Sparking curiosity

For some of us, the spark of historical curiosity began not with a textbook or in a history class, but with a family story—a tale told by a parent or grandparent or perhaps the discovery of an ancestor’s letters in a dusty box in the garage. When I first heard that my great grandmother had met Ned Kelly, I remember the impression it made. Later her perspective of his kindness challenged some of the views presented to me in history class. I wondered, does writing family history, as Emily Brand suggests offer ‘unparalleled potential for stimulating popular engagement with history in general’ (2021,221).¹  How might exploration of those family artefacts and oral histories encourage a younger generation to become engaged more broadly in history while encouraging them to ask questions, explore new ideas and think about how history connects to their own lives?

Catching the family history bug

Catching the family history bug was the result of researching at Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) for my PhD and realising that evidence in archives could support an understanding of individual lives. Of course, certain ancestors proved of more interest than others and I was intrigued when I discovered that at the age of ten my great-great-great aunt Matilda was working as a nursemaid.

‘Matilda, 10, nurs’maid’²  

Reflecting on those three words in a census document with my granddaughter Harriet, also ten years old, we imagined a ‘storied’ narrative of Matilda’s life. 

Finding Matilda at PROV

Information about Matilda was fragmentary. Previous family research indicated that the Spear family left England as assisted migrants to start a new life in colonial Victoria. Delving into the shipping records at PROV I was able to confirm that the small family of five had arrived in 1853. While the arrival date was important, even more intriguing was a note written next to Frederick's name (Matilda's father). 

Turned out of the depot for £60 pound per year.³ 

Finding such snippets of information helped me imagine the historical era and experiences of the family as well as giving me some insight into Frederick’s character. I compared wage offers in several shipping logs and noted that while this amount could be considered a reasonable wage it was obviously not to Frederick’s liking. I imagined myself in Frederick’s shoes and decided this was the impetus that launched him into self-employment, with ownership of several successful brickworks; the resulting wealth that transformed his family's lives for at least three generations. 

I considered other documentation that might highlight family links, values and priorities. By reading the wills of Frederick, his wife Anne and Matilda⁴ I was able to glean insight into how the brickyards were managed after Frederick’s death and how the monies granted to Matilda enabled her to be financially independent. The historic plans collection of old maps and plans in Victoria were available to seek information on the claypits and of course there were legal documents to read with interest when some buyers did not settle their accounts in a timely manner.

Other historical sources and book making

Of course, documents alone are not enough to build a story, so I fleshed out events in Matilda’s life using information found in TROVE newspapers and articles, certificates held in Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Victoria (BDM) and historical journals and diaries discovered in the State Library of Victoria (SLV) and the University of Melbourne. My aim was to envision the impact of events and experiences in Matilda’s life from a broader historical perspective and develop a readable story that could bring the past to life for my younger relatives.  

I printed a single copy of the book for Harriet at Officeworks, interested in her reaction. She read it cover to cover and with glee informed her brother that if he lived in Wookey Hole in the mid 19th century his job would be to throw stones at the birds to keep them off the crops. He was delighted until she shattered the illusion by explaining he would be collecting and throwing stones eight hours a day, six days a week.

As I knew nothing about publishing, my publication attempt was marred by some irregularities and image issues. When other relatives expressed interest in a copy for their family archives, I decided to work with a self-publishing company to produce a small print run and an eBook. 

There are no photos of Matilda that have been discovered but as Harriet bears a strong family resemblance to other members of the Spear family, she happily dressed in period costume and graced the front cover with a clear disclaimer to prevent future confusion. I found stock photos to provide some visual context making the narrative, for younger readers, more engaging and easier to connect with. Showing my relationship to my great-great-great aunt was complicated in the era of large families and cross connections. Professional family tree programs didn't offer the features I needed so with graph paper, and patience, I drew my own. 

Inspiring the next generation through publishing family history

In writing Matilda’s story for the children in my family, I have emphasised the importance of careful and thorough research. I have made it clear to them that I have constructed the story of Matilda’s life from information found in archives and my imagination. I hope after reading it they are inspired to discover and recover their ancestral past with curiosity and creativity, and by connecting the past to their own lives, are encouraged to take an interest in broader historical fields. 

 
About the author

Robyn Floyd is a lecturer at the University of Melbourne who presents workshops designed to enable pre-service primary teachers to develop rich and engaging history curriculum. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, sketching and visiting small regional museums.

References

1. Brand, Emily. 2021. “Why Family History Matters.” In What is History, Now? How the Past and Present Speak to Each Other, edited by Helen Carr, and Suzannah Lipscomb, 213–229. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

2. Census Record from the Parish of St Cuthbert Wells, 1851, London Records Office.

3. PROV, VPRS14, Book no. 9, (1853-01-01-1854-05-01), Register of Assisted Immigrants from the United Kingdom, Frederick Spear, Image 07.

4. PROV, VPRS 28/P00002 73/727 Grant of Probate, Matilda Page.