My First Anniversary


First Birthday Cake


Today is the first anniversary of my genealogy blog although I have to admit this wasn't my first genealogy blog. I had started one a couple of years previously but it only lasted a short time. I wasn't happy with what I had done, nor its name so I deleted it.

Why did I take so long to start again? The answer was to be found by reading Amy Coffin's The Big Genealogy Blog Book two weeks ago. "The hardest part of starting a blog is coming up with a name. Once you've made that decision, the rest is easy." I agonised for over a year about what to call my blog. However, I was spurred into action by the Australia Day Challenge by Shelley from Twigs of Yore. I knew what I was going to write in this challenge so I had to come up with a name for my blog quick smart.

It was unintentional, but I think now that I subconsciously borrowed the name from an article, The Tree of Me published in The New Yorker on 26 March 2001. I was initially drawn to the article as I have Seabrook ancestors.

Over the year I have had many people contact me about various posts.

  • My post about Jimmy Semmens has reunited the photo with one of his sons.
  • After writing about Sam Dawson from Cloghran, Ireland, I have been corresponding with a lovely lady in America whose father was Sam's valet and butler. She saw my posts and contacted me and has provided me with several stories about her family and mine. Thank you so much. Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4
  • My post about Norman Dawson put me in contact with a second cousin I had never met.
  • My posts about Wallangarra and the Moore family have put me in contact with a second cousin once removed. 
  • I was contacted by someone in the Air Force within hours of writing my Anzac Day post about Alan Seabrook Mitchell.
Without starting my blog, I would not have been able to achieve any of the above.

It is interesting to see what search terms have been used to reach my blog. Recently they have included:
  • road construction
  • mcinerney family history
  • charles ryan watches
  • how can I transfer my pdfs from ibooks to iannotate
  • 1880s working conditions in meat packing company
  • everything about wallangarra railway
  • h.m.s. conway cadets
  • ematris county monaghan

My most popular blog posts have been:

  • iBooks or iAnnotate pdf on my iPad
  • Anzac Day Blog Challenge - Alan Seabrook Mitchell
  • Australia Day Challenge (2011)
  • Family Treasures - Pocket Watch
  • 16 great great grandparents
  • Jimmy Semmens - Australian Bantam Weight Champion
  • Not everyone leaves a comment
  • Ebay and genealogy
  • The humble apron
  • Golden wedding anniversary - Robert and Ann Waters
I have thoroughly enjoyed the past year. Thank you to those who follow my blog and have encouraged me on the way. I wonder what the next twelve months will bring?

Comments

  1. Congratulations on your anniversary and hopefully there will be many more years of posts that provide such enjoyment and enlightenment.

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  2. Happy blogiversary! You have made a lot of useful contacts in such as short time. I can tell from the search terms in Blogger stats that someone who must be related to me found my blog... but they didn't leave a comment, so I can't contact them!

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  3. I have a lot of similar searches like that. It is frustrating. Most of my contacts have come via my email address on my blog.

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  4. Happy Blogiversary to one of my favourite geneabloggers. Thank you for your support of my efforts and for educating and amusing me with your posts.

    I can only imagine how much you will accomplish when you get old like me and retire from fulltime work.

    you are an inspiration..

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  5. Happy Blogiversary! Glad you started!

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  6. Congratulations! Love the cake :) You are so right. Coming up with the name is the most difficult thing. Good for you for getting on with it.

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  7. Congratulations on your first anniversary. I'm new to your blog so haven't read past posts but I'm looking forward to your future posts. I'm your newest follower. Again, congrats and best wishes!

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