Memberships Now Due - Online Payment Available

Dear members, payment for next years membership is now due. We have a variety of ways to pay your membership:

• fill out a form and pay in person at a meeting.
• fill out a form and post with a cheque
• pay online via https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/Register.aspx?E=12945

Online Membership $15 - This type of membership provides email copies of our quarterly journal and access to our extensive library and family history files. You will also receive one free research lookup to be carried out by a member on your behalf.

Individual Membership $25 - This type of membership provides paper copies sent by mail of our quarterly journal and access to our extensive library and family history files.

Family Membership $35 - This membership provides coverage for your immediate family members and the quarterly journal mailed to one address. It also provides for access to our extensive library and family history files.

Member Interest Forms Now Working

Thanks to everyone who let us know that the Members' General Interest Directory Form and the Member Family History Interest Form weren't working. This was due to an issue with Dropbox. They automatically disabled all links due to a security issue. They are now working again.

While it does say Member's, we are happy for anyone researching or interested in families associated with Stockton to complete and return the form.

We get many inquiries from people asking for information about families from the area and it is a great way to make contact with other people researching the same families.

Shipwreck Walk - 26 April 2014

As part of National Trust Heritage Festival, members of the Stockton Historical Society conducted a Shipwreck Walk along the Stockton Foreshore on Saturday, 26 April 2104.

A group of approx. 40 people came along to hear about the various shipwrecks which litter the coast on and around Stockton. We met up at the Stockton Ferry Wharf.

We had to wait a little while as the normal ferry service was interupted by the running of a round of the National Powerboat Championships on the harbour. History is still being made there!

Members Debra and Trish ready to take part in the walk.

We walked towards the ocean and moved towards the Norfolk monument, commemorating the escape of a group of convicts on board the sloop in 1800. It was the wreck of this vessel that earned Stockton its original name of Pirate Point.

We then moved to the breakwater itself, where a sign outlines the history of the structure and names the many wrecks associated with it.

Below we have an image of the wreck of the Adolphe, including the observation deck which overlooks the remains of the wreck. You can see the walk group gathered to listen to our speaker.

Some history of Nobbys being spoken about with the subject in the background.

The main wrecks used as the basis for the breakwater are commemorated by a series of makers, like this one for the Cawarra.

I'd like to thank all those associated with organising, running and taking part in the walk. We received many positive comments about the walk and hope to undertake more in the future.

CANCELLED - 3 May 2014 Research Day

Just a quick note to let anyone who may have been coming along that the research day scheduled for 3 May 2014 has been cancelled.

However, we hope to see you at the Tony Robinson Tour of Duty event where I will be taking the World War One photo frame along and maybe getting some help in identifying either men or uniforms etc.

Visit to Lake Macquarie Family History Group - World War One Frame Talk

On Saturday, 19 Apr 2014 a small group of us (Bill, Vera and myself - Michelle) went to visit the Lake Macquarie Family History Group at Marmong Point to speak about out World War One Frame Project. The meeting was held in a lovely community hall on the lake.

We received a warm welcome when we arrived and listened to some great stories being told by members, many of which focused on World War One.

I used a brief powerpoint to highlight points of the talk, including details on how we managed to identify one man from the frame so far, Pte Alfred PENN.

We received some great suggestions for further research and even got some tips in real time as members were able to access some electoral records relating to Mrs Evans.

I'd like to thank the Lake Macquarie Family History Group for the opportunity to speak to them about our project and for the warm welcome and great tips they provided.

EVENT: Stockton Shipwreck Walk

Join the always popular wal along the Southern Breakwall of Newcastle Harbour with the dedicated members of the Stockton Historical Society. Highlights include Pirates' Point and the remains of the many ships which ran aground in the treacherous harbour. If you are interested in attending, please book.

Date: Saturday - 26 Apr 2014

Time: 2pm (ferry leaves Newcastle Wharf at 1.45pm)

Cost: $10 Adults - bookings required

Contact: 02 4961 1063 OR ann-hardy@hotmail.com

Address: Meet at Stockton Ferry Wharf

Upcoming Visit to Lake Macquarie Family History Group - 19 April 2014

On Saturday, 19 April 2014 members of the Stockton Historical Society will be visiting the Lake Macquarie Family History Group at the Community Hall, George Street, Marmong Point from approx. 2pm.

We have been asked to speak about our World War One Photo Frame and the project we have undertaken to identify the men in the frame.

We will be speaking about how we came into possession of the frame, the methods we have used to identify the men, an example of the information we have found so far, and information about the recent conservation process we have had undertaken on the frame.

Members of the Stockton Historical Society have been invited to attend.