Seek out an elusive ancestor with Tomaree Family History Group Nelson Bay (Tomaree Peninsula areas) News Of The Area Port Stephens News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - October 4, 2017 Margie Anderson, Marilynne Cullen and Anna Cordwell. IS there an elusive ancestor in your family tree? Are you interested in finding out more about probate and wills? Modern Media: Advertise with News Of The Area and you get your ad in 1) in Print, 2) on the News Website (like this ad), and 3) on our Social Media news site. A much more efficient way to advertise. Reach a HUGE audience for a LOW price TODAY! Call us on 02 4983 2134. Or media@newsofthearea.com.au[/caption] Or CLICK FOR ADVERT QUOTE The Tomaree Family History Group is hosting guest speaker Gail Davis, Senior Archivist, Research and Publications, from State Archives NSW to discuss probate and wills, as well as asylum records on Saturday 7 October at 9.30am at Tomaree Library. The first talk on probate and wills will focus on ‘Probate Packets’. A grant of probate is the authority given by the Supreme Court of NSW to the executors to deal with a deceased person’s estate. “The will in the Probate Packet is considered by the court to be the only legal document,” Ms Davis said. The second part of the presentation will focus on Deceased Estate files from the days when death duties were paid to the State government. According to Ms Davis, the files “contain a wealth of information” on ancestors’ lives. “[They] may help you to find an elusive ancestor who simply disappeared,” Ms Davis said. The discussion will examine State archives held for government asylums for the Infirm and Destitute and mental asylum records and how to access them. The Tomaree Family History Group hold workshops on the first Saturday of each month. The group was formed in 2000 by a group of people with the shared aim of fostering interest in genealogy and family history. The group has a resource room which has a range of books, reference materials, computers and family history research programs. By Jo FINN