There was nothing on the copy of these Laws that I was given to say where this list originated from. If anyone reading this knows, please tell me so I can give the proper credit. If you have any other experiences with Murphy, let me know and I'll add you to the list.
1. The public ceremony in which your distinguished ancestor participated , and at which the platform collapsed under him, turns out to be his hanging.
2. When at last, after much hard work, you have solved the mystery you have been working on for two years, yoour aunt says, "I could have told you that."
3. You search for ten years for your grandmother's maiden name, to eventually find it on a letter in a box in the attic.
4. You never asked your father or mother about their families when they were alive, because you weren't interested in genealogy then.
5. The will you need is in the safe on board the
Admella.
(It was a ship. It sank. It also had more than a passing aquaintance with Murphy.)
6. Copies of old newspapers have holes ocurring only on the surnames.
7. John, son of Thomas, the immigrant your relatives claim as the family progenitor, died on board ship at the age of ten.
8. Your great-grandfather's obituary states that he died leaving no issue of record.
9. Another genealogist has just insulted the keeper of the vital records you need.
10. The relative who had all the family photographs gave them all to her daughter, who has no interest in genealogy, no inclination to share and has already put some records out in the rubbish.
11. The only record you find for your great-grandfather is that his property was sold as the result of his being declared bankrupt.
12. The one document that would supply the missing link in your dead-end line has been lost due to fire, flood or war.
13. The town clerk you wrote to for information sends you a long, handwritten letter which is totally illegible.
14. The spelling of your European ancestor's name bears no relation to its current spelling or pronunciation.
15. None of the photos in your recently deceased grandmother's photo album have names written on them. (Boy do I relate to this one, as I sort through swags of photos from both sides of the family and barely a name to be found!)
16. No-one in your famliy tree ever did anything noteworthy, owned property, was sued or named in a will.
17. You learn your great-aunt's executor sold her life's collection of genealogical materials to a flea market "somewhere in Sydney".
18. Ink fades and paper deteriorates at a rate inversely proportional to the value of the data recorded.
19. The thirty seven volume, 16,000 pagge history of your country of origin isn't indexed.
20. You finally find your great-grandparents wedding records and discover that the bride's father was named John Smith.
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