Margaret and I holidayed in Tasmania 22 October to 3 November 2022. In this post I report on our contacts with relatives to whom I am related through my grandma Theresa Alve (nee Wagner) 1880-1971 who lived in New Zealand from 1915. I was given various photos and added to them with Margaret and I photographing what we saw. Our last stop was Richmond near Hobart airport where this image reminded us of Tasmania's first people. We saw no Australian Aborigines who we identified as such. One person, who served us dinner at Oatlands, suggested he has mixed ancestry including Aboriginal. While we did not pursue Tasmania's convict past, it is never far from the surface. A visit to the Richmond gaol brought it closer and walking over the Richmond bridge, built by convicts in 1823, did too. At Deloraine I bought a book that tells how over 100 New Zealander convicts were transported to Tasmania - have you ever heard of that? Read, "Cleansing the Colony" by Kristyn Harman who lectures at Hobart University. Our trip to Tasmania coincided with the publication and launch of Michael Watt's book, "The Fingal Valley's German Heritage" at St Helen's Church History rooms. Some of the Wagner and Hauke ancestors, including two of grandfather Philip Wagner's brothers settled in the Fingal Valley in the 1860's. Both married women who had close connections with Tasmania's transportation convict past. Michael Watt is seated at the table in the background and David Llewellyn, former deputy Premier of Tasmania and book launch guest speaker, is in the foreground. We spent a Saturday afternoon at Woodsdale were Grandmother Theresa grew up and went to school taking (and receiving) these pictures... We did some cemetery visits and sited several Wagner-connected graves including these... Treasures in Woodsdale Woodsdale Museum & Wagner Cottage These are some of the relatives we met along the way... A Family Business I visited Graeme Davis (Alma's brother) who founded the Tasmanian Clothing Company at Spreyton, Devonport about 30+ years ago. Graeme is a great grandson of Chris and Laura Wagner who were brother and sister respectively of my great grandparents Philip and Caroline Wagner. (The Clothing Factory is now managed by Graeme's daughter Angela.) More Distant Relatives Icing on the Cake While they are not Wagner relatives, we had a wonderful evening dinner date with Maria and David Malone at their home in Hobart. Maria and her family had a close association with Margaret's parents during the 1970-80's. Both are composers and musicians and have connections with the University of Hobart. Maria lectures in music and David teaches and plays guitar across Australia and beyond. Amongst David's repertoire is music composed by Maria. https://ww.facebook.com/davidmalonegtr E&OE
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AuthorMargaret & Terry Alve live in Tawa, NZ. Between them they are linked to several families from the UK and Germany who emigrated to Tasmania and Aotearoa-New Zealand between 1850 and 1925. Archives
December 2022
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