Spotlight on ... Multiple!

I've decided to branch off for a while and share things other than just the stories of my direct ancestors.  The main motivation for this is my desire to share some of the many wonderful photos I've found of my extended family (not too many degrees of separation from my direct ancestors).  These photos deserve to be in the spotlight, so I thought long and hard about an interesting way to do this.

I've decided to put together collections of photos that all share a common thread.  For the fourth collection post, the spotlight is on ... Multiple!

I sadly don't have all that many photos showing multiple generations of a related family, but the few I do have deserve to be in the spotlight.  Unfortunately I  don't know all the names of the people in these photos and can only share the the names of those relatives I'm sure about.

Atkin Family Photo

This wonderful photo was taken at a family reunion picnic in 1929 at Evans Head in New South Wales.  I just love seeing the pole and canvas tents that were put up for this family reunion!  It looks like the family spent a couple of days camping in this spot whilst catching up with their relatives.  

The only family members I can positively identify are sisters Hannah and Eleanor (my paternal 1st cousins 3x removed) who are sitting in the middle row.

Middle row far left:  Hannah Atkin nee Jones, aged 70

Middle row 3rd from the left: Eleanor Atkin nee Jones, aged 66

They had married brothers Thomas and Joseph Atkin, but I can't find these husbands in the photo.

Update: Thanks to a distant relative, I can now say in all likelihood that the lady sitting in between Hannah and Eleanor in the middle row, second from the left, is Charlotte Ellen Harris new Jones, (also my paternal 1st cousin 3x removed).  She is Hannah and Eleanor's older sister.

Shared Ancestors:  James Exton and Susannah Lancaster  (my 3x great grandparents)

Aitkin Family

Eleanor Atkin nee Jones (identified in the previous photo) is the subject of this article in the Norther Star newspaper dated 1949, twenty years after that family reunion picnic. 

The article was titled 'Pioneer Family' and the attached photo shows 4 generations of females in the Atkin family (although the surname was recorded at Atkins).

L to R:  Eleanor's daughter Minnie Isabel Fraser nee Atkin (my paternal 2nd cousin 2x removed), 

Eleanor's granddaughter Peggy Eleanor Stimbles nee Fraser (my paternal 3rd cousin 1x removed); 

and Eleanor's great granddaughter Janette Stimbles (my paternal 4th cousin).

Eleanor Atkin nee Jones (my paternal 1st cousin 3x removed) is seated far right.

Shared Ancestors:  James Exton and Susannah Lancaster  (my 3x great grandparents)

  

Barrow Family

This time the photo shows generations of the Barrow family. The photo may possibly have been taken around 1940 in either Ballina or Lismore, New South Wales.

L-R: - Mary Ellen Barrow nee McCann (wife of Alfred Barrow Jr. my paternal 2nd cousin 2x removed), 

her half sister Catherine (known as Kate) McCann,

daughter-in-law Florence Barrow nee Robertson (wife of Harold Allan Barrow my paternal 3rd cousin 1x removed); and Alfred Alan Jnr (my paternal 4th cousin).  

Shared Ancestors:  (with Mary Ellen's husband Alfred Barrow)  James Exton and Susannah Lancaster  (my 3x great grandparents)

Here are 3 generations ...

On the left:  Mary (known as Minnie) Lonergan nee O'Donnell (my maternal 2nd great aunt).

On the right: Mary's daughter Norah Elliott nee Lonergan (my maternal 1st cousin 2x removed).

In the middle:  Mary's grandson and Norah's son Donald Elliott (my maternal 2nd cousin 1x removed).

Shared Ancestors:  John O'Donnell and Catherine Joy  (my 2x great grandparents)

Guthrey Family

The photo, taken in 1924,  above shows several generations of the Guthrey Family.

My paternal 1st cousin 2x removed, Eliza Jane Guthrey nee Hukins is standing third from the left, in the white dress, holding her son Neville Guthrey, my paternal second cousin 1x removed.  

Eliza Jane is surrounded by her sisters and brothers-in-laws and their children, along with her mother and father-in-law.

Shared Ancestors:  Adolphus Hukins and Mary Ann Farley  (my 2x great grandparents)

This photo is providing a great challenge for me.  At this point in time, I know only the identities of two people in this group and that the photo was apparently taken in West Maitland, New South Wales.  

Seated on the far right is James Michael Hickey (my paternal 1st cousin 3x removed) and his wife Catherine Frances Hickey nee Maher.

It's likely the family pictured are various members and generations of the Hickey family, but their identities remain unknown for now. 

Shared Ancestors:  James Hickey and Margaret McNamara  (3x great grandparents)

The photo, taken around 1920 in Mullumbimby, New South Wales, above shows three generations - 

John Thomas Cusack (my paternal 1st cousin 3x removed) around 60 years of age; 

his daughter Annie Francis Bridget Venn nee Cusack (my paternal 2nd cousin 2x removed) around 36 years of age; 

and John's grandson / Annie's son Allan Sydney Venn (my paternal 3rd cousin once removed), around 4 years of age.

I did notice the rather elaborately constructed tower for the water tank in the background.  Someone took great care in building this feature.  This was not the usual support for corrugated iron water tanks!

Shared Ancestors:  Michael Cusack and Mary Green  (my 3x great grandparents).

Venn Family

This family photo was taken in 1930 to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of the couple seated in the centre of the group.

James Frederick Venn (my paternal 3rd cousin once removed) is standing third from the left.  His mother, Annie Frances Bridget Venn nee Cusack (my paternal 2nd cousin 2x removed), highlighted in the previous photo, is standing fourth from the left, wearing the black hat.  

Annie is surrounded by her brothers and sisters-in-law and their children, along with her mother and father-in-law who are seated in the middle.  

I have attempted to find Annie's son Allan Sydney, also highlighted in the previous photo.  He might be the young man standing second on the left next to his mother, as he would be ten years older by the time this photo was taken.

Shared Ancestors:  Michael Cusack and Mary Green  (my 3x great grandparents).

McCane, O'Donnell and Bidgood Family

This photo, taken around 1930, shows various family members of the McCane, O'Donnell and Bidgood families.  This is the only family photo where I can identify every individual!

Seated on the cane chair in the middle is my maternal great grandmother Margaret McCane nee Farrell.  She is surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

To the right of Margaret is my grandmother Sarah Mary Josephine O'Donnell nee McCane, holding my aunt Marcella O'Donnell.

Standing to the right of and behind my grandmother Sarah is my mother, Margaret Brigid Connors nee O'Donnell.

Included in this photo are my great aunt Susan Mary Bidgood nee McCane and her children, my McCane great uncles, their wives and children; along with my O'Donnell uncles.

Front Row L-R:

Owen McCane, Marie McCane, Frank Bidgood, Eddie (Edward Martin) O'Donnell, Jack (John Joseph) O'Donnell, Fred Bidgood, Kevin McCane, Jim (James Thomas) O'Donnell.

Second Row - seated - L-R:

Marie McCane (nee Crofton), Susan Bidgood (nee McCane) with son Neville Bidgood, my Great Grandmother Margaret McCane (nee Farrell), my Grandmother Sarah Josephine O'Donnell nee McCane holding Marcella O'Donnell, Agnes McCane (nee Parnell), and Myreen McCane (nee Farrell) holding Margaret McCane.

Third Row L-R:

Ernie Bidgood, Morrie (Maurice Owen) O'Donnell, Edward McCane, my mother Margaret O'Donnell, Lorna Bidgood, Irene (Bon) Bidgood.

Back Row L-R:

Edmond O'Donnell, Jim (James Patrick) McCane, Tom (Thomas Owen) McCane, Jack (John Michael) McCane.

Shared Ancestors:  Patrick Muckian (McCane) and Sarah McCann, Michael Farrell and Susan Downey/Muldowney.