# JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY Who do I think I am? Well, Im discovering that now. - Site: https://johnshistory.com/ ## Another Quick Site Update - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/11/08/another-quick-site-update/ - Published: 2026-11-08T19:11:25+11:00 - Author: John Macvean The Archives Feature Hi, back again with another bit of site functionality to update. It concerns one of the new features I added in my last site update back in September, the “archives” function situated on the bottom of the Homepage. This is actually called a “collapsing archive” because when you click on the year … Continue reading Another Quick Site Update → The post Another Quick Site Update appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## Part Two: A Sad Downfall - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/11/06/part-two-a-sad-downfall/ - Published: 2026-11-06T14:44:56+11:00 - Author: John Macvean Part Two traces Jean Blackwood’s wartime family story and difficult childhood. Her letters reveal a close bond with stepson Jack, whose repeated wounds, illness, and eventual return from World War I are reconstructed through military records and newspapers. Research also uncovers Jean’s immigrant origins, family violence, her father’s desertion, and enduring uncertainty about her future. The post Part Two: A Sad Downfall appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## A Sad Downfall - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/10/01/a-sad-downfall/ - Published: 2026-10-01T00:29:14+10:00 - Author: John Macvean This first part of Jean White Blackwood’s story follows her 1912 marriage to much older widower Henry, their homes from Paddington to Longnose Point, her bond with stepson Jack, and her mounting personal struggles revealed in heartfelt letters and temperance pledges—all set against vivid photos, maps, war service files and old Sydney streetscapes. The post A Sad Downfall appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## A Quick Site Update! - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/09/05/a-quick-site-update/ - Published: 2026-09-05T17:29:56+10:00 - Author: John Macvean New Archive and Search Functions This post is just to let you know of the new Archive and Search functions that I have added to the HOME PAGE of this site. It has only taken me 7 years to work it out; I know a little bit slow sometimes. The new Archive function at the … Continue reading A Quick Site Update! → The post A Quick Site Update! appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## Inside the Albury Clerical Scandal, Part Two: Letters, Libel and Class - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/08/20/inside-the-albury-clerical-scandal-part-two-letters-libel-and-class/ - Published: 2026-08-20T18:13:47+10:00 - Author: John Macvean Part Two of the Albury clerical scandal uncovers fresh tensions after Rev. David is cleared of misconduct. Drawing on editorials, a revealing anonymous letter, and Presbyterian disciplinary rules, I'm able to trace how class, power, and rumour collide around a Congregation, reshaping it's trust in its church leaders. The post Inside the Albury Clerical Scandal, Part Two: Letters, Libel and Class appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## Uncovering Family Secrets: Reverend David Hunter Ballantyne’s Past - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/08/05/uncovering-family-secrets-reverend-david-hunter-ballantynes-past/ - Published: 2026-08-05T13:49:15+10:00 - Author: John Macvean While tracing my family history, I uncovered a 19th‑century scandal surrounding my 3x great‑grandfather, Rev. David Hunter Ballantyne. Using Trove newspapers, I piece together rumours of “improper intercourse,” a secret proposal to a young married woman, a church investigation, and the tangled human fallout—without claiming to know his guilt or innocence. The post Uncovering Family Secrets: Reverend David Hunter Ballantyne’s Past appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## A Quick Glimpse: My Nan, Kathleen Ashton Nicoll née Raymond. - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/07/18/a-quick-glimpse-my-nan-kathleen-ashton-nicoll-nee-raymond/ - Published: 2026-07-18T01:34:11+10:00 - Author: John Macvean The Birth of My Nan, Kathleen. Here is the most wonderful portrait of my beautiful Nan, Kathleen, taken on her 18th birthday. And here she is in August 2013, just two months shy of her 90th birthday, pictured with some ugly mug she picked up at the Bardwell Park RSL in Sydney. We had a … Continue reading A Quick Glimpse: My Nan, Kathleen Ashton Nicoll née Raymond. → The post A Quick Glimpse: My Nan, Kathleen Ashton Nicoll née Raymond. appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## Exploring the Macvean Heritage: A Journey to Rooksdale. Part Four - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/06/09/exploring-the-macvean-heritage-a-journey-to-rooksdale-part-four/ - Published: 2026-06-09T12:30:08+10:00 - Author: John Macvean The Next Chapter in the History of the Macveans, at Rooksdale. If you read my previous post, thank you—I hope you found it interesting. You might also remember that I shared that when I started researching my great-grandparents, Annie and Alex, the information I was digging up on Trove seemed to follow a bit of … Continue reading Exploring the Macvean Heritage: A Journey to Rooksdale. Part Four → The post Exploring the Macvean Heritage: A Journey to Rooksdale. Part Four appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## PART TWO: A FAMILY HISTORY ROAD TRIP; Another one! - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/05/11/part-two-a-family-history-road-trip-another-one/ - Published: 2026-05-11T18:08:16+10:00 - Author: John Macvean Honouring the Were Brothers and Connecting with Family and Land. The road trip continues. Saturday, the 18th April and the event that brought us down to Melbourne, the Officer Avenue of Trees Re-dedication Ceremony. But first, catching up with Alyssa and Xander. They arrived in Melbourne the night before but came over first thing that … Continue reading PART TWO: A FAMILY HISTORY ROAD TRIP; Another one! → The post PART TWO: A FAMILY HISTORY ROAD TRIP; Another one! appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY. ## A FAMILY HISTORY ROAD TRIP; Another one! - Link: https://johnshistory.com/2026/05/02/a-family-history-road-trip-another-one/ - Published: 2026-05-02T17:35:21+10:00 - Author: John Macvean Honouring the Were Brothers and Connecting with Family and Land. This family road trip, the first one for 2026, had a very interesting impetus that took place in late November 2025—a random message on mine and Alex’s Ancestry account. The message was from a genealogical researcher named David who was working with an historical military … Continue reading A FAMILY HISTORY ROAD TRIP; Another one! → The post A FAMILY HISTORY ROAD TRIP; Another one! appeared first on JOHN'S FAMILY HISTORY.