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Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc

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Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc

Discover your family’s story with the Genealogical Society of Victoria (GSV).

Whether your roots are in Victoria or worldwide, our library, education programs, research services, and community circles help you explore, connect, and share family history.

18/06/2026

Do you have a book that's shaped your Victorian or Tasmanian family history research? Bring it along and share it with fellow members at the next Victoria and Tasmania Discussion Circle!

We're looking for fiction or non-fiction titles about Victoria or Tasmania, books that gave you a deeper insight into your ancestors' lives. Come prepared to speak about your pick for a few minutes, this will be a great help for our book list!

Friday 26 June 2026
10:30am – 12:00pm
Via Zoom (link provided on registration)

The Victoria and Tasmania Discussion Circle is a space for GSV members researching family history in these two states. Find out more and register here: https://www.gsv.org.au/victoria-and-tasmania-discussion-circle

GSV members only | Free of charge | Please log in to register

16/06/2026

Saturday at GSV Library — this Saturday, 20 June!

Can't make it during the week? Once a month, we open our doors on a Saturday just for you. Join us on Saturday, 20 June 2026, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Come in and explore our resources, our Library Research Assistants will be on hand to help with your research.

Advance bookings are essential. Reserve your spot by noon on Friday, 19 June.

p: (03) 9662 4455
e: [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there!

13/06/2026

Do you live more than 100 km from Melbourne, or overseas? Did you know your GSV membership includes a free 2-hour research request each year?

Our trained research volunteers will do the searching for you. If your query needs more time, we can discuss an extended research request.

Distance is no barrier to everything else GSV membership offers either, with Zoom discussion circles, our award-winning journal Ancestor, online events, webcasts and more, all accessible from home. For more information, visit our website at gsv.org.au.

To submit a research request, contact our research team at [email protected]

Not a member? Visit https://www.gsv.org.au/membership-benefits-0 for more information.

11/06/2026

Ready to uncover the records that tell your family's most important stories? Join us for Session 5 of our Australian Family History Course - Finding and Using Vital Records!

Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young (Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne) and Meg Bate (GSV Librarian) will guide you through a comprehensive range of vital records including births, deaths and marriages, adoptions, wills and probate, inquests, divorces, naturalisation, cemeteries, letters, diaries and interviews.

Go beyond finding the document, learn how to interpret and get the most out of every record.

When: Thursday 25 June 2026, 1:30PM – 4:30 PM AEST, Online via Zoom
Members $60 · Non-members $120
🔗 Register: https://www.gsv.org.au/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=2948
GSV members — log in first to access your discounted rate!

09/06/2026

GSV Collection Spotlight: Malcolm the Uganda Story by John M Lines

Have you explored everything our library has to offer? Today we're shining a light on Malcolm: The Uganda Story. It is a fascinating gem that's been sitting in our collection waiting to be discovered!

Tracing one of Britain's rarest surnames, this remarkable family history charts the Allshorn name from its English roots to Uganda and beyond, ultimately reaching Australia.

The book explores how dedicated researchers pieced together a story spanning continents, decades and generations. They used church records, census data, ancestry, personal correspondence, and even chance connections made through email and social media. A reminder that family history truly never has an end point.

Come browse our Family History Book Collection, you never know what fascinating stories about your own ancestors might be waiting to be discovered!

Genealogical Society of Victoria
1/10 Queen Street, Melbourne
Open: Tue-Fri 10AM to 4PM
🔗 www.gsv.org.au

Catalogue record: https://tinyurl.com/2xd3wd36

06/06/2026

Have you ever wished you could revisit a genealogy website that no longer exists? Or find digitised books, newspapers and historical records from the comfort of your home? This session is for you!

We're exploring two incredible FREE resources for family historians:

1. Internet Archive — a massive digital library with digitised books, newspapers, genealogical records and historical documents to help bring your ancestors' stories to life.

2. The Wayback Machine — an archive of over 916 BILLION web pages, letting you travel back in time to view websites that have long since disappeared.

Our Family History Toolbox forum is all about finding the best sources for family history research and learning how to use them more effectively. Come for the knowledge, stay for the discussion!

Details:
Thursday, 18 June 2026 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (AEST)
GSV Members only | Free of charge
Bookings essential - please log in to register
Zoom link provided upon registration
Can't make it? A recording will be circulated afterwards

Don't miss out — register today and take your family history research to the next level!

Image: Scott, W. (1863) The lady of the lake, A.W. Bennett - https://openlibrary.org/books/OL27304392M/The_lady_of_the_lake

04/06/2026

New addition to the GSV Family History Collection: My Boat People by Antony Swain

Kindly donated by our very own GSV Treasurer, Tony, this remarkable chronicle traces seventeen emigration events spanning nearly a century — from the First Fleet in 1788 to 1880. It weaves together the stories of Tony's ancestors who journeyed to Australia.

Convicts, wealthy settlers and ordinary working people alike: all of them escaping the poverty and tyranny of Victorian Britain, and daring to dream of a better life for themselves and their children.

And here's a fun fact for beer lovers, one of Tony's ancestors is James Squire, the very name behind one of Australia's most famous beers! Read the book to find out more.

Whether you're a family history enthusiast, a lover of Australian colonial history or simply captivated by stories of courage and resilience, My Boat People is a must-read.

Available to view onsite at the GSV. Visit us today at 1/10 Queen Street, Melbourne.

View in our catalogue: www.gsv.org.au/myboatpeople

Image 1: Lycett, Joseph, 1825, Kissing Point, New South Wales, the property of the late Mr James Squires, Published by J. Souter, London (73 St. Paul's Church Yard), http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135701358

Image 2: Cover of My Boat People by Antony Barry Swain, GSV Family History Collection

03/06/2026

The latest edition of Ancestor, GSV's award-winning journal, has arrived!

This issue is packed with fascinating stories — from a woman who vanished from the records in the 1840s only to be found in an unmarked grave, to the wife of a Tasmanian Premier who quietly shaped history, to a detective hunt for an ancestor's exact address in 1790s Europe. We also follow the remarkable story of William McCoy, whose name lives on in a Murray Valley Highway bridge to this day.

Not sure how to get the most out of Trove? Our How-to feature has you covered with expert tips from one of the GSV's Librarians.

Plus — three moving pieces from our Writers Circle on 'An Ancestor's Death', the launch of GSV's YouTube channel and advice on writing family history for children.

Pick up your copy at the GSV Library, 1/10 Queen Street, Melbourne.

Members, your edition is on its way via post or ready to read online in the membership area: https://www.gsv.org.au/ancestor-news

02/06/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Getting ready for the Melbourne Tartan Festival? Start with your own Scottish story!

With the Melbourne Tartan Festival just around the corner, what better time to explore your Scottish roots? Join us at the Genealogical Society of Victoria for a dedicated Scottish Library Day on Tuesday 30 June — just days before the kilts hit Collins Street!

Whether you're just beginning to search for your immigrant ancestor's Highlands or Lowlands home, or trying to break through a long-standing brick wall — come along for a taste of the GSV's specialised Scottish resources.

What we'll cover
- Navigating the GSV Catalogue: find Scottish family histories and indexes unique to our collection
- Scottish-Australian Records: shipping lists, naturalisation records and church indexes for Scottish arrivals in Victoria
- Mapping the Homeland: hands-on help using maps to pinpoint exactly where your ancestors lived before they emigrated
- Expert Research Tips: Scottish naming conventions and how Australian clerks recorded Scots names through the accent barrier

Tuesday 30 June
Two sesssions - 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Level 1, 10 Queen Street (In Person Event)
Places are limited!
Free for GSV members | $10 for visitors

Once registered, send an outline of your research query to [email protected] — this helps our volunteers prepare the most relevant resources before you arrive.

GSV members must log in to register.

Find out more about the Melbourne Tartan Festival at www.melbournetartanfestival.com.au

30/05/2026

Can't get into the library? We've got you covered!

The GSV Quick Look-up Service is available to everyone — members and non-members alike!

If you know the record you're after or have found something in our catalogue that has sparked your interest but can't make it into the GSV Library in person, our volunteers can search it for you.

Here's how it works:
- Submit one query at a time
- We'll spend up to 20 minutes looking up a record held in our library
- Digital images may be included in the reply
- Once you receive your answer, you're welcome to send your next question

Please note this service works best when you already know the specific record you're looking for. If your request needs more in-depth research, we'll let you know and may suggest an Extended Research Request instead.

Quick Look-up Service Cost:
- GSV Members — Free of charge
- Non-Members — $20.00 per request

Not yet a member? This might be a great time to consider joining the GSV and enjoying this and many other benefits!

To submit a request, visit our website: https://www.gsv.org.au/research-services

Address

Level 1 10 Queen Street
Melbourne, VIC
3000

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm

Website

https://www.gsv.org.au/

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