Nicholas John Vine-Hall
Encyclopedia
Nicholas John Vine Hall AM (17 August 194431 October 2006), generally known as Nick Vine Hall, was a recognised Australian authority in the fields of family history
, genealogy
and heraldry
, and an enthusiastic champion of family history research in Australia.
Nick Vine Hall was born in Darlinghurst, Sydney
, and educated at Sydney Grammar School
, before working for CSR Limited
in sales and marketing for 16 years, where he became the CSR Limited
Australia Sugar Sales Manager in 1972.
As a young man, he had been told he was a descendant of James Cook
, which provoked an interest in his family history. When he eventually made his first trip abroad, he visited his English relatives, and traced the family history, that showed that he was eighth cousin to that famed navigator
, and also descended from Edmund Blacket
, the third colonial architect of NSW. He also discovered a couple of skeletons in the family cupboard - a drunkard and an ancestor hanged for high treason.
That trip to England led Vine Hall to leave CSR, and adopt genealogy as his lifetime's work and passion. He joined the Society of Australian Genealogists
in 1971, and, in 1978, was appointed a director, a position he held for a decade.
Vine Hall had a considerable flair for public relations and marketing skills, which he used to popularise family history research, and make social history a matter of serious pursuit in Australia.
In 1979, he became the ABC Radio
's resident genealogist, answering listeners' questions and giving advice. He also contributed many articles to rural newspapers such as The Land, and was an invited guest speaker at many national and international genealogical and family history conferences, as well as at local societies throughout Australia, and on several Pacific cruise vessels.
In 1985, Vine Hall published Tracing Your Family History in Australia: A National Guide to Sources, which is still recognised as the most complete authoritative publication of genealogical sources in Australia, and is now in its 3rd edition. He also self-published many of the other 35 books, CDs, charts and articles accredited to him.
In 1987, the Australian Federation of Family History Organisations (AFFHO) bestowed on him the N.T. Hansen Award for Significant Contribution to Family History.
In July 1988, Vine Hall joined the Heraldry and Genealogy Society of Canberra (HAGSOC), and was an occasional member over subsequent years.
In 1988, he met Patricia Barth on a blind date at a bicentennial ball in Melbourne
, and they married in 1991. He subsequently moved to Melbourne where she ran her business, Family Tree Scriptorium.
In 1991, Vine Hall initiated the British Isles Directories Project, 1769-1936, which is transferring some 20 million names from printed trade directories onto microfiche. In 1995, he also initiated the Ships Picture Research Service generating an index of more than 160,000 images.
Vine Hall was the chairman of the Australian Federation of Family History Organisations Census Working Party, which persuaded the Australian government to trial the voluntary retention of the 2001 national census
. In February 2006, legislative changes made this trial a permanent feature of all future Australian censuses.
Vine Hall was a founding member of the Huguenot Society of Australia established in 2003. His last published work was The Happy Huguenots - Parts 1, 2 & 3, a family history which was Highly Commended when entered in the Alexander Henderson Award for 2006.
In 2006, Vine Hall was made a Life Member of the Society of Australian Genealogists
.
After a long battle with cancer
, Nick Vine Hall died in October 2006 at the age of 62 at the Bethlehem Hospital, South Caulfield, and was survived by his wife Patricia, his ex-wife, Trish, and their children, John and Katy, as well as five grandchildren. His funeral service was held at the St Thomas's Anglican Church in North Sydney on 9 November 2006.
In June 2007, Vine Hall was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
for Services to Genealogy. The award was made effective from 18 July 2006, prior to his death.
Family history
Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
, genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
and heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, and an enthusiastic champion of family history research in Australia.
Nick Vine Hall was born in Darlinghurst, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and educated at Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, before working for CSR Limited
CSR Limited
CSR Limited is a major Australian industrial company, producing aluminium and building products. It is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. In 2009, it has approximately 10,000 employees and during a period of a major cyclical downturn the company made an after-tax profit of...
in sales and marketing for 16 years, where he became the CSR Limited
CSR Limited
CSR Limited is a major Australian industrial company, producing aluminium and building products. It is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. In 2009, it has approximately 10,000 employees and during a period of a major cyclical downturn the company made an after-tax profit of...
Australia Sugar Sales Manager in 1972.
As a young man, he had been told he was a descendant of James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
, which provoked an interest in his family history. When he eventually made his first trip abroad, he visited his English relatives, and traced the family history, that showed that he was eighth cousin to that famed navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
, and also descended from Edmund Blacket
Edmund Blacket
Edmund Thomas Blacket was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St...
, the third colonial architect of NSW. He also discovered a couple of skeletons in the family cupboard - a drunkard and an ancestor hanged for high treason.
That trip to England led Vine Hall to leave CSR, and adopt genealogy as his lifetime's work and passion. He joined the Society of Australian Genealogists
Society of Australian Genealogists
The Society of Australian Genealogists was founded in 1932 in Sydney, New South Wales, to further the interests and education of its members in genealogy. It is the oldest genealogical society in Australia, with its headquarters and research library located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in 1971, and, in 1978, was appointed a director, a position he held for a decade.
Vine Hall had a considerable flair for public relations and marketing skills, which he used to popularise family history research, and make social history a matter of serious pursuit in Australia.
In 1979, he became the ABC Radio
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's resident genealogist, answering listeners' questions and giving advice. He also contributed many articles to rural newspapers such as The Land, and was an invited guest speaker at many national and international genealogical and family history conferences, as well as at local societies throughout Australia, and on several Pacific cruise vessels.
In 1985, Vine Hall published Tracing Your Family History in Australia: A National Guide to Sources, which is still recognised as the most complete authoritative publication of genealogical sources in Australia, and is now in its 3rd edition. He also self-published many of the other 35 books, CDs, charts and articles accredited to him.
In 1987, the Australian Federation of Family History Organisations (AFFHO) bestowed on him the N.T. Hansen Award for Significant Contribution to Family History.
In July 1988, Vine Hall joined the Heraldry and Genealogy Society of Canberra (HAGSOC), and was an occasional member over subsequent years.
In 1988, he met Patricia Barth on a blind date at a bicentennial ball in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and they married in 1991. He subsequently moved to Melbourne where she ran her business, Family Tree Scriptorium.
In 1991, Vine Hall initiated the British Isles Directories Project, 1769-1936, which is transferring some 20 million names from printed trade directories onto microfiche. In 1995, he also initiated the Ships Picture Research Service generating an index of more than 160,000 images.
Vine Hall was the chairman of the Australian Federation of Family History Organisations Census Working Party, which persuaded the Australian government to trial the voluntary retention of the 2001 national census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. In February 2006, legislative changes made this trial a permanent feature of all future Australian censuses.
Vine Hall was a founding member of the Huguenot Society of Australia established in 2003. His last published work was The Happy Huguenots - Parts 1, 2 & 3, a family history which was Highly Commended when entered in the Alexander Henderson Award for 2006.
In 2006, Vine Hall was made a Life Member of the Society of Australian Genealogists
Society of Australian Genealogists
The Society of Australian Genealogists was founded in 1932 in Sydney, New South Wales, to further the interests and education of its members in genealogy. It is the oldest genealogical society in Australia, with its headquarters and research library located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.
After a long battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, Nick Vine Hall died in October 2006 at the age of 62 at the Bethlehem Hospital, South Caulfield, and was survived by his wife Patricia, his ex-wife, Trish, and their children, John and Katy, as well as five grandchildren. His funeral service was held at the St Thomas's Anglican Church in North Sydney on 9 November 2006.
In June 2007, Vine Hall was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for Services to Genealogy. The award was made effective from 18 July 2006, prior to his death.