Hi all, My Tassie interests are LORING and SULLIVAN. I have quite a bit on the descendants of John Clement LORING, but my real brick wall is my paternal grandfather's family. He was John Loring SULLIVAN, born Strahan, 1901 to John Joseph SULLIVAN and Alice Emily LORING. John Joseph was a master mariner, living at other times in Hobart (Kelly Street) and in Launceston at one stage also. I cannot find John Joseph's parents. Family story says he was an orphan, with possibly two sisters and a brother. I have his date of birth as 20th August, anywhere between 1867 and 1872 - depending on which bit of paper he was signing! We have original copies of his master mariner's certificates, pilot exemption certificates etc, and there are different year dates on each one. Apparently he left the family to which he had been fostered, because they were cruel to him - and made his way on whaling ships. I would dearly love to find someone descended from one of his siblings, who may have more information than I do. Can anyone tell me if Hobart orphanage records are available, and if so, where? Thanks in anticipation, Jan