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This is a summary of the introduction written by Janice. In March 2000 I began identifying those who were buried in the cemetery of St. John's Anglican Church Camden. This meant researching not only their date of death but their backgrounds, as far as possible, before they came to the colony of New South Wales. I was assisted by local families who shared their knowledge of their forebears and by Church burial records which provided additional insight. By the time that listing was complete I had identified three men who had taken part in the Napoleonic Wars - including one who had served in the Royal Navy during the Battle of Trafalgar. At that time, I was satisfied that I had identified all the men that had participated in wars before arriving in the colony. As I continued with my database and to delve deeper into the histories of early burials in the Macarthur region, I identified others who had participated in not only the Napoleonic Wars but also other conflicts. An article appearing in the Camden News in July 1897, and sent me again delving into the history of Camden's early settlers. Following the completion of my work into Camden's World War I Diggers I looked further into the early colonists who had lived, and in many cases died, in the greater Camden area and had military connections. I identified other military men, and found that the Camden News was incorrect with respect to Captain Hovell's connection with Camden's military past. William Hilton Hovell had been born on 26 April 1766 Yarmouth, Norfolk, England and gone to sea as a boy. By 1808 he was in command of a vessel trading with South America.12 In November 1811 he applied for permission to settle in the colony of New South Wales but did not arrive until 9 October 1813 on the Earl Spencer. Shortly after arrival he applied for a 600 acre (243 ha) land grant in the Cowpastures at Narellan which he called Narellan Grove. The Deed was not issued until 1816. Hovell is credited with discovering the Burragorang Valley in 1823, and in 1824, together with Hamilton Hume, explored the area between Lake George and Bass Strait, before settling in the Goulburn district. Back in 2000, local resident Mrs. Shirley Rorke challenged me to look not only at prominent landowners, such as John Macarthur, but also the butchers, the bakers and labourers, and told me about her ancestor, Jesse Dunk. Jesse's story started me delving into the history of the ordinary people who had led extraordinary lives. It has been a fascinating journey. Many of the early colonists who had lived and worked in the Camden district had connections with our military past. Some came in chains, others arrived as free settlers and others were part of the various military regiments that came to the colony. Undoubtedly there are many I have not been able to identify and so I apologise to any whose ancestors I have omitted Janice

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Janice was actively involved in a wide range of community activities. She was a member of the Camden Historical Society, Camden Area Family History Society, Camden St John's Anglican Church, Camden Country Women's Association and the Camden Show Society. Janice threw herself into the Camden Historical Society and was at various times a research officer, speakers co-ordinator, photo selection committee member and also secretary and treasurer for a period. For the Society she completed seven very comprehensive 'Statements of Significance' folders which are available at the Museum for visitors to read, about items to do with World War I and also the Museum's grand piano and the Onslow uniform. She published The Memoirs of Obed West in 2011; Reflections on Old Sydney & Colonial Days in 2012; and Reminiscences of Early Camden in 2013. She was a co-author of the fourth edition of They Worked at Camden Park. In April 2014 the Camden Historical Society launched her book Camden World War I Diggers 1914 to 1918. It was a proud moment when we had a book launch in the Museum for her book Camden World War I Diggers launched by our then Federal Member Russell Matheson. The book drew on published letters from Camden soldiers and nurses in World War I. She was also a co-author with Brian Burnett of a CD Camden Unlocking the Past (2013) and a co-author with Joy Thorn and John Burge of a book on the St Pauls Graveyard at Cobbitty. Janice's books are popular and will be of long-term benefit to future researchers. One of the things that Janice cared deeply about was St. John's. She loved its serenity as a place of worship, its history, the stained glass windows which she carefully photographed for her book, and the gravestones in the cemetery. And she could remember so much of the details of the people here in her head! Since 2008 Janice has been a volunteer archivist at the historic Camden Park House. She typed the extensive card catalogue of the library, which is said to be the most important private library in Australia. Over the years Janice has been a prolific columnist in The District Reporter's Back Then history page, contributing many articles with excellent original research which revealed aspects of Camden's history not previously published. I know the editor Lee Abrahams was grateful for Janice's support. Janice's exceptional contribution to local heritage was recognised by a Heritage Volunteer Award in April 2014 by the Heritage Council of NSW. Janice was one of the 'heritage heroes' presented with awards during a ceremony at the Justice and Police Museum. Janice was extremely capable and had very high standards in her research work and I must admit that not all of us were able to match her expectations. She was proud of her achievements and some of us received short shrift in conversations at times. But she was kind to many people and helped a large number with their family histories. She had a very clever skill in the museum of quietly googling a subject while we were helping a museum visitor. The visitor would then be astonished to find that Janice already had the information available about their ancestors before our conversation was finished. She could also have several websites open at the same time and instantaneously cross reference subjects of interest. I know of no other local person who combined such computer skills, with detective-like research curiosity and an inexhaustible capacity for hard work. We are all glad to have known Janice Johnson and Camden is a better place for her time as a resident. Peace be with you. John Wrigley OAM. (2017)

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