Story: Genealogy and family history

An Arabic diary

An Arabic diary

Personal documents and letters are invaluable sources for family historians. Here Maureen Brider displays a page from the diary of her great-grandfather, George Bouzaid. After setting off from Lebanon for America, George reached Australia and eventually settled in Wellington in 1892. He established a drapery on Lambton Quay before moving to Greytown, where he died in 1933. Some 40 years later Maureen found this ledger inscribed in Arabic in the family's Greytown house. It turned out to be a detailed diary of George's travels.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1992/3147/6

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

David Swain, 'Genealogy and family history - Researching genealogy', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/27086/an-arabic-diary (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by David Swain, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 4 Apr 2018