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WELCOME TO THE TENTH EDITION OF THE “WORLD WIDE W*GG*”

Editor - Vivian Egan

The big news this issue is that I now have my own webpages, with a major portion devoted to our W*GG* One Name Study http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~vivianegan/worldwidewgg.htm

I would also like to say a huge THANK YOU to Alan STANIER and Sheila JONES for their generosity in hosting the W*GG* databases to date. They have been doing a marvellous job and I am sure you have all benefited in some way.

WEGG, England & Wales - Births, Marriages & Deaths

Thanks to Andrew WEGG, Rose FRENCH and Peter JACKSON the WEGG G.R.O. extracts are now online at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~vivianegan/wwwgg/vitals/weggbmd.htm

W*GG* Mailing Lists

Last week I requested 3 new mailing lists at Rootsweb. I am now the administrator of
WAGG-L@rootsweb.com ; WEGG-L@rootsweb.com & WIGG-L@rootsweb.com
I discovered that WIGGS-L was already taken and serves those researching the WIGGLESWORTH name, so WIGG-L will also include those researching WIGGS. Instructions for subscribing to these email lists are at:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~vivianegan/wwwgg/lists.htm

Researchers Lists

In the last newsletter I mentioned making the Researchers Lists available on the Internet. After discussions with several of you, it was decided that postal/residential address details would not be included. The Lists are now live on my website. There is one combined list for WAGG & WEGG and separate ones for WIGG & WIGGS. If you would like to amend the details for your listing in any way, please contact me.

MyFamily.com websites - WAGG & WEGG ; WIGG & WIGGS

Since the last newsletter, Debra McMAHON has kindly been administering the above sites at MyFamily.com. These sites are password activated and several of you have uploaded photos, etc. If you would like to check them out, or contribute - please contact Debra at jodemac@ozemail.com.au for access details. Remember to mention which website you are interested in !

W*GG* FAMILY TREES

When time permits I hope to begin uploading details of the W*GG* family trees in my database to share with everyone. Before these pages go live, I will be consulting with the relevant family researchers. I would like to be able to include family photos if possible. Unless specifically requested not to do so, I will be including the names of living descendants, but NOT their personal details.

Any suggestions as to the contents of the W*GG* One Name Study webpages are most welcome.

“Vale Miss Hazel Barbara Wilson 1918 - 1999”

I now have the extremely sad duty to inform you all that we have only recently learnt of the passing of Miss Hazel Wilson (see Spotlight Profile WWW No. 3) in March 1999. The following tribute was contributed by her distant cousin Stan WIGG.

My acquaintance with Hazell Wilson began in 1996 shortly after I began to search for information about my Wigg ancestors. David Wigg of Seven Oaks directed me to Len Wigg of Plymouth who had information regarding Hampshire Wiggs. Len provided me with Hazell’s address as a possible source of information about my Hampshire ancestors. A few weeks after I sent a letter to Hazell, her reply arrived. Her first words were, “Welcome! Bang on target! I reckon we are fourth cousins, so your letter made my day.”

There followed four delightful years of correspondence with Hazell. Her letters were humourous, rambling and painstakingly informative. Each letter began with a wry apology for the tardiness of her reply such as “This is me putting my hat in first! I had intended, guilt ridden as I was....” No wonder she was slow in replying. To answer my many questions she had to plow through all of the Wigg information that she had compiled over the years. As well, I was just one of many people who corresponded with her regarding many branches of her family. In all of her letters, never once did she express any irritation at my inquisitive nature. She only regretted that she could not be more helpful.

Hazell began compiling the information on her family in 1930 when her paternal grandfather died. Her initial information came from her mother whom she looked after for many years. She did a lot of original research and also pooled information with Ken Smallbone who was working on the interconnected Smallbone family tree.

Along with her letters, Hazell sent me all kinds of photocopies of notes, photographs and documents that she had in her possession. When I sent her a money in order to help defray some of her costs, she reprimanded me in a good natured way in her next letter. “Don’t send any money, I have a quid or two.”

When my 1999 Christmas letter was returned by the post office, I was uneasy but hoped that she had simply moved and had not informed me of the change of address. Her last letter had come in February in answer to my Christmas letter, - 9 pages crammed with anecdotes about current events in her life, answers to my questions and reflections about life in general.

I never visited Hazell in her home or even spoke to her on the telephone. However, in our 4 years of correspondence I came to know and love dearly a vibrant, woman with a zest for living. For her, there were never enough hours in a day. She was always ploughing through mountains of correspondence or hosting family members who had come from far places. Although she never married, her family was large. She treated distant cousins like myself as if they were close relatives.

Two comments in her final letter give some insights into her attitude to life. Expressing her despair at ever getting all her genealogy information organized, she wrote, “I really need a sort of vacant year, to spread everything out in one place.” And at the end of the letter, commenting on her hectic pace, “I can remember a blissful feeling of limitless time, almost standing still, when I retired. It lasted about a fortnight - but it was lovely, almost a pre run of heaven.”

Hazell has now reached that blissful state. Those of us who knew her miss her greatly. She has been a blessing to the many people whom she touched in her inimitable way over the years. God bless you Hazell!

Stan Wigg, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

FEATURE FAMILY - Australian Descendants of John and Caroline WIGG

John and Caroline Wigg arrived in Australia during February 1853 on the ship named "Barrackpore". Their native home was listed as Hampshire. The shipping records show this family listed as - John Wigg, aged 37 years, Caroline Wigg aged 34 years, Julia Wigg aged 13 years, Sarah Ann Wigg aged 11 years, Lovelace Wigg aged 9 years, Arthur John Wigg aged 6 years, Austin Wigg aged 5 years, and Valentine Wigg aged 1 year.

Tragically, Caroline died on 15th April 1853. John was left with 6 children, with 4 of them under the age of 10. The older two girls soon adapted to cleaning cooking and caring for their younger siblings. John and the children eventually moved to Bright, Victoria, Australia. This was a Mining town of Gold and Quartz, and very soon the family settled. Julia and Arthur John are the only children to marry. Lovelace unfortunately died in 1866 and Nelson died in 1890.

I have a photo of Arthur John and his wife in front of their home in Bright. You can see it on the “Wigg & Wiggs Researchers Site” at http://www.MyFamily.com. You will need a userid and password to access the site.

For more information contact:

Debra McMAHON , 14 Matilda Ave, Wantirna South Victoria 3152, Australia.

PROFILE SPOTLIGHT - Mrs. Debbie McMAHON

Hello. My name is Debbie McMahon. I was born and still reside in Melbourne, Victoria. I married, John McMahon in 1989. John and Caroline Wigg are my husbands GGG Grandparents.

I have been researching Family History for 10 years. I have worked as a volunteer Librarian, Library Manager and Secretary with the Narre Warren & District Family History Group. I am also a member of the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies in Blackburn, Melbourne. I started researching my husband’s family when I came to a dead end on my lines. Our “Wigg” line goes as far back as Edward Wigg and Margaret True (Trew) at Church Oakley, Hampshire 1632, courtesy of Miss Hazel Wilson who unfortunately passed away recently. She unselfishly shared her extensive research.

I have had the pleasure of contacting many fellow “Wigg” descendants through Vivian Egan’s World Wide W*GG* contacts. It has been my most successful research line yet.

Until next time, best wishes to you all................................................

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