Valmay’s Family History(onics) blogiversary!

Tags

blogging, FFHS, FIBIS, Twitter

I felt terribly guilty when I saw this tweet from @Geneabloggers on Twitter this morning and realised I hadn’t blogged on my blog for two months.

Happy blogiversary to Valmay’s Family History(onics) bit.ly/10XzkUC (started May 2, 2010) #genealogy

— geneabloggers (@geneabloggers) May 2, 2013

Unfortunately I don’t get to spend as much time as I would like on my own research at the moment due to family commitments. What spare time I do have tends to be spent on FIBIS webmaster/trustee related duties.

If you are interested on what I have been up to since I last blogged here is a list!

• The Geoff Riggs Award – I was very excited when the FIBIS website won Best overall website in the Federation of Family History Societies Geoff Griggs Award. Read more about the award
• I finished putting together and launched the FIBIS Image Gallery website. The FIBIS Gallery uses a web-based program designed to upload, organize and archive photographs. It supports tagging, categories, geo-referencing, timelines and practically every other on-line sorting tool you can think of!
• Upgraded and redesigned the main FIBIS website. I won’t bore you with the details, but if you are interested you can read more in this FIBIS blog post.
• Upgraded and redesigned the FIBIS Social Network website.
• Along with other trustees I have been helping to organise the first ever FIBIS Conference for 2014 and put together a website devoted to the conference at http://www.conference2014.fibis.org/

Admittedly most of this work was carried out over a long period of time and just happened to be finished since I last blogged, but hopefully you will be interested in what I have been up to anyhow!

Although I don’t get to blog here as often as I would like, I do post on the FIBIS blog regularly if you are interested.

Help needed identifying location in India

Tags

East Indian Railway, India, Photographs

Executive Staff EIR Volunteers, a photo by Valmay Young on Flickr.

I would really love to know the location shown in this photograph. The label clearly say “Executive Staff EIR Volunteers”, but doesn’t seem correct.

Find me on Google Plus +Valmay Young

29th Punjab Native Infantry Band

Tags

29th Punjab Native Infantry, Bandmaster, Kuhlmey, Peshawar

29th Punjab Native Infantry Band
(click image to enlarge)

I can’t be 100% sure, but I think the band in this photo is that of the 29th Punjab Native Infantry sometime between 1882-1889. The reason I suspect this is that the Bandmaster in this photograph is my Great Great Grandfather, Gustav Kuhlmey, and I have the following testimonials and press releases that say he was Bandmaster to that regiment during that time.

Testimonials

Agra, August 1884
Herr Gustav Kuhlmey came to India some 20 months ago at my suggestion, having been strongly recommended to me by an eminent London musical firm. The Officers of my old Regiment the 29th P. N. I., had asked me to send them a Band-Master, and results fully show how excellent was the selection I made.

I am personally aware that Herr Kuhlmey’s exertions have elicited the approval of every officer of his Regiment and from my own knowledge I can say that in 20 months he has worked wonders in the face of many obstacles as furloughs  camps of exercise, &c. He has converted an untuneful rabble into a disciplined, harmonious, intelligible Orchestra and fortunate will be the band that next obtains his services.

F. W. CHATTERTON, MAJOR,
Cantonment Magistrate.

Herr Kuhlmey has now been over four years bandmaster of the 29th P. Infantry and the excellent state into which he has brought the Band proves his capabilities as an Instructor and conductor. He is a thorough musician and takes an immense interest in his work. His habits are perfectly sober and he is thoroughly trustworthy in every respect.

E. BEDDY, LT. COL.,
Commanding, 29th P Infantry.
PESHAWAR:
8th January 1887.

I have much pleasure in certifying to the ability, zeal and attention shown by Herr Kuhlmey, as Band-Master of the 29th Punjab Infantry, when stationed under my command at Peshawar. It was to me always a treat in music to hear their Band under Herr Kuhlmey’s direction and the marvellious results with a Band of purely Natives shows the great attainments of the Instructor. Herr Kuhlmey also for a time directed the Band of the 60th Royal Rifles and was equally successful.

HUGH GOUGH, MAJOR GENL
MEEAN MEER,
24th January 1889

DORUNDA,
10th September 1890

I have known Herr Kuhlmey for the last seven years and have great pleasure in certifying to the excellent manners in which he instructed and conducted the Band of the 29th Punjab Infantry, my former regiment. Of his musical attainments it is needless for me to express an opinion, but I know him to be highly talented and a most painstaking, conscientious and upright man, and I feel sure that any work he may undertake, will, at all times, be both carefully and successfully carried out.

V. W. TREGEAR, COLONEL,
Commanding, 9th Bengal Infantry

Press releases

Annual Report, Calcutta Vol. 87-88.

(Col. Chatterton) A complete set of instruments was obtained from the best English makers, but a far more important addition has lately been made in the engagement of a Director of the Band, whose qualifications are, I venture to assert, second to those of no Band-Master in the country.

For a close up of Gustav and the surrounding men click here.

If anyone has any further information on the photograph, band or Gustav I would love to hear from you.

Find me on Google Plus +Valmay Young

Genealogy Resolutions for 2013

Tags

Beckwith, research, Wardley

Like many people, I have made New Years resolutions in the past and not succeeded in keeping them. Andrew Martin wrote an excellent article a few days ago that suggests something I think I will find much more achievable. My Top 5 Genealogy ‘to-dos’ for 2013 suggests choosing five areas of family tree research where you hope to make progress in 2013. Here is my list:

1. Break down my Beckwith brick wall.

I already started to make progress on this at the weekend. My Great Great Grandfather, Fred Beckwith, never seemed to exist before he married in 1882 and has remained a brick wall from day one of me starting my research. The address he gave when he married was a derelict building in the 1881 census and there are no Fred Beckwith’s born in the areas and dates he quotes as his places of birth in other documents. I think I have found him in Rivenhall, Essex and hope to soon confirm my suspicions.

2. Scan more family correspondence

I have inherited a couple of briefcases of late nineteenth and early twentieth century family photographs and correspondence. I started to scan them a couple of years ago, but never finished. They could hold useful information that could help with my research, so I’d like to get them scanned up.

3. Write up what I have discovered about my Quack Doctor

I was always led to believe that I was a descendant of Richard Brinsley Sheridan when in fact I am descended from a Quack Doctor called Richard Sheridan Wardley. From what I’ve found so far I get the impression he wasn’t a very nice or honest man. One minute he’s a dry goods salesman and then all of a sudden a practicing doctor! Luckily he left a colourful trail for me to follow in local newspapers, The Lancet and even Punch magazine as well as the usual sources. I was telling my Grandmother all about my discoveries a few weeks ago and she said “I hope you are writing all this down.” I have a pile of notes and copies of articles, but that’s all. Time to get organised and write it all down properly.

4. Keep a diary

I’ve made this resolution many times, but I think I was too ambitious! So many times over the last year I wish I had made a note of when something happened and regretted not doing so. I’m not going to write a lot. Just a few lines every night. If I keep it on my bedside instead of my desk I should be more successful.

5. Do some more India research

I visit the British Library every other month for board meetings and always get there long before the meeting starts. I would have plenty of time to do some of my own research, but nearly always forget to bring my family history notes with me! I always have my phone or iPad with me though, so I have added my notes to Evernote to ensure I always have them handy.

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2013!

FIBIS DNA Project

Tags

DNA, FIBIS, FTDNA

DNA testing can sometimes provide new leads, help break down those annoying brick walls and connect you with cousins. With British India family history research people often hit a brick wall and suspect the cause might be that the ancestor is Indian. This can be hard to prove due to lack of documentary evidence, but the FIBIS DNA project could help confirm those suspicions.

Family Tree DNA are holding a DNA test kit sale, so if you have been thinking of joining the FIBIS DNA project, upgrading your test, or getting someone a kit for a Christmas present, then now is a good time to buy one. I just bought my Grandmother a Family Finder test for her Christmas present and we can’t wait for the results! Here is the price list for the current sale:

New Kits	Current Group Price	SALE PRICE
Y-DNA 37	$149	$119
Y-DNA 67	$239	$199
mtFullSequence (FMS)	$299	$199
SuperDNA (Y-DNA 67 and mtFullSequence)	$518	$398
Family Finder	$289	$199
Family Finder + mtDNAPlus	$438	$318
Family Finder + mtFullSequence	$559	$398
Family Finder + Y-DNA 37	$438	$318
Comprehensive (FF + FMS + Y-67)	$797	$597
Upgrades	Current Group Price	SALE PRICE
Y-Refine 12-25 Marker	$49	$35
Y-Refine 12-37 Marker	$99	$69
Y-Refine 12-67 Marker	$189	$148
Y-Refine 25-37 Marker	$49	$35
Y-Refine 25-67 Marker	$148	$114
Y-Refine 37-67 Marker	$99	$79
Y-Refine 37-111 Marker	$228	$188
Y-Refine 67-111 Marker	$129	$109
mtDNAPlus	$149	$129
mtHVR1toMega	$269	$179
mtHVR2toMega	$239	$179
mtFullSequence Add-on	$289	$199

To order this special offer, log in to your personal page, if you already have an account, and click on the Order An Upgrade button in the upper right corner. A link to the login page is provided below.

• Log In to Order an Upgrade.
• Click Here to Order a New Kit.
• Find out more about the FIBIS DNA project.

ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR BY MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2012 11:59:00 PM CST TO RECEIVE THE SALE PRICES.

DNA testing has helped me enormously with my family history research on my fathers mtDNA line bringing me back several generations further on my family tree and confirming he is descended from one of the Founding Mothers of Acadia.

If anyone has any questions about the FIBIS DNA project, or how a DNA test can help you with your research, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to help.