General Chat

A friend of mine, who is a bit obsessive,told me his second cousin's daughters husband was ill. I don't know why he didn't just say Jim was ill,Jim whose wife,Carol,I haveknown all my life and we were at school with.

Dear All

Hello

Thank you very much for your kind replies.

I am sorry I didn't get reply sooner but I hadn't bookmarked my own post! Apologies.

Its always nice to get thoughtful responses.

Take care
Very best wishes
xx

Just asked my OH if he is interested in what I do. He said 'Enthusiastic, no. totally uninterested no. Somewhere in between and there are worse things you could be interested in!!! He also said he gets confused by it all. Having said that, he will visit churchyards and ferry me to record offices, visit villages etc so he is supportive if not wildly enthusiastic (bit like I am about his hobby of golf!)

The children will listen if I tell them anything but are not over interested, Grandsons, one mildly, one might be later, he is going to uni he hopes to study archeology so has an interest in history, one is very young yet. I have four cousins who are very interested so I am quite lucky really.

When he was alive my Dad started me off on all this must be over 35 years ago now.

Hello Elizabeth.

I have only started researching my tree in the past 6 mths and am already addicted lol. My family have been very interested in what I have found to date and mum arranges little family 'get-togethers' to find out the latest. Aunts, cousins etc, all come along lol
When I told my partner that I was going to research my tree, he replied by saying 'isn't that what old people do' lol. How ignorant is that lol. However, he's now changed his opinion and I've caught him having a look for his own rellies lol.

Catie x

Hi.
I've been doing family history for years but it has gone on leaps and bounds since we got our computer a few years ago. My family are interested although they don't do any research for themselves. I have about six files for different branches for my husband and myself. I like to go to places where my ancestors were married. There's something
fullfilling standing at the Altar where your Gt Gt Grandparents said their vows. I also try and get pictures of where our families came from so it adds interest to my files.I am just finishing a scrapbook for my husband for one side of his family. I would i do it again? YOU BET
Susan x

Why do you pay for things? Its ALL free on the internet anyway.

Gail

Dear Margot, Rita, Goosie and Karen

Hello

Thank you very much for your replies.

I am glad you like the post.

Take care
Very best wishes
xx

Nice thread Elizabeth.

There's not a great deal of interest shown by my family, on the whole, unless I come up with a villain, jailbird or cad, when there will be a flicker of interest for all of 5 minutes before they yawn, slope off and hope to goodness I don't bore them with any more!

Apart from one or two, my family's interest stretches as far as asking me how far back have I got, and when will I be finished!!
They think I'm weird and geeky. They think I'm strange that I go off for a few days' trip to some other part of the country to search churches and graveyards and wander about in the villages of my ancestors.
I am NOT strange or weird or geeky! Though I will admit to being obsessed. And if I can find someone to talk to about family history I'll talk about it forever! Isn't that just enthusiasm for my hobby?

However, since putting my tree on Tribal Pages, allowing those in Australia, NZ, Canada etc to see what I'm doing, it has helped, as a few family members have sent me information, stories, photos etc. and love to see when I've added these to the tree. Ha haaa, so perhaps I'm not quite as weird as they thought!

I first started my tree at least 30 years ago, but haven't worked on it all that time! And in the first years I really didn't get very far as I didn't have a clue what to do, where to look, or anything. I just muddled around. Without the aid of the computer, internet, so many on-line records and the help of GR, I wouldn't have half the tree I have today.

If I could start again - yes I'd still go ahead but I would list ALL my sources, and I would ask those family members who were still alive 30+ years ago, a million questions....each!!.

Family history addictive?




You bet it is.

K x

I've been researching for years. I was interested even as a child but I think Mum was worried when I asked about her father's father as granddad was illegitimate. I think she was worried I would find out too much.

Nowadays, the present family isn't really interested. They don't even ask me the daft questions now.

I do get people saying 'oh, my mother/sister/cousin has DONE our family tree.

My husband refuses to be 'dragged into it' though he did show a passing interest when I found some info on his Irish side.

Goosie

Hi Elizabeth,

My family aren't the least little bit interested in genealogy,in fact their eyes glaze over when I talk about my excitement in finding my latest relly,or whatever.

My Mum said to me one day,"I really don't know why you bother finding out about all those dead people,mouldering in their graves!"

and my sister said that she's not the least little bit interested in our family tree!!

Fortunately,my SIL shares my passion,she has done it herself,without benefit of a computer,for about 40 years,and my Dad was very interested
in his family tree,and told us many stories about his side. I just wish that I had asked a him a lot more questions,now.By the time I was interested,he had Alzheimers',but luckily,being aware of that,he did write down what he knew before the disease was too advanced.

I don't care what my family thinks,I love it, and find it fascinating!

Best wishes,

Margot. xx

Dear Jean, Treehunter, LadyAugusta, TonyOz, Barbra, Christina and Carole

(I think I have got all you listed!)

Hello folks

Thank you very much for your thoughtful replies.

I would have liked to have started sooner on tracing ancestors but I suppose the timing wasn't right.

At school, I was interested in local history but I felt genealogy was more for the elite.

Now the hobby is accessible to all and it has helped enormously that records are computerised.

I didn't think I would be able to progress as much as I have.
It has been very exciting when I have located an ancestor and another branch of the tree has opened.

I think the hobby gives you confidence and builds up skills, like using a computer and finding records.

Some people say doing research "Oh, it must be really easy...!"
Like hell, matey!

Would I start again? You bet, I would!!

Take care all
Very best wishes
xx

People find me a bit strange, cos I like to go on days out to look round burial grounds. One year my friends asked what I had done on my birthday, I told them I had been to look round a cemetery. Just had a weekend away in nice hotel, and looked round several small church yards, and photographed head stones. I print them and add them to my folder of research. Adds a bit of interest for me rather than my folder being all reading!!

hi elizabeth, well i started 6 months ago and have 3 fam trees on the go at once. my family mostly especially hubby are not really interested and cant understand how i get so excited when i discover a new ancestor. i do have one aunty who is being really helpful with some research and gets just as excited as me when we solve a mystery.

i only wish that when i was in my 20s i should have asked my grandparents more about their life and their relations before. of course we didnt have comps then and at 20 history wasnt my strongest subject.i really enjoy it and every spare minute is spent on here

Hi Elizabethofseasons.

My family members, show a great interest into my research of our past ancestors now. This was not always so....... when i first took up the hobby.
I have been researching for approx 40 years now, and when i first started, they were not at all interested.

I guess for me i was lucky that my spouse was also interested in F.H and that made it a little easier.
Also my children now ( as Adults ) take a keen interest.

With you question regarding: If you could start again,would you still go ahead......

Yes definatley, if i had to start all over again,i might do things a little bit different, but the benefit of making mistakes along the way, has taught me many things about genealogy.
Not so much as how to find someone, but moreso where to search, to find them, and what is available.

Both in my own country of birth ( Australia ) and in other Countries where my ancestors were born, has not just been a Genealogy quest for me, but also a lesson into the past lives of those who came before me, and how they struggled to survive in a much harsher enviroment.
Cultral differences, History, & Geography has also been a learning experiance for me.......something that i was very poor with at School....lol


Tony...:>))

Hi

I do it every day. my friends who most of them also do it anyway. But those who dont are still intrested in what i find.

Some of my family are also very intreted. And yes people ask me when will i finished it.

I got a friend into it when she was having a bad time and she had said to me it help her cope with it all.

And thats what i have found. I also do it for others and the joy on some of they faces when i have found info for them is all the worth all of the time it may have took me to find it.

Hazelx

Not much interest shown by any of mine, and cant understand the interest in past history. Friends are quite impressed by the amount I have found out, but shant bother to go further as it seems no one wants to know who is any way connected.

Dear All

Hello

Hope you are all well.

What do other people like family and friends think of your family research?

Are they helpful or not?

Do you get daft questions, like haven't you finished your tree yet?!

If you could start again, would you still go ahead with your research and would you do anything differently?

Take care all
Very best wishes
xx