Hi Nita, Albinism is a congenital (literally 'with the genes') disorder. As it is carried in the genes, I would say it has been in some arms of your family of all the years. cheers matt > Message: 12 > Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 16:29:26 +1100 > From: "Nita Fraser" <nita.fraser@hunterlink.net.au> > Subject: [PJ] Albino > To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <879FF81558AE448085F7CFE7D528DF1C@xpjju5mjr69e6g> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > My grandmother was albino she had very fair hair almost white and pink eyes she did not like the heat of Aussie summers she had an uncle whose decendents are albino alive today > strange as it may seem their maiden name was Ivory , Ivery came as a convict on Royal Admiral in1800 > Could this mean the albinoism has been in this family for many years? > Nita Fraser in Newcastle > -- Matthew D. Hall Washington, DC