Author Topic: Newish Member from Down Under  (Read 8606 times)

rustycan

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Newish Member from Down Under
« on: December 16, 2010, 04:15:04 PM »
G'day fellow Tomo's,

My name is Russell James Thompson and I am from a place called Eatons Hill some 22 Km north/west of the Brisbane CBD in the State of Queensland, Australia.

I say newish member as I have just paid my first annual renewal membership account. I became interested in my Dad's family when he ceased to remember who I was and I thought to myself that we, his descendants, have no idea who our Dad really was. All I was aware of was that he had an Uncle who was lost in WW1 and that his family migrated to Oz from Ireland and settled somewhere in North Queensland.
 
My Dad's and my Mum's families did not communicate and there was an 'Orange and Green' thing well an truly festering between our both sets of Grandparents. My Dad's family, practicing Roman Catholics and my Mum's Dad spending most of his spare time attending Masonic Meetings.  Relationships were so difficult that my Dad's Catholic family refused to attend his wedding as it was held in a Church of England parish. Some wounds just don't mend.
 
My first step was to acquire Captain Robert John Thompson's WW1 military file (KIA at Pozieres Aug '16 together with several thousand Oz lads) within which I found references to my Great Grandfather, Robert James Thompson traveling to Sydney, New South Wales to make enquiry of his son's fate. In Sydney his address was C/- a Mrs Sarah Pinchen.  In time I found that Sarah was one of six siblings to my Great Grandad and they all resided in New South Wales and were all of Presbyterian or Church of England faith. My Dad had never mentioned these families and I am doubtful he knew of them.  So where did this 'Orange and Green' thing come from ? Well that's another story but that mystery I have solved.

My Great,Great Grandfather was also named Robert and his Dad, also Robert (died in Ireland prior to 1843) and beyond that I have no idea :-)

What keeps popping up in my search is references to Coleraine and Londonderry in Ulster and Milford in Donegal.  My current theory is that my forebears were 'Plantationors' and probably Flax farmers. Mind you the 'Flax Grower' theory is only one day old after reading some of the links provided on this forum.
 
We have attended my Dad's DNA testing and are hopeful that may provide the link to our family origin.  As my Great,Great Grandparents were married in the Covenantors Church in Milford, Donegal (1840) I have little doubt of our Scottish Origin particularly as they traveled to Scotland, Via Coleraine (where their second daughter was born) and embarked for Oz from the Port of Greenock in October 1843.

DNA is an unusual insight. For instance I have found four Rugby players within my line who competed at a high standard. All No 10's (flyhalf). They all would have proved usefull at Murrayfield  :-)
 
Should anyone see or suspect a corelation, or possible relationship I am more that happy to share information. I have provided the results of the DNA study and direct line to Clan 'T'
The study provided some five close matches however only one of these answered my E/Mail. Somewhat a disappointment but I have faith and belief that DNA is the only way to solve the mystery

Kind Regards

rus t
 

uneven

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Re: Newish Member from Down Under
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2010, 08:44:18 PM »
Welcome..again...for the first time!

mike
Mike Thompson from Michigan..then Indiana..then Pennsylvania and further...probably somewhere there are sheep. Call me Legion for I am many.

Stirling Thompson

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Re: Newish Member from Down Under
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2010, 09:30:45 AM »
Welcome Russell from OZ! Hope you like all you see here and that you'll be an active participant in all the shenanigans that go on around here. Welcome again and enjoy the companionship of all your clan cousins.
Stu
Semper Fidelis! Semper Familia!
Stu