Taylor & Ashdown Family Genealogy

Send an e-mail to: Amanda Taylor

My name is Amanda TAYLOR and I live in Manly on the Northern Beaches of Sydney NSW Australia. I am one of four daughters born to my parents Bryan Henry & Yvonne Phyllis TAYLOR (nee ASHDOWN).

At first glance this page may appear to some (eg. the non-genealogist or family historian) to be too detailed to carry the title 'A little about myself'. However, consider one of the great ironies of genealogical research and the search for biographical information. The irony is that many genealogists have more written down about their ancestors than they have written about themselves. So the next time you come across an obstacle in your research, consider writing about yourself and your own experiences, thus remedying the problem for Future Generations.

As a child I lived at 68 Ourimbah Road, Mosman in NSW Australia and attended Middle Harbour Primary School, like my mother and her father. Whilst in primary school my sisters and I all attended the Jean Wilmot School of Ballet and were members of The Balmoral Swimming Club.

In 1970 I commenced my high schooling at Cremorne Girls High School from where I graduated with my School Certificate in 1974. This was also the year that I had my first part-time job. I was only eleven years of age and from about the age of fourteen I continued to regularly do baby-sitting work every Friday & Saturday evening receiving .50c an hour. My first 'real' employment was on Sunday's at The Sam Herford Swim School in about 1972, when I was about 13 years of age, whilst I was still studying at Cremorne Girls High School. I would open, collect the admissions and be in charge of evicting any patrons demonstrating unruly or loud behaviour.

On completing my school certificate, I commenced employment on 19 Nov 1974 with the Cremorne Junction branch of The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney (which later was taken over by The National Bank of Australia) and held various positions until being transferred to their Brookvale branch in 1979 where I worked for approximately two years in the position of Ledger Supervisor.

I met my future husband Paul Anthony Peter Patrick CARBERY on 15th July 1978 at my nineteen birthday party held in the IOOF Masonic Hall above my parents Mixed Business Store and residence at 566 Military Road, Mosman. We became engaged on 14th February 1981 and our engagement party was held at the home of my parents at 70 Ourimbah Road, Mosman.

In 1981 I was transferred to the North Sydney Branch of The Commercial Banking Company where I continued to work as a Ledger Supervisor until I voluntarily resigned in October 1981 and Paul and I spent six months travelling the North Eastern Coast of Australia.

On 12 May 1982 I was employed as a Secretary by The Universities Credit Union Ltd., University of NSW, Kensington, Sydney and Paul and I were married on 5 Feb 1983 in St. Mary's Catholic Church, North Sydney by Father Leo Flynn. The witnesses to our marriage were my sister Susan Louise TAKEN (nee TAYLOR) and Pauls' brother Martin Frederick CARBERY.

Our reception was held at North Sydney Leagues Club and we spent the evening in Room No.1303 of The North Sydney Travel Lodge which was followed by our honeymoon spent at Surfers Paradise, Queensland staying in Room No.318 of The Islander Resort.

We commenced our married life living in rented premises at 2/7 Abbotford Street, Kensington, Sydney NSW until we bought our first home, a semi-detached house at 42 Robinson Street, Eastlakes, Sydney NSW in 1986.

In 1983 I was promoted to the position of Senior Loans Officer with The Universities Credit Union, University of NSW, and I continued to work in this position until 1989 when I voluntarily resigned and Paul and I spent nine months travelling Australia from Sydney, via Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Perth, Coober Peedy, Adelaide, Broken Hill to Surfers Paradise in Queensland.

In December 1989 we rented premises at 25 Currong Crescent, Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast of Queensland and commenced an Accountancy & Bookkeeping Business in 1990 which later became known as Carbery & Associates Pty. Ltd., Accountants & Tax-Agents of Mermaid Beach, Queensland, Australia, where I worked as a Secretary until October 1990 when I commenced employment as a Real Estate Property Manager with Elders Real Estate, Mudgeeraba, Queensland, Australia.

From 1991 until January 1999 I was Assistant Accountant at Carbery & Associates Pty. Ltd., Accountants/Tax-Agents of Miami & Mudgeeraba Queensland.

I returned to live in Sydney in 1999 and commenced studying Social Work at Brookvale College of Technical & Further Education, at which time I was a Casual Market Researcher for Milwood Brown at Cremorne. Later that year I was employed as an Administration Manager for a Market Research Company at Mona Vale, Sydney NSW after having originally commenced employment there as a Casual Market Researcher and I worked for that company for a period of twelve months.

My passions in life include Travelling and researching my Family History and I started my genealogy journey of gathering all the priceless family data in December 1994.

I also have a keen interest in Genetics & Hereditary Illnesses, Egyptology, Psychology & Psychiatry and a love of animals, especially dogs.

My interest in Egyptology began when I commenced studying Ancient History in 1970 at eleven years of age and was enthralled by the story of the the young Egyptian Pharoah Tutenkamen and my interest in Egyptology has continued thoughout my life.

My interest in Genetics & Hereditary Illnesses began not long after I experienced my first episode of Bi-Polar Affective Disorder (Manic Depression) in December 1996 when I was 37 years of age. I experienced my third episode of Bi-Polar Affective Disorder (Manic Depression) in September 2000 and then was again hospitalised in November 2006.

Like most genealogists I am an avid reader of history. I enjoy reading biographies and spend hours browsing second-hand book stores and op-shops, having a love of things that have already lived a full life and come with their own sense of history. I also love going to the movies, and especially love a good science fiction movie.

The following photo of my sisters and I was taken in 1981. Left to right is my sister Sharon, then myself and my sisters Susan & Maureen.

Send an e-mail to: Amanda Taylor

My complete Rootsweb database can be seen at Amanda Taylor's Genealogy