Genealogy Chat

Fantastic advice chaps.... never thought about taking my camera or taking a pic of my family thanks

some flowers, chocs, or sherry always go down well - plus pics of your own family/house/children for her to keep

Another thing.....if you have someone who can go with you this can often be helpful.........(another pair of hands to make cups of tea and taking photos makes more talking time for you!) But one person should be the silent partner, otherwise you all talk at once! Merry

When visiting elderly rellies (or any rellies), hubby has always managed to get excellent results photographing their old photos with his digital camera (it's not a very expensive one and he is VERY fussy about the results!) Find a natural light source with no glare, make sure your camera is pointing DIRECTLY downwards with the photo on a flat surface. You can try pointing your camera directly downwards whilst standing sideways on to a mirror - you will be surprised at how ''off'' you may be to begin with. (try not to let the sideways view of your stomach put you off too much!!) Anyway, this means you get copies of their photos (or documents or whatever) without taking them away........something which would probably worry an elderly person a great deal as they most likely won't have the negatives and so wouldn't be able to replace their treasures if you lost them! Merry

Take your list of questions with you with a stamped addressed envelope. Don't ask them while you are there. Like the others have said, just listen to what she has to say, but when you are leaving ask if you can leave the list with her, and will she just answer any of them that she can in her own time, and send the list back to you. Leave space on the list for answers. Old people don't like to be rushed and she might not be able to recall things if she's pushed for an answer there and then. Kath. x

Take a few prompts, old photos, pictures of school relatives attended, local pubs etc. should start the anecdotes flowing.

The lady I'm going to see was a cousin to my gran & unfortunatly the last of her generation who has from her grandfather got the same paternal bloodline as me!!

A chance contact on this site led me to find my Gran's cousin. I'm so pleased I found her, she has given me so much information on the family which I wouldn't have found elsewhere, and I'm so grateful to her. She told me that she was interested in finding out about her mother's family (we are related through her father's side), however she did not have access to the internet and her family were too busy to help. So I researched her mother's side for her and she was so pleased. I felt it was the least I could do.

Thank you for the tips, I wrote down a small list of questions/people I specifically want to ask her about as I'm sure I'll come away with lots not necessarily what I went for. I'm hoping she may be able to help me place people from her generation & that of her parents. Also any social history is good too!!

Take a small tape recorder if you can - it's easier than writing notes.

I agree with Janet. The most important thing to do is listen! Have fun. :-) Keith

hi claire, i agree with janet, you'll soon become so engrossed in what she has to say you'll wonder where time has gone! if you find conversation drying out (which i very muh doubt) ask about the people on the photos that are on walls, sideboards etc. you'll be so thrilled that you met and want to go back for more. julie

Just get her started and then let her talk, Clare. i went to see an old lady aged 90 and she told me who lived in every house in the village that she passed on her way to school. She also told me a little bit about each household, including an old boy who was a flasher, and my great-uncle, who refused to pay a rent increase and was evicted from his house, so he and his family had to sleep in a farm barn for the night! It was absolutely riveting and I learned so much. jay

All excited going to see an old relative I've never met before. She was a cousin to my gran & until I started this didn't know she existed.... Looking for some tips on what I should ask for as I don't want to barrage her on the 1st visit as she is 90. Have drawn a tree up on A3 to show her where I've got to. Clare