FAMILY HISTORY

A few years ago, after my retirement, I joined a local Genealogy group to research my family history. With help from the group, visits and books I managed to trace my maternal parents’ family back to 1780 and my paternal family back to Ireland in the 1830’s. With further research I could probably extend my family tree further, but tend to just dip in now and again when I have the time.
There is plenty of information readily available these days, particularly on computer and from books and family history magazines. Many of you will have seen the excellent BBC television programmes ‘Who do you think you are?’ It made research seem easy by employing experts to do the donkey work, but with time and a little effort we can all do the same.
Although I find myself with birth, death and marriage certificates, as well as copies of the census and a few faded photos, it would be nice if I knew more about their daily lives. What about their work?, their holidays?, their family and hopes for the future?
The idea then struck me - would anyone want to know about my own life one day? Perhaps my children or grandchildren would, and if so, where would they look?
We may spend a considerable time researching and recording details of our ancestors without a thought of recording our own life’s story.
Many people, for a variety of reasons, do not want to write about their life, although they may be interested in having it recorded by someone else, or perhaps putting it on tape. By writing your own autobiography you can give a first hand account of events before memories fade and are lost forever. It need only be as extensive as you wish to make it - with no thoughts of publication
So, get to work, start writing, and encourage your friends to do the same. Make the most of getting down memories in words that can accompany your photos - time is short!

Bob Boyd