Are there Skeletons in your closet?

As part of Public Record Office Victoria's Family History Competition for 2009 we want to hear the stories and secrets you've uncovered in the archives while researching you ancestors. Were they convicts, ratbags or scoundrels? Were they reluctant heroes or humble adventurers? What have you discovered lurking in your family's past? In 2000 words or less tell us your ancestor's tales of intrigue, mystery, bravery or scandal that have lain hidden in the archives until now.

Prizes will be awarded for submissions that best meet the judging criteria (below).

Entries

By 3 July to

Margaret Sawyers
Community Archives
PO Box 2100
NORTH MELBOURNE VIC 3051

or email entries to ask.prov@prov.vic.gov.au

Prizes

Winners will be announced in August during Family History Week.

1st Prize
Copies of PROV publications and 2 hours of one on one research advice with a PROV archivist or $50 worth of copying from PROV

2nd Prize
$20 worth of copying from PROV and copies of PROV publications

3rd Prize
A copy of a PROV publication of choice

Judging Criteria

Entries will be judged according to the following criteria:

• The use of records from Public Record Office Victoria’s collection.
• The entry relating to Victoria’s history or Victorian people.
• Use of citations and references
• Does work relate to the competition theme?
• Is the work interesting?
• Is the work entertaining?
• Is it a coherent and well written story?
• Level of research

Conditions of Entry

• The judges will have complete discretion in the competition process. Judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• Entries must be received by COB on Friday 3 July 2009. Late entries will not be accepted.
• The State of Victoria reserves the right to exhibit or publish in whole or in part any submissions to promote the competition.
• All entries must be submitted in typed format.
• All works must be the property of the entrants.
• Authors may submit more than one entry in any year.
• PROV reserves the right to refuse any entry considered unsuitable.

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