Family History.

My daughter, Natalie wanted to know why my grandfather, a Ryan changed his surname to Ryall and then 40 years later it was changed back to Ryan.

Name was originally Ryan. There was a tragedy when Ted's brother Hugh and 2 others were swept away in a flooded river when they tried to cross it. The people on the bank held Ted back from following to save his brother. The year was 1908. (Ted's father, Thomas died a year later). Ted's mother, Charlotte had trouble with understanding that Ted was there but hadn't gone into the river to save his brother. I would say Charlotte (Tot) was suffering from post traumatic stress (had 7 of her children die up to this time) rejected Ted's excuses and he left for Queensland after his father's death. Next heard of in Gordonvale, Queensland about 1910 with a name change (never legally). 

Trying now to map his journey from Orange, NSW to Gordonvale, Qld. It is funny that without this tragedy I would not have been born and related to the wonderful Thumm family.