Management Committee 2026

Christine Harris
President and IT Manager

Elected Committee Member 2019; Vice-President 2020 - 2025

In 1980, for some inexplicable reason that is lost in the mists of time, I decided to purchase marriage certificates for both sets of my grandparents.  When the certificates arrived I discovered that two of my great-grandfathers were called James McLaughlin.
That puzzle started me down a path that has been a "long and winding road".  And I have loved every minute of it.

I was born in Sydney, and all of my ancestry is on the East Coast.  According to DNA Ethnicity, I am 56% Scottish, 29% Irish and 15% English. 

But when I got DNA results for three of my grandchildren that meant that I am now (finally) looking for family history in Western Australia, as well as India, Turkey, and Belgium!  The search for your family's history never ends.

 

 

Neil Bradley
Treasurer

Elected Committee Member 2013; Treasurer 2014, Life Member: 2026

Convenor TMG Interest Group since it started in 2005 and participated in 11th Battalion and Gallipoli Projects, as well as the new website which launched last year.

Currently working on the Convict website, as well as updating Genie Links page on the new website.

Has been researching his (largely WA) family since the late 1990's. Estimates that he is related to approx 20,000 people in WA.

 

 

 

Diane Thornton
Secretary

Elected July 2023                         

My love of family history started when I was young when I listened to stories about how my grandparents came from Poland after WWII and Croatia after WWI to Western Australia.  I am currently studying a Master of Applied History online at the University of New England, part-time.  In 2023 I am also undertaking the Certificate in Genealogical Research through the Society of Australian Genealogists.

I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2000 and worked for an accounting firm, KPMG, for 9 years.  I then spent the next 15 years at BHP Billiton and Chevron in business planning, governance, financial modelling, and commercial roles until 2022. I hold a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia.

 

 

Robert Atkins
Committee Member, Policy and Procedures, Awards Convenor, enews Editor

I joined FHWA in 2007 when I became active in genealogy, having inherited my father’s records and hand drawn trees. My first task was to digitize his family trees using The Master Genealogist. FHWA’s TMG SIG was a great help in getting to grips with this program and getting me started on my journey. I am currently the co-convenor of the TMG SIG. It took me two years to complete the digitization and this was to become the basis for my website. I have published several articles in the Western Ancestor on some of my more interesting ancestors. I am currently writing the story of the Atkins migration in 1847 from Ireland to Australia, Canada and the USA.

I joined the FHWA management Committee in 2013. I was immediately pressed into running the annual raffle and have been doing it ever since. I was appointed the Policy and Procedures Officer in about 2015 and guided the transition to the new Rules of Association and By-Laws to comply with the new State legislation. I have been the eNews Editor since 2014.

 

 

Anne Giles
Committee Member and Webmaster

Elected July 2022

I was the one in the family who listened to the stories, asked the questions and kept the photographs in old shoe boxes, so I was destined to join FHWA.

When I retired from a varied career as journalist, librarian, union official and public servant, I resolved to take a deep dive into my family history. I still haven't answered all the questions, or sorted the photos, but I am working on it.

I began volunteering iin the FHWA library at May St  soon after I joined in 2015. I also volunteer at the State Library and took on the role of webmaster about five years ago. I am  a member of the South Australian and Writers Interest Groups.

 

Sue Goss

Committee Member and FHWA Librarian

Sue joined the FHWA in 2020 and volunteers in the library and has been appointed, with Sue AldingtonAldenton to take over the role of Librarian from Edwina Shooter.