Play this week's Australia Connection Checkers Game!

Question

Australia Day is January 26, so we're celebrating with some famous Aussies in this week's Connection Checkers game.

To play, first see which of these cousins from Down Under is your closest family connection: 

• Cate Blanchett, actress known for her role as "Galadriel" in The Lord of the Rings movies and "Katherine Hepburn" in The Aviator.
• Russell Crowe, New Zealand-born actor, film producer and musician who identifies himself as an Australian, and who made his name as an actor in Australia before gaining international recognition.
• Howard Florey, Australian pharmacologist who made penicillin into an effective and useful drug, ten years after Alexander Fleming (who discovered penicillin) had abandoned it.
• Dawn Fraser, champion freestyle swimmer and Olympian who won eight gold medals at three consecutive Olympics Games.
• Cathy Freeman, Aboriginal gold medal-winning runner at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
• Barry Humphries, comedian and satirist.
• Albert Jacka, Australia's first Victoria Cross recipient.
• Hugh Jackman, actor notable for his roles as mutant "Wolverine" in the X-Men universe and in musicals such as Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman.
• Sir Edgar Mackennal, sculptor and medalist.
• Rupert Murdoch, Australian-born business magnate, investor, and media mogul.
• Banjo Paterson, musician who wrote "Waltzing Matilda."
• Henry Ross, leader of the miner's rebellion at the Eureka Stockade and designer of the Eureka flag.

Second, attempt to verify your connection to one of them. In seven days (January 28), three players will be declared the winners and entered in the Connection Checkers Hall of Fame:

1. The player who has the shortest verified path to one of the connections.
2. The player who has the longest verified path to one of the connections.
3. The player who verifies the most individual connection steps for themselves and by helping others. [current scores]

Please join us, even if you don't know where to begin. Start by simply posting an answer below saying which connection you'll try to verify. Then post updates as comments on your answer. If you get stuck, ask a question and others may be able to help. [more information]

P.S. Help us with our Chinese New Year feature for next week.

Comments

Here are the winners for last week's Kings Connection Checkers Game:

1. Shortest path verified: Henry Campbell-Ricketts  to  King Charles III (Windsor) Mountbatten-Windsor KG (10 Steps)
2. Longest path verified:  https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hatchett-114 to Charlemagne   (40 Steps)
3. Most steps verified:  Kari (Nilsen) Undbekken (33 Steps)

Answer 1

Happy Australia week! I am surprised to find that I am moderately close (20 steps and under) to several on this week's list.

17 degrees from Henry Ross

20 degrees from Cate Blanchett

20 degrees from Albert Jacka

20 degrees from Rupert Murdoch

20 degrees from Banjo Paterson

21 degrees from Russell Crowe

21 degrees from Howard Florey 

23 degrees from Bertram Mackennal

25 degrees from Barry Humphries

26 degrees from Hugh Jackman

27 degrees from Dawn Fraser

32 degrees from Cathy Freeman

I'll do one or two whose paths look intriguing.

Comments

Here is a Verfied 27 degree path from Albert Jacka to me. Three shorter paths (20 and 24 degrees) failed due to lack of any record connecting his father Nathaniel to his grandfather Josiah. All other connections worked. 

0: Bert Jacka

1: ↑ Elizabeth Kettle (his mother)

2: ↔ Ernest Kettle (her brother)

3: = Sarah Deas (his wife)

4: ↑ George Deas (her father)

5: ↑ Margaret Page (his mother)

6: ↔ David Page (her brother)

7: ↓ David Page (his son)

8: = Catherine Campbell (his wife)

9: ↑ Janet Allan (her mother)

10: ↔ James Allan (her brother)

11: ↓ Francis Allan (his son)

12: ↓ Jane Allan (his daughter)

13: ↓ Tena McFadden (her daughter)

14: ↓ Glen Brook (her son)

15: = Irene Whyte (his wife)

16: ↑ Frank Whyte (her father)

17: ↑ David Whyte (his father)

18: ↑ David White (his father)

19: ↔ Walter White (his brother)

20: ↓ James White (his son)

21: = Elizabeth Sawler (his wife)

22: ↔ Albert Sawler (her brother)

23: ↓ Percy Sawler (his son)

24: ↓ Irene Sawler (his daughter)

25: ↓ private (her son)

26: = private (his wife)

27: ↔ Jean Hannaford (her sister)

Answer 2

I also have closest connections at 20+ degrees -

Cate Blanchett 25

Russell Crowe 23

Howard Florrey 22

Dawn Fraser 25

Cathy Freeman 28

Barry Humphries 25

Albert Jacka 21

Hugh Jackman 27

Bertram Mackennal 22

Rupert Murdoch 20 *closest

Banjo Paterson 20 *closest

Henry Ross 20 *closest

I will try to verify my closer connections.

Answer 3

I am 20 degrees from Rupert Murdoch (my 26th cousins once removed).

21 degrees from Howard Florey.

23 degrees from Banjo Paterson (my 26th cousins once removed).

25 degrees from Henry Ross.

26 degrees from Cate Blanchett (my 27th cousins three times removed).

27 degrees from Albert Jacka.

28 degrees from Bertram Mackennal.

28 degrees from Russel Crowe.

29 degrees from Barry Humphries.

31 degrees from Dawn Fraser.

33 degrees from Hugh Jackman.

36 degrees from Cathy Freeman.

Comments

#                #                #                 #                #                #

First l will verify my 20 Degrees connection from Rupert Murdoch.

0. Rupert Murdoch  AC  KCSG (1930s - ) (my 26th cousins once removed).

1. his daughter: Elisabeth (Murdoch) Yyson (CBl (1960s - ) (my 27 cousins).

2. her husband: Matthew  R Freud (1960s - ).

3. Privat person.

4. their husband: Charles Spencer  DL (1960s - ) (my 21st cousins twice removed).

5. his mother: Frances Ruth (Roche) Shand Kydd (1936 - 2004) (my 23rd cousins once removed).

6. her father: Edmund Maurice Burke Roche (1885 - 1955) (my 24th cousins three times removed).

7. his mother: Frances Eleanor  (Work) Roche (1857 - 1942) (my 28th cousins once removed).

8. her sister: Lucy Bond Work (1861 - 1934) (my 28th cousins once removed).

9. her husband: Peter Cooper Hewitt (1861 - 1921) (my 26th cousins once removed).

10. his wife: Maryon Jeanne (Andrews) Hewitt (1881 - 1937).

11. her husband: Peder Sather Bruguiere (1875 - 1967) (my third cousins twice removed).

12. his mother: Josephine Frederikke Sather (1845 - 1915) (my second cousins three times removed).

13. her father: Peder (Pedersen) Sather (1810 - 1886) (my first cousins four times removed).

14. his father: Peder Larsen Sæter (1768 - 1817) (l am his third great grand niece).

15. his brother: Lars Larsen (Sæter) Vettal (1774 - 1840) (my third great grandfather).

16. his daughter: Anne Larsdatter (Vettal) (1799 . 1875) (my second great grandmother).

17. her son: Anton Gunerius Gulbrandsen (my great grandfather).

18. his daughter: Thea (my grandmother).

19. her son: Odd (my father).

20 his daughter:  Me  -    Kari (Nilsen-785) U.

1. h

---

#                   #                  #                  #                   #

Then l want to verify my 36 degrees connection from Cathy Freeman.

0. Cathy Freeman OAm (1970s - ).

1. privat person.

2. their father: George Salvaggi (ca.1923 - ).

3. his father: George Patric Sibley (1896 - ).

4. his sister: Charlotte Patricia (Sibley) Edmonds (1915 - 1991).

5. her husband: John Henry Watkin (1903 - 1938).

6. his brother: Charles Alfred Henry Watkin (ca.1906 - 1969).

7. his daughter: Magdalene Rose Thomas (1924 - 2009).

8. her husband: Howard Kingston (1923 - ca.1998).

9. his father: Alfred Ernest Edwin Kingston (1877 - 1956).

10. his brother: Arthur Herbert Kingston (1880 - 1953).

11. his wife: Margaret Isabell (Toogood) Kingston (1878 - 1914).

12. her sister: Mary (Toogood) Cuddy (1867 - ).

13. her son: Joseph Stewart Cuddy (1899 - 1955).

14. his wife: Adelaide Emma (Bunt) Cuddy (1895 - 1977).

15. her sister: Annie Louisa (Bunt) Cameron (1904 - ).

16. her husband: Charles Colvin Cameron (1896 - 1971) (my 24th cousins three times remoed).

17. his father: Alexander Cameron (1865 - 1945) (my 23rd cousins four times removed).

18. his father: Donald Henry Cameron (1830 - 1916) (my 22nd cousins five times removed).

19. his brother: Kenneth Cameron (1832 - 1902) (my 22nd cousins five times removed).

20. his son: Charles Banks Cameron (1865 - 1952) (my 23rd cousins four times removed).

21. his son: Alan Banks Cameron (1898 - 1975) (my 24th cousins three times removed).

22. his daughter: Janet Elise (Cameron) Durie (1905 - 2009) (my 25th cousins twice times removed).

23. her husband: Murray Kilgour Durie (1914 - 2000) (my 26th cousins once removed).

24. his father: James David Durie (1871 - 1950) (my 25th cousins three times removed).

25. his father: James William Durie (1848 - 1924) (my 24th cousins three times removed).

26. his father: David Stark Durie (1804 - 1874) (my 23rd cousins four times removed).

27. his sister: Helene Durie (1815 - 1850) (my 23rd cousins four times removed).

28. her son: John Henry Eger  (1839 - 1912) (my 24th cousins three times removed).

29. his wife: Anna Marie (Nilsdatter) Wessel-Berg (1846 - 1919) (my 18th cousins five times removed).

30. her brother: Christian August Wessel-Berg (1841 - 1916) (my 18th cousins five times removed).

31. his son: Nils Joachim Wessel-Berg (1879 - 1965) (my 6th cousins three times removed).

32. his son: Sven Wessel-Berg (1838 - 2007) (my fourth cousins once removed).

33. his wife: Laila (Hovind) Wessel-Berg (my first cousins) (She is the fourth coucins once removed to her husband).

34. Her mother: Borghild Marie (my aunt).

35. her (Twin) sister: Karen Solveig (my mother).

36. her daughter:  Me      -    Kari L (Nilsen-785) U.

23.

Answer 4

Not surprisingly, they're all fairly distant. I could maybe get them closer if I added my Australian sister-in-law's tree.

20 degrees from Cate Blanchett
20 degrees from Rupert Murdoch
20 degrees from Henry Ross
21 degrees from Howard Florey
22 degrees from Banjo Paterson
23 degrees from Albert Jacka
26 degrees from Barry Humphries
26 degrees from Bertram Mackennal
27 degrees from Russell Crowe
29 degrees from Dawn Fraser
31 degrees from Hugh Jackman
35 degrees from Cathy Freeman

Comments

We recently did Guinness, so this was mostly already verified.

0. Rupert Murdoch
1. Elisabeth Murdoch (his daughter)
2. Matthew Freud (her husband)
3. Clement Freud (his father)
4. Lucian Freud (his brother)
5. Caroline Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood (his wife)
6. Maureen Guinness (her mother)
7. Ernest Guinness (her father)
8. Rupert Guinness (his brother)
9. Brigid Guinness (his daughter)
10. Antonia von Preußen (her daughter)
11. [private person]
12. Alejandro Santo Domingo (their husband)
13. [private person]
14. Carlos Alejandro Dávila Ordóñez (their father)
15. Ida Linderman (his wife)
16. Garrett Linderman (her brother)
17. Stuart Linderman (his son)
18. [private person]
19. [private person]
20. me (their husband)

Answer 5

17 degrees from Howard Florey,
18 degrees from Rupert Murdoch,
19 degrees from Banjo Paterson,
20 degrees from Henry Ross,
22 degrees from Barry Humphries,
23 degrees from Albert Jacka,
23 degrees from Bertram Mackennal,
25 degrees from Cate Blanchett,
25 degrees from Hugh Jackman,
26 degrees from Russell Crowe,
27 degrees from Dawn Fraser and
34 degrees from Cathy Freeman

Comments

0: Howard Florey
1: = Margaret Fremantle (his wife)
2: ↑ Thomas Fremantle (her father)
3: ↑ Thomas Fremantle (his father)
4: ↔ William Fremantle (his brother)
5: ↓ Henry Eardley Stephen Fremantle (his son)
6: = Helena le Roux Eksteen (his wife)
7: ↔ Sophia Christina Eksteen (her sister)
8: = Hendrik Stephanus Schoeman (her husband)
9: ↑ Johannes Hendrik Schoeman (his father)
10: ↔ Catharina Elizabeth Schoeman (his sister)
11: = Louis Johannes du Plessis (her husband)
12: ↔ Anna Sarolina du Plessis (his sister)
13: ↓ <private> Wasserman (her son)
14: ↓ <private> Wasserman (his daughter)
15: ↓ <private> Fourie (her daughter)
16: ↓ <private> van Eck (her son)
17: JJ van Eck (his child)

---

0: Banjo Paterson
1: ↔ Mary Paterson (his sister)
2: = Guy Huntley (her husband)
3: ↑ Margaret Laycock (his mother)
4: ↑ Elias Laycock (her father)
5: ↑ Margaret Connell (his mother)
6: ↔ Mary Connell (her sister)
7: ↓ Mary Cox (her daughter)
8: = Christian de Villiers (her husband)
9: ↑ Johanna Tobia Hoffman (his mother)
10: ↔ Catharina Hofman (her sister)
11: ↓ Anna Carolina Ackerman (her daughter)
12: = Johannes Willem Van Wyk (her husband)
13: ↔ Johanna Helena van Wyk (his sister)
14: = Jacobus Vrey (her husband)
15: ↓ <private> Vrey (his daughter)
16: ↓ <private> van Eck (her son)
17: ↓ <private> van Eck (his son)
18: ↓ <private> van Eck (his son)
19: JJ van Eck (his child)

Answer 6

Ancestors and Cousins:

20 degrees - Cate Blanchett - (10C)
20 degrees - Banjo Paterson - (18C, 2xR)
23 degrees - Rupert Murdoch - (12C)

Connections:

16 degrees - Henry Ross
22 degrees - Howard Florey
22 degrees - Barry Humphries
24 degrees - Albert Jacka
25 degrees - Sir Edgar Mackennal
26 degrees - Russell Crowe
27 degrees - Cathy Freeman
28 degrees - Dawn Fraser
29 degrees - Hugh Jackman

Answer 7

• Cate Blanchett  22
• Russell Crowe   22
• Howard Florey   19
• Dawn Fraser     25
• Cathy Freeman  32
• Barry Humphries 22
• Albert Jacka        23
• Hugh Jackman     27
• Sir Edgar Mackennal 21
• Rupert Murdoch        21
• Banjo Paterson        12
• Henry Ross               17
  
  Top is Banjo at 12 - will validate - update - some of the 12 people are not allowed for edit to add death dates etc and other such data 
  
  About 95 percent of some of my families from GB and Ireland ended up in Australia or New Zealand - us it was Ireland-Nigeria-Canada
  
  Here is Banjo
   

  Banjo Paterson

  Rose Barton

  Robert Barton

  Darvall Barton

  Bertha Fitzgerald

  Charlie Fitzgerald

  Carry Fitzgerald

  Isabella Campbell

  Alexander Phillips

  Kathleen Phillips

  Aubrey Hunt

  Gerald Hunt

  Lloyd Hunt
  
  Verifications complete and profiles enhanced with more sources.  In time fuller bios can be developed. Two profiles are not accessible for edit but sources are present. 
  
  Since posting it appears that I have been tied at 12 then overtaken at 11 on Banjo.  

Answer 8

Greetings to Australia!

17    Henry Ross [John Haworth]
20    Cate Blanchett [George Ennis]
21    Banjo Paterson [Margaret - Williams]
22    Howard Florey [James Tappan]
22    Rupert Murdoch [Jane Trimble Evans]
23    Albert Jacka [William Emmons]
25    Russell Crowe [Matthias Spedding]
25    Barry Humphries [Nancy Crane Boord]
25    Sir Edgar Mackennal [Lydia Maxson Vincent]
27    Dawn Fraser
30    Hugh Jackman
33    Cathy Freeman

I have closer relatives in Australia and New Zealand, though.

Frank Whillans [Whillans-68] is 25 degrees from me - and that's solid.

Answer 9

18° Cate Blanchett
18° Henry Ross
18° Rupert Murdoch - 11th cousin
21° Banjo Paterson - 13th cousin
22° Howard Florey
24° Albert Jacka
25° Russell Crowe
26° Bertram Makennal
26° Dawn Fraser
27° Barry Humphries
31° Hugh Jackman
33° Cathy Freeman

Was going to start with Cate Blanchett as she popped up as a cousin, but that fell apart when sources didn't vouch for some of the relationships (and, I couldn't find any that did support the information).

Instead, I will look at Rupert Murdoch and Banjo Paterson - possible cousins. Maybe Hugh Jackman because...Wolverine.

Starting with Rupert Mudoch - 11th cousin 2x removed - using the direct connection - bringing him to 26°. All are verified.

0. Rupert Murdoch
1. Keith Murdoch - his father
2. Patrick Murdoch - his father
3. Helen Garden - his mother
4. Francis Garden - her father
5. Eliza Logie - his mother
6. Elizabeth Forbes - her mother
7. John Forbes - her father
8. Margaret Young - his mother
9. Peter Young - her father
10. Isobel Arbuthnot - his mother
11. David Arbuthnot - her father
12. Helen Clephane - his mother
13. Marjory Campbell - her daughter
14. William Menzies - her son
15. Robert Menzies - his son
16. Duncan Menzies - his son
17. Elizabeth Menzies - his daughter
18. Margrate Stewart - her daughter
19. William Caraway - her son
20. Robert Caraway - his son
21. John Caraway - his son
22. Mary Caraway - his daughter
23. Oscar Bryan - her son
24. Marie Bryan - his daugher/my grandmother
25. Mac Adams - her son/myfather
26. Debra Adams - me

Answer 10

16 degrees from Cate Blanchett. 10C

19 degrees from Henry Ross.

20 degrees from Rupert Murdoch. 16C3XsR. (both descend from John of Gaunt)

21 degrees from 21 degrees from Howard Florey.

21 degrees from Banjo Paterson. 13C4XsR.

24 degrees from Albert Jacka.

25 degrees from Russell Crowe.

25 degrees from Barry Humphries.

25 degrees from Bertram Mckennal.

27 degrees from Dawn Fraser.

28 degrees from Hugh Jackman.

34 degrees from Cathy Freeman.

Answer 11

0. Cate Blanchett.

1. Robert Blanchett (her father)

2. Robert Blanchett (his father)

3. John Blanchett (his father)

4. Charlotte Greer (his mother)

5. Lucinda Napier (her mother)

6. John Napier (her father)

7. Elizabeth Napier (his sister)

8. John Keen (her son).

9. Christina Keen (his daughter)

10. John Blair (her husband)

11. James Blair (his father)

12. Samuel Blair (his brother)

13. Samuel Blair (his son)

14. John Blair (his son)

15. Irene Blair (his daughter)

16. Frank Blankenship (her son)

Answer 12

I am (unsurprisingly) quite close to a couple of this week's featured profiles. Hopefully I can verify them this week:

22 degrees from Cate Blanchett

22 degrees from Russell Crowe

16 degrees from Howard Florey

21 degrees from Dawn Fraser

28 degrees from Cathy Freeman

23 degrees from Barry Humphries

17 degrees from Albert Jacka

23 degrees from Hugh Jackman

16 degrees from Bertram Mackennal

20 degrees from Rupert Murdoch

17 degrees from Banjo Paterson and 

20 degrees from Henry Ross

Answer 13

• 16 degrees from Henry Ross
• 20 degrees from Cate Blanchett (20C 2xR)
• 21 degrees from Rupert Murdoch (17C 1xR)
• 21 degrees from Banjo Paterson (13C 3xR - Uncertain)
• 23 degrees from Howard Florey
• 23 degrees from Albert Jacka
• 24 degrees from Bertram Mackennal
• 25 degrees from Barry Humphries
• 26 degrees from Russell Crowe
• 27 degrees from Hugh Jackman
• 28 degrees from Dawn Fraser
• 32 degrees from Cathy Freeman

Not playing this week

Answer 14

I am 16º from Henry Ross, 19º from Cate Blanchett, and 23º through her on our MRCA.

Answer 15

Not surprisingly as a Kiwi, My closest connection turns out to be another Kiwi - Russell Crowe - at 15 degrees.  He was born and raised in NZL and now lives in Australia.

Russell Crowe is 15 Degrees from Robynne Lozier

Russell Crowe

→Alex Crowe (his father)

→✖Dave Crowe (his brother)

→✖Audrey Pearce (his wife)

→✖Ngaire Jervis (her mother)

→✖Frank Jervis (her father)

→✖Phoebe Jervis (his sister)

→✖Charles Osmond (her husband)

→✖Ethel Boyes (his wife)

→✖Gerald Boyes (her brother)

→✖Brian Boyes (his son)

→✖Norma Thompson(his wife)

→✖Norman Thompson (her father)

→✖Roy Thompson (his brother)

→✖Norman Thompson (his son)

→Robynne Thompson (his daughter)

I still have to verify but I know that maybe 1/3 of this list is already OK because I created all the Thompson profiles.

Comments

OK Profiles have all been verified. They all have sources.

Answer 16

Relatives:

Banjo Paterson - 16 degrees (15C4R)

Rupert Murdoch - 18 degrees (16C3R)

Cate Blanchett - 20 degrees (22C2R)

Connections:

Howard Florey - 17 degrees

Henry Ross- 18 degrees

Alan Jacka - 21 degrees

Barry Humphries - 22 degrees

Bertram Mackennal - 22 degrees

Russell Crowe - 25 degrees

Dawn Fraser - 25 degrees

Hugh Jackman - 28 degrees

Cathy Freeman  - 33 degrees

Answer 17

Australia Connections

Cousins and Ancestors:

20 Degrees Rupert Murdoch, Murdoch-282, 17c, 4r, Mrca FitzAlan-29

20 Degrees Cate Blanchett, Blanchett-65, 22c, 2r, Mrca(s) Clare-18, Bruce-517

21 Degrees Banjo Paterson, Paterson-1121, 14c, 4r, Mrca(s) Babington-3, Annesley-12

Connections:

16 Degrees Albert Jacka

19 Degrees Howard Florey, Florey-29, his wife, Margaret Augusta (Fremantle) Florey, Fremantle-44, 15c, Mrca(s) Wentworth-7, Constable-47

19 Degrees Henry Ross

23 Degrees Sir Edgar Mackennal

25 Degrees Russell Crowe

27 Degrees Barry Humphries

27 Degrees Dawn Fraser

30 Degrees Hugh Jackman

34 Degrees Cathy Freeman

Answer 18

Happy Australia Day!

I have plenty of Aussie family,... but on degrees from Russel Crowe (No Blood Relation) but 17x Cousins, 5 Remove from Banjo Patterson and 17x Cousins, 1 Removed from Rupert Murdoch.

22 degrees from Cate Blanchett, 

18 degrees from Russell Crowe, 

23 degrees from Dawn Fraser, 

29 degrees from Cathy Freeman, 

20 degrees from Barry Humphries, 

19 degrees from Albert Jacka, 

24 degrees from Hugh Jackman, 

17 degrees from Bertram Mackennal, 

21 degrees from Rupert Murdoch, 

18 degrees from Banjo Paterson 

22 degrees from Henry Ross.

Answer 19

My closest match is to Banjo Patterson - 12 degrees: 4 branches (3-3-2-5). I have verified the connection and added some sources to various profiles.

Comments

I have a non-genalogical connection to Howard Florey (16 degrees from me). He was taught by my great grandfather Constantine Trent Champion de Crespigny (1882 - 1952)

Answer 20

Finally some connections I am relatively close to, of course most through my wife's family. I'd love to find some more on my side!

• Cate Blanchett 21
• Russell Crowe 21
• Howard Florrey 18
• Dawn Fraser 20
• Cathy Freeman 27
• Barry Humphries 18
• Albert Jacka 13 * closest
• Hugh Jackman 23
• Bertram Mackennal 17
• Rupert Murdoch 19
• Banjo Paterson 15
• Henry Ross 22

Albert Jacka is the only one linked through my side of the family.

Edit: I've found a questionable connection, I can't find any evidence of a marriage between Mary Lewis and Jacob Bourchier which would mean that, yet again, all my connections are through my wife's family D:

Comments

I did it! If I exclude the uncertain marriage, Albert Jacka linked to me through my side of the family in 18 steps!