Australia’s Past Through Family Stories

This website is dedicated to researching and documenting the lives, origins, and descendants of my ancestors—many of whom were among the early settlers and pioneer families of Australia. Here you will find family trees, biographies, stories, historical records, and carefully sourced research for relatives, descendants, and anyone interested in Australian family history.

This work began with my Nanna, Norma King, who first started tracing our family history in the 1960s. I have since inherited her research and continue to build upon it—digitising her records, expanding the family tree, and uncovering new discoveries. These stories not only document our family’s journey, but also shed light on the broader forces that led people to leave their homelands and travel to the Australian colonies. The generations that followed offer further insight into the shaping and development of Australia.

While these histories are written to be engaging and accessible, they are grounded in verifiable records and sources wherever possible. My aim is not only to preserve these stories, but also to provide a reliable foundation for others researching their own connected family lines. I also upload all of my research on Ancestry.com, which includes a lot more family members than what are detailed here. My tree there is here.

If you are a cousin, a distant relative, or someone who shares a connection to these families, I would love to hear from you. Family history is strongest when it is shared—so please feel welcome to contribute stories, photographs, documents, or memories. I also appreciate being notified of any errors so the research can continue to improve.

For a full list of family stories completed see link above. Stories researched and to be published include:

The Cornish families of Hancock, Dower, and Toy, including stories of food riots and imprisonment.

The Hansen families of Bornholm, Denmark.

The families of Germany: Waldeck, Kniest (Knust), Schütte, Schierstein, Thiess, Rose, and Siemers — button makers, tailors, conscientious objectors, and missionaries.

The Pearson and Blackett families of Northumberland — farmers, miners, and watermen.

The King families of Hertfordshire, England — including the impacts of the Industrial Revolution and poverty in East London.

The Scottish Highlanders: the Frasers and McGregors — stories of the Napoleonic Wars, conflict, and rural life.

Within Australia, many more stories are in development, including:

The Kings of Totley, Queensland — silver and lead miners who practically ran the whole town.

The Toy family — including a world-famous musician, war correspondent, and crime detective.

The Squires — multiple marriages, legal cases, bigamy, and tragedy.

The Waldecks and Pearsons in Perth, Greenough, and Geraldton — including missions, native schools, pioneering life, the temperance movement, publicans, murder by spearing, the first divorce case in the colony, and the building of communities.

The Dowers and Kings of Kalgoorlie-Boulder — including reopening the Canning Stock Route by camel, mining accidents, hardship, life in remote communities and ghost towns, and the impacts of war.

If you would like to be notified when new stories and research are published, please subscribe below. You will only receive occasional updates—no spam.

You can begin exploring by following the two main family lines currently featured on this site. Links to direct ancestors can also be found on the top left drop down menu (the 3 lines), and in the People's Index.