About

ADELAIDE TAPPER

Probate Genealogist and Family Historian based in Australia

Unlike many professional genealogists who begin their journey doing their own family history, and then building their hobby into a career, I started the other way around. After graduating university, I knew I wanted a job in research. I answered a job ad from a trustee company that was expanding its team of genealogists to trace the heirs to the estates they administered. Nowadays, that sort of job is often referred to as “probate genealogy” or “forensic genealogy”, but at the time, there was no such name for the role. I have worked in this field now for more than 25 years, and love the challenge as much today as when I started.

From there, I became interested in my own family history. Since those early days, genealogy has been both my hobby and my job.

Most of the stories I will be posting on my blog will relate to my own family history. However, from time to time, I might also post things which relate to “Probate Genealogy,” or about historically interesting cases related to Missing Heirs, Chancery Suits, and so forth.

Acknowledgement

I am keenly aware that when my forebears arrived in this land, with intentions of making their new lives, there were already people living here. Today, I sit at my desk, typing this blog, on land that was historically under the custodianship of the Bunurong people, and I wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners of this area.