A Large Wild Man at Large

From the Macclesfield (U.K.) Express of Jan. 18, 2006:

We’re all related to the Macclesfield Wild Man

WOULD the real relative of the legendary Wild Man of Macclesfield please stand up?

After the Macclesfield Express went in search of the legend behind a local giant who was transported to Australia, escaped and became an Aboriginal chief for 30 years – we thought we would be lucky to find one living relative.

But, like London buses, three came along at once!

[snip]

Margaret Windelinckx, 64, of Chelford Road, Macclesfield, was the first person to come forward as a potential relative, and is the one candidate who has traced her family tree – originally from Belgium – the furthest back to William.

[snip]

[Read the whole story]

Aboriginal Artist Not So Aboriginal After All

From The New Zealand Herald:

Imposter finding guts artist

03.12.05
By Carroll Du Chateau

Two months ago, ex-pat New Zealander Sylvia Huege de Serville was enjoying the greatest success of her artistic career.

She had four works touring Australia as part of prestigious Aboriginal art awards, three in private Australian collections and a studio full of paintings about to be shipped to Melbourne for an exhibition. Then she found out she is an imposter.

[snip]

"My grandmother [...] told me she was Aborigine. Later my mother's cousin, who was raised by Wee Mum, verified it ... that's where it came from. We suspected she was one of the Stolen Generation who was taken away from her culture and ended up in New Zealand."

But a Tauranga cousin sent Huege de Serville first a birth certificate, then a copy of the family tree. To her dismay her great-great-grandfather, father of Wee Mum, was described as "Indian".

"My roots came from Bermuda ... It was like being slapped on the side of the head with a piece of 4 by 2."

[snip]

[Read the whole story]

For American readers, a "4 by 2" is a 2 by 4 held sideways.

80% of Genealogy is Showing Up

From the (Northam, Australia) Avon Valley Advertiser:

Aborigines afraid of the truth – Goodacre

Thursday, 8 September 2005

FORMER Northam resident Jan Goodacre has strongly defended her integrity in her 35 years' genealogical work on Western Australian Aboriginal family trees.

Since her extensive data base was sold to the State Government for $300,000 Aboriginal groups and individuals have been claiming that their privacy has been violated and that family materials lent to her have not been returned.

Mrs Goodacre says there is a hidden agenda behind these claims and that some Aboriginal groups and individuals are afraid of governments finding the truth about their genealogy.

"Aboriginal people fear what the truth will do to their native title claims," she said.

"They are afraid of who will have access.

"But everything I have is on the public record.

"If anyone else got off their backside they could do the same as I did."

[snip]

[Read the whole story]

News Flash: Genealogist Profits from Life's Work

From the (Northam, Australia) Avon Valley Advertiser:

State buys Jan's lifetime genealogy work

Thursday, 11 August 2005

NORTHAM'S Jan Goodacre has seen the vindication of 35 years' work with the sale of her database on Western Australia's Aboriginal genealogy to the State Government.

Price has not been disclosed but Jan admits it is a "considerable sum".

A presentation will be made to Jan this Friday by the Minister for Community development Sheila McHale, but the cheque has already been banked with some of the proceeds buying a home in suburban Perth.

[snip]

[Read the whole story]