Genealogical Society of Victoria Inc

25/08/2026

A Letter Written the Day Before Sailing…

James Batt was a Hampshire farm labourer driven by poverty to attempt stealing a sheep — and found himself on a ship to Van Diemen's Land.

In prison, he taught himself to read and write. For the next 39 years, he wrote letters home — the first penned the day before he sailed, the last just a year before he died in 1877.

He wasn't alone for long. Two sons followed him into transportation. Another made his own way to South Australia. Even his runaway daughter kept the letters coming.

One family, scattered across the world, held together by ink and paper.

Read James's story in "I Wood Send You My Hart If I Could" by Colleen Arulappu, available at the GSV Library.

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

20/08/2026

Australian Family History Course: Finding and Using Gold Rush Records (Session 7)

Strike gold in your family history research! Join Fiona Tellesson and Meg Bate as they explore records from Australia's Gold Rush era including occupation, education, health and police records, Parliamentary papers, gazettes and electoral rolls.

Thursday 27 August 2026, 1:30PM – 4:30PM | Via Zoom

GSV Members $60 | Non-Members $120

👉 Register now: https://www.gsv.org.au/australian-family-history-course-research-strategies-and-resources

18/08/2026

Spring is almost here — and so is your next family discovery.

Every family has a story, ready to bloom. What will yours reveal?

There's no better time to dust off old questions and go looking for answers. Who were they? Where did they come from? What's the story no one's told yet?

This September, our events are here to help you find out — with experts, tools and fellow researchers ready to point you in the right direction.

👉 Explore our September events: https://www.gsv.org.au/current-and-upcoming-events

Not yet a member? Join a community that shares your passion for the past.
https://www.gsv.org.au/membership-benefits-0

Image: Clare and Aimee O'Lochlen, GSV Photographic Collection (AI Colourised) — flickr.com/photos/gsofv/48662382061

15/08/2026

A pub. The Kelly Gang. A forge. And a family secret passed down for generations.

In our latest GSV Member Stories video, Librarian Trena Ronnfeldt traces her German pioneer ancestors' link to the legendary Kelly armour — and shows how she went about verifying an oral history that had survived a century.

🎥 Watch now: https://youtu.be/7fGS0YFVh-g

Got your own research story? Email: [email protected] — you could be featured next!

🔔 Subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/ for more stories like this.

13/08/2026

New to our collection: Van Diemen's Women by Joan Kavanagh & Dianne Snowden, Foreword by Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland

Punishment or a Lifeline?

In 1845, the convict ship Tasmania slipped out of Kingstown Harbour. Onboard were 138 women and 35 children, all bound for a life they couldn't yet imagine in Van Diemen's Land. While history often remembers the "Draconian" cruelty of transportation, authors Joan Kavanagh and Dianne Snowden ask a provocative question: For women like Margaret Butler, who was sent away for simply stealing potatoes to survive, was this harsh sentence actually a second chance?

Van Diemen’s Women is the latest addition to our GSV Collection. It’s more than a history book, it’s a masterclass in using original records to rebuild the lives of those the world tried to forget.

"A compelling and deeply human history of women who endured extraordinary hardship and survived."

Available to view at the GSV Library at 1/10 Queen Street, Melbourne.

Image: Book cover of Van Diemen's Women

11/08/2026

The Hoddle Grid: The Great Land Grab

On 1 June 1837, Robert Hoddle auctioned off Melbourne's first allotments of land, carving up Wurundjeri Country into the blocks that now form our CBD. Who bought them? Convicts, publicans, merchants, and slavery profiteers, some paying a pittance for land that would make them fortunes... while others ended up insolvent.

Join us for a talk with Dr Liz Rushen, who has extensively researched Hoddle's survey and the people behind these early land sales. She'll explore their lives, ambitions, and how these allotments have transformed over the decades.

When: Wednesday 26 August 2026, 2:00–3:30pm AEST
Where: Via Zoom (link sent with registration confirmation)
Fee: $10 — Open to GSV Members only

Dr Rushen's companion exhibition is also on display at the Royal Historical Society of Victoria, 239 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne — open weekdays. See website for more details: https://www.historyvictoria.org.au/rhsv-events/

🔗 Members, log in to register now! https://www.gsv.org.au/current-and-upcoming-events

Images from top right: 1. Robert Hoddle [picture], Hyman’s Portrait Rooms, 1865, State Library of Victoria Collection, 2. Gritten, H, Melbourne from the Botanic Gardens [picture], (1867), State Library of VIctoria Collection, 3. Dr Liz Rushen

08/08/2026

August is Family History Month!

This year's theme is Ancestors - Mundane to Magnificent: Uncover Their Stories. This is an invitation to finally dig into the person in your tree whose life you know the least about.

Here at GSV we have put together a wonderful program this August and there truly is something for everyone. Just some of the things we have planned:

International Settlers Discussion Circle: Saturday 15 August
Our Librarian, Trena Ronnfeldt, shares her personal journey tracing her German ancestors and a wonderful reminder that the search itself is part of the story.

Family History Toolbox: Thursday 20 August
Our ancestors' occupations can tell us a lot about who they were. Is there someone in your family tree you'd like to share with us? Come along to this session as we swap stories about ancestors and their occupations!

South West England Research Day: Tuesday 25 August
Got roots in the West Country? This one's for you. Come into the library for help with your South West English ancestors and to get the best out of our resources.

Victoria Tasmania Discussion Circle: Thursday 27 August
Genealogist and Record Agent Bronwyn Paschalidis traces the lives of female convicts who worked for Scotsman William Murray between 1844 and 1853 — including her own 3x great grandmother — weaving together convict ships, the Western District of Victoria and her own remarkable family story.

Whether you're a seasoned researcher or just curious about your ancestors, we'd love to see you this August. See our events page for more: https://www.gsv.org.au/current-and-upcoming-events

👇 Tell us — which ancestor are you hoping to uncover this month?

Image: Image generated by Google Gemini AI with AFFHO Family History Month logo

06/08/2026

What did your ancestors carry with them when they migrated?

A book, a portrait, a piece of jewellery - these precious objects can reveal fascinating stories about the people who carried them.

Join Dr Laura Jocic (Deakin University) this Saturday 8 August, 1pm via Zoom, as she shares the story of Anne Trotter, an Irish migrant who arrived in Port Phillip in 1844 with a needlework specimen book and the skills stitched into it that helped her build a new life.

Did one of your own ancestors bring something that helped them start afresh? We'd love to hear your stories too.

🍀 Hosted by the Irish Ancestry Discussion Circle | Free for GSV members
👉 Read more: https://www.gsv.org.au/blog/what-did-your-ancestors-bring-them-when-they-emigrated
Register: https://www.gsv.org.au/current-and-upcoming-events

04/08/2026

Join our Team as a Business Support Officer!

The Genealogical Society of Victoria is seeking an experienced, people-focused administrator to join our team on a job-share basis.

You'll be the welcoming face of the GSV, managing memberships, supporting our volunteers and library team, and helping keep day-to-day operations running smoothly. No genealogy experience required, though an interest in family history and familiarity with CiviCRM would be an advantage — a great fit for someone looking for meaningful part-time work in a supportive team environment.

12 hours per week (2 days, Tuesday to Friday, 9:30am–4:00pm)
Onsite at our Research and Education Centre, Level 1, 10 Queen Street, Melbourne. $33.00/hour.

For full position details visit our website: https://www.gsv.org.au/article/join-our-team-business-support-officer

Any questions, contact our Secretary, Heather Landells, at [email protected].

Applications (resume, brief statement and two referees) close 14 Aug 2026.

GSV Business Support Officer About the Genealogical Society of Victoria The Genealogical Society of Victoria is a leading Australian family history organisation, supporting members in discovering and researching their ancestors and promoting the study of genealogy. Established in 1941, the GSV is a...

01/08/2026

Today is the start of Family History Month!

Don't forget to attend tonight's opening ceremony for your chance to win prizes! Register here: https://www.affho.org/family-history-month/

Discover your family this August with GSV — see all our events here: https://www.gsv.org.au/current-and-upcoming-events

Images generated using Google GeminiAI
Top: Johann Diebert with the Kelly Gang - look out for our upcoming YouTube video!
Middle: Family History Month 2026 Logo (AFFHO)
Bottom: A farmer ploughing a field - join our August Family History Toolbox session where we talk about ancestor occupations!