Wagga Mayoress Jenny Conkey shared a push to document residents’ stories amid National Family History Month. 

As part of the celebration of heritage, Wagga District Family History Society – located at 24 Tarakan Avenue in Ashmont – announced it would be open every Saturday from 10am to 1pm in August, in addition to its traditional opening hours on Monday and Wednesday. 

Mrs Conkey said researching the past was interesting and valuable, but future would also need something to look back on. 

Without her grandfather’s diary, Mrs Conkey said she would not have the invaluable first-hand account of World War I that had been published. 

“My grandfather fought at Gallipoli and Western Front. He was born in the slums of London … he documented all of that,” Mrs Conkey said. 

“It gave us an insight into what an insight into what it was like for him.” 

She said to have such experiences written first hand was amazing. 

That information then helped the Conkeys trace their family history back to a wealthy 1700’s ancestor, who had shared his estate with members of his extended family. 

Mayor Greg Conkey said years later, the Wagga family had received part of that estate. 

“We were the last to receive money all these years later,” he said. “It was only 40-quid or so.” 

Mayor Greg Conkey said family history provided a link to the past. 

“I believe everyone should write a biography,” Mayor Conkey said. “In 100 years your own descendants will want to know all about you and your family’s history.”

The Wagga District Family History Society vice-president Rob Walker said investigating genealogy was not only about discovering a country of origin. 

He said it was also interesting to find out what was happening in Wagga, Australia and the world at the time of an ancestor’s arrival in the district, state or country. 

“Everyone has their own story,” Mr Walker said. “The hands-on aspect is obviously the interesting part.”