This site documents all the known ancestors of Tim Sheens. Tim's ancestors arrived in Australia before 1900 and represent a diverse mix of English and Irish convicts (an impressive 13 in total - see the Convict tab above), miliary personnel, and free immigrants (see the Immigrants tab above) from England, Ireland, Scotland (the McLucas family who were victims of the infamous Clearances in the Scottish Highlands) and a lone French Seaman (Joseph Regent).

DNA testing has revealed that George Sheens (senior) was not the biological father of Tim's grandfather, George Sheens (junior). George's father was John James Purcell. This is where genealogy and family history diverge. George Sheens married Emily Mann at the New Unitarian Church in Sydney on June 2nd, 1902 (despite both George and Emily living at Castlereagh). The witnesses to the marriage were John James Purcell and his wife Elizabeth. George Sheens (junior) was born at Penrith on February 13th, 1903. George Sheens (senior) most likely knew that he was not the father of the boy that he would raise as his own son.

We have chosen to honour the legacies of both George Sheens (senior) and John James Purcell. Two charts are available, one representing the paper trail, and the other the DNA trail.

Thanks to David Middleton, Rugby League historian and statistician, Tim can claim a relative who played in the first rugby league match for Balmain in 1908. Joseph "Joe" Regent, Tim's great uncle, played fullback in that game and subsequently captained Balmain in the 1909 semi-final win over Eastern Suburbs. That game being his last for the club due to the infamous forfeit in the final to South Sydney.

For privacy reasons information on living people has been excluded from this website.

Sheens family
Nell & Terry Sheens at Surfers Paradise 1956
Cathy & Tim Sheens c1954
Tim, Cathy & Bob Sheens c1957
Bob & Tim Sheens c1959
1962 Grand final Springwood v St Dominic's won 6-3 by St Doms with Tim as captain (extreme right) and cousin Michael O'Farrell next to him
Terry Sheens (at back) with Tim (front) and Bob (on top) at Cattai in 1963
Bob, Cathy & Tim Sheens at Manly beach c1963
Cathy, Bob & Tim Sheens at 33 Hornseywood Avenue c1967
Tim, Bob, Mary, Cathy and Nell Sheens before Tim and Bob's first day of boarding school at St Gregory's Campbelltown 1967
Cathy and Tim Sheens before a dance c1967
Tim Sheens 1968
Peter Langmack, Tim Sheens & David Hodge Penrith 1974
Australian coach Tim Sheens at final of the 2009 Rugby League Four Nations against England in Leeds, Australia won 46-16

Tim is devoted to finding the World War I medals of his grandfather Private Daniel George Smith of the 33rd Infantry Battalion.

Symbols used throughtout the site: direct ancestor (DNA trail) direct ancestor (paper trail) DNA related immigrant to Australia convict