Adelaide-man searched a misspelt surname and found his great-great grandmother.
When Clynton Whalan began to research his family history in the 1980s, he had no idea that 40 years later, he would be publishing his findings in the book, The Wirrabara Whalans. The book begins with Clynton’s pioneer ancestors in the mid north of South Australia and follows their descendants, including Clynton’s parents.
Clynton’s research has seen him frequently visit the State Library of South Australia, drive all over South Australia visiting familial gravestones, interviewing family members, and even commissioning genealogists in Ireland. The avid-researcher has even found a lost first cousin through a DNA test, as well as many more distant cousins internationally.
“Finding my great-great grandmother’s name was a moment I’ll never forget,” says Clynton Whalan. “I noticed on one record that a family name, Dwyer, had been mis-spelled as Dwire. This motivated me to use this error when searching Trove. I read over 70 articles until finding a notice from my great-aunt, Bridget Dwyer, with a funeral notice for her mother. Her mother was of course my great-great grandmother.”
Clynton retired from the police force in 2017. This allowed him to spend all his free time uncovering relatives of the past! He particularly enjoys reading criminal proceedings of his ancestors and is constantly surprised about the level of detail that was published in newspapers. “Privacy didn’t exist. Every sordid detail could be published in a newspaper,” said Clynton.
The Wirrabara Whalans explores the journey of Irish immigrants fleeing the devastation of the Great Famine and seeking opportunity in South Australia. The book covers four generations of ordinary Australians through 48 mini-biographies. The book is scheduled for release on 4 October 2024 as part of the 150 years of Wirrabara celebrations.
Contact:
Tegan Whalan
tlwhalan@gmail.com
0421 506 482
tlwhalan.com.au
Clynton and his co-authors are scheduled to attend a number of events to promote their book. Upcoming event details here.
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