from 1944 until 1954. In two of the photos the children were on old converted wagon wheels, one a seesaw and one a hurdy gurdy. Nothing was wasted on that farm.
What treasures to have all those photos!

The see-saw

Keep an eye on the calendar for the next Share, Show or Tell session and come along to enjoy.

Research informs historical fiction

An enertaining meeting

 "As the American colonies whisper of liberty and revolution a young slave boy, John Randall, listens. And when the country hurtles into war, he seizes his chance, escaping to fight for the English and his freedom. John’s flight leads him across oceans: poverty and petty crime in the grey slums of Manchester; the rotting prison hulks on the Thames, and finally as a convict to a new penal colony on the other side of the world – a vast, unknown land later to be called Australia.”

On Saturday at our general meeting Jo Braithwaite presented an introduction to her book Black Randall. He was her ancestor who was transported to Australia on the First Fleet. As she researched this man she became fascinated with the circumstances that led to his deportation and his subsequent life in the early colony.

Jo has used her creative writing skills and provided his story as historical fiction, a favourite genre for many genealogists and family historians. Jo also talked about the path to publishing, including finding a mentor. 

The book will soon be available for members to borrow from our library.

Two other historical fiction authors recommended by family historians are Nathan Dylan Goodwin, who is a genealogical mystery crime novelist and M J Lee. Martin is a writer of contemporary crime, historical and genealogical mystery novels.