My Most Interesting Ancestor

A collection of short stories submitted for the Tasmanian Family History Society Inc. Manuscript Award 2001

FORWARD

At the Executive Meeting following the Annual General Meeting held at Burnie in June 2000, it was suggested by the then President, Anne Bartlett, that the Society should conduct a short story award for the following year. It was to be called My Most Interesting Ancestor. The aim was to encourage members who felt that the production of a book for the Lilian Watson Family History Award was beyond them, but had something interesting, unusual or informative to share with others. This developed into a Manuscript Award.

Nineteen entries were received which are all included in this publication. Several members commented on how pleased they were to have the opportunity to enter and that it had given them the impetus to write something! Three judges from Hobart undertook the task of deciding who should receive the award. The judging was very close and all entrants are to be congratulated for their efforts.

As one judge commented;

A pleasing thought to dwell on is that these works now swell the body of recorded and collated information relating to erstwhile days of Tasmania's white settlement. They are now 'sources' in themselves.

The recipient of the award was announced at our 21st Birthday AGM in Campbell Town on 23 June 2001. This was Louise Ryan for her work, Edward George Innes (1854-1904) which was published in Tasmanian Ancestry, Volume 22 Number 3-December 2001. A late entry by Lance Carroll, Out of the Woodwork, Or a Tasmanian Who Went Bush, the story of Arthur Edward Sullivan, was also published in the same journal.

Thank you to the judges, the Hobart Journal Committee, and members who have assisted in the production of this book. I sincerely hope that following the response and comments from entrants, another award for a short story will be undertaken soon.

All entrants, judges and each branch library of the Society, will receive a copy of this publication. They will also be available for purchase.

Rosemary Davidson
Coordinator and editor December 2001