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1. Sound Beginnings
The Society was formed on the 1st January 1979 with the aim to promote, encourage and foster the study, science and knowledge of genealogy. This main objective encompasses many other secondary objectives, such as transcribing and indexing records, and provides a forum for people with a common interest in Family History.
The Following Brief history is taken from the Western Ancestor March 2000 pp. 22-23, with additions to bring it up to date.
2. Foundation Members
Peter Bottrell, Jan Bray, Anthonera & Jacolia Butler, Yvonne Coate, Brian & Val Croker, Glenis Piercy, Ted Davis, Tony Harrop, Peter Herlihy, Ruth Keane, Gloria Michalik, Daphne Nichols, DE & PG Shepherd, Jan Trotter, Leo Van de pas, & Bob Wiltshire.
3. Life Fellows
Brian Croker (deceased)
4. Fellows
Joy Calder, Alan Campbell, Lyn Coy, Val Croker, Rica Erickson, Wendy Maslin, Stella Short, Leslie Williams, Loreley Morling, Martin Pinnell, Teresa Thomson & Sister Mary Albertus Bain (deceased).
5. Honorary Members
Ruth Reid AM
6. WAGS Milestones
| Date | Milestone Event |
| 1979 - January 1 | WAGS formed |
| 1979 - January 31 | Inaugural General Meeting |
| 1979 - February 6 | Inaugural Committee Meeting |
| 1979 - March | First edition of Western Ancestor |
| 1982 - November | First Directory of Members' Interests |
| 1984 - September | Application to WA Register General for reduction in cost of certificates relating to events at least 60 years old |
| 1985 - (ref. March 1989) | Incorporation |
| 1985 - July 21-22 | Albany - First Seminar on Family History |
| 1986 - March | Obtained first Microfilm reader |
| 1986 - December | Income tax deductions for donations to the Library Fund |
| 2013 | operating name of the Society changed to FamilyHistoryWA |
7. Patrons
| Date | Patron |
| 1987 - 1989 | The Governor of Western Australia, His Excellency Professor Gordon Stanley Reid. Vice Patron: Ruth Reid |
| 1990 - 1993 | Sir Francis Burt |
| 1994 - 1995 | Professor Peter J Boyce |
| 1996 - 2019 | Ruth Reid |
| 2019 - current | The Governor of Western Australa, His Excellency, The Hon. Kim Beazley AC |
8. Office Bearers
8.1. President
| Date | President |
| 1979 - 1990 | Brian Croker (dec) |
| 1990 - 1993 | Raema Gooch |
| 1993 - 1996 | Maurice Weston |
| 1996 - 1998 | Martin Pinell (dec) |
| 1998 - 1999 | Mary Rogers |
| 1999 - 2001 | Lyn Coy |
| 2002 - 2004 | Bevan Carter |
| 2005 - 2008 | Ian Scott |
| 2008 - 2012 |
Liana Fitzpatrick |
| 2012 - 2013 |
Graham Bown |
| 2013 - 2016 |
Liana Fitzpatrick |
| 2016 - 2019 |
Ian Simon |
| 2019 - 2019 |
Anthony E Turner |
| 2019 - 2021 |
Christine Harris (Acting) |
| 2021 - present |
Deborah Harvey (Joint Acting) |
8.2. Treasurer
| Date | Treasurer |
| 1979 - 1985 | Peter Herlihy |
| 1986 - 1993 | Les Williams |
| 1993 - 1994 | Terry Edmett |
| 1994 - 1994 | Shirley de Andrade |
| 1994 - 1997 | Lyn Coy |
| 1998 - 1999 | Irene Vorey-Bushell |
| 1999 - 2002 | Lyn Coy |
| 2003 - 2005 | Bob Richardson |
| 2005 - 2005 | Pauline Prior (Acting) |
| 2005 - 2007 | Don Heery |
| 2008 - 2010 | Margaret Pike (Acting) |
| 2010 - Current | Neil Bradley |
8.3. Secretary
| Date | Secretary |
| 1979 - 1979 | Jan Trotter |
| 1981 - 1982 | Jan Doughty |
| 1982 - 1984 | Lorraine Dearnley |
| 1985 - 1985 | Helen Gunnell |
| 1986 - 1986 | Norma Miles |
| 1987 - 1987 | Geoffrey Smith |
| 1988 - 1988 | Annette Williams |
| 1989 - 1990 | Roger Horgan |
| 1990 - 1993 | Phyllis Clatworthy |
| 1993 - 1994 | Fay Hall |
| 1994 - 1994 | Audrey Sewell |
| 1995 - 1996 | Jackie Hewson |
| 1996 - 2000 | Christine Ross |
| 2000 - 2003 | Margaret Philippson |
| 2003 - 2004 | Wendy Bloomfield |
| 2005 - 2005 | Ian Scott |
| 2005 - 2010 | Karen Tregenza |
| 2010- 2012 | Pauline Pryer |
| 2012 - 2013 | Pam Martyn |
| 2013 - 2016 | Pauline Pryer |
| 2016 - Current | Wendy White |
8.4. Journal Editor
| Date | Editor |
| 1979 - 1981 | Yvonne Coate |
| 1982 - 1988 | Alan Campbell |
| 1988 - 1991 | Marj Carr |
| 1991 - 1991 | Annie Weare |
| 1991 - 2009 | Malcolm Parr |
| 2009 - 2010 | Lyn Watt & Ian Barnes (Acting) |
| 2010 - 2010 | Jennifer Lydon & KarenTregenza |
| 2011 - 2015 | Jennifer Lydon |
| 2015 - 2021 | Mike Murray & Dr Lesley Silvester |
| 2021 - present | Peter Forrestal |
8.5. Librarian
| Date | Librarian |
| 1979 - 1980 | Daphne Nichols |
| 1980 - 1983 | Dulcie Campbell |
| 1983 - 1989 | Joy Calder |
| 1989 - 1993 | Kay Frost |
| 1993 - 2002 | Stella Short |
| 2002 - 2003 | Monica Roberts |
| 2003 - 2009 | Edwina Shooter |
| 2009 - 2011 | EdwinaShooter (Acting) |
| 2011 - 2015 | Julie Martin |
| 2015 - Current | Edwina Shooter |
8.6. Webmaster
(See separate page for Website history)
| Date | Webmaster |
| 1996 - 2008 | Marilyn Dimond |
| 2008 - 2017 | Chris Loudon |
| 2017 - current | Anne Giles |
9. Special Interest Groups
| Date | Special Interest Group | First Convenor |
| 1981 - July 12 | Irish | Alan Campbell |
| 1982 - May 1 | Scottish | Alan Campbell |
| 1982 - October 9 | South Australian | Brian Croker |
| 1983 - April 16 | Convict | Alan Campbell |
| 1984 - April 24 | Computer | Graham Bown |
| 1986 - April 19 | European ** (see 2000 & 2012 below) | Raema Gooch |
| 1986 - May 24 | Victorian | Lorna & Bill Bell |
| 1988 - September 10 | New Zealand ** | Gillian O'Mara |
| 1989 | USA & Canada ** | Helen Gunnell |
| 1992 - September 13 | Welsh ** | Betty Randall |
| 1993 - November | Cornish ** | Pat Banks |
| 1993 - February 7 | Swan River Pioneers ** | Alan Campbell |
| 1995 - January 29 | East Anglian ** | Liz Rushton |
| Date Unknown | Tasmanian ** | David Storey |
| 2000 - February | Enrolled Pensioner Guards | Lawrence Doran & Phillippa Ward |
| 2000 - May | South-West European (reformed as European Group, see below) | Jo Babis & Susan Salivar |
| 2000 - December | North of England | A. John Parker |
| 2002 | India ** (reformed as India & South East Asia 2011, see below) | Barbara Rosair |
| 2005 - October | London & Home Counties | Mike Murray & Lesley Silvester |
| 2005 | The Master Genealogist (TMG) | Neil Bradley & Cynthia Brock |
| 2011 - October 23 | India & South East Asia | Chris Bell |
| 2012 - January 15 | European - reformed from SW European Group | Shirley Babis |
| 2012 - December 01 | London & South of England - expanded London & Home Counties Group | Mike Murray & Lesley Sylvester |
| 2013 - April 6 | Western Australian |
Lorraine Clarke |
| 2013 - September 10 | Legacy User Group (LUG) |
Diane Foster |
| 2015 - October 17 | Military SIG |
Angela Heymens |
| 2016 - January 23 | DNA & Genetic Genealogy SIG |
Cate Pearce |
| 2018 - August | Writers Group |
Liana Fitzpatrick |
| 2019 - November | Family Tree Maker User Group |
Christine Harris |
** denotes group no longer functioning