Sharing Family Info

[trinkie]

I wonder how many of us have experienced a family member who is in possession of some interesting photos or papers, but who is reluctant to part with them for copying at the time ? I can understand that....

If you can get them to produce what they've got - then quickly take pictures of it with your digi camera ! I did just that last year and the results are great. I was happy and it solved the problem of the family treasures having to leave that household.

Any other good tips you would like to share with us?

Trinkie

[Jancelt]

I haven't tried it myself, but a friend has 'secretly' recorded elderly family members recounting tales of bygone days on her mini voice recorder. She says they'd be reluctant to talk if they knew they were being recorded, but knows that unless she can get the information down, it will all be lost. Don't know if it's strictly ethical, but I suppose she isn't passing the info on to anyone else...

[marionq]

Prejudice apart - men are notoriously poor communicators - so a few years ago I persuaded my husband to talk to his oldest cousin about grandparents and other relatives. It took a bit of pushing on my part and reminding him several times but eventually he came up with quite a lot of information and best of all she dug out photos which I think even she had forgotten..

When my daughter saw a picture of her Dad's grandfather she couldn't stop laughing because it was just as if her Dad had dressed up in Edwardian clothes! The cousin is now in a nursing home with dementia so if we had not gathered this info it would have been lost forever.

So the tip is - talk and record while you get the chance - you may be your family's only historian.