Genealogy Chat

Hi all I like all of you have some wonderful old photo's with no idea who they are.Also recently l came across some old post cards,embroidered in silk,some like envelopes with little cards inside,messages on the back,but no post mark or stamp,from France.They were either from my father-in-law or his father,to his mother and wife.l cried when l found them,as my father-in-law did'nt know his father(he died in WW1)and was never told anything about him.It really is so important to put names etc on photo's and any memorabllia(had to look in dictionary for that one!!) Jude.(s.wales)

I was really interested in your letters re old photographs - I found some (6)recently - survivors of a purge by aunts when my mother died. Have decided to do as you have done - put them on cd for my kids. We have none of my husband's family which is sad - the only pic we have is a b/w pencil sketch I did of his paternal grandmother a few months before she died. I now realise too late the importance of pictorial evidence.

Elisabeth, you sure have started something!! We are fortunate in having photos of Betty's parents, grandparents AND Great Grandparents - the latter dating back to around 1880. Needless to say they are all now on CD and some have been printed (in sepia of course) on top quality photo paper for longevity. Try getting a pack of "canvas" style paper and printing one or two of your oldest portraits on that - the result is stunning, especially when put in an old style frame. Peter

I am so pleased this has proved to be a popular topic. It keeps coming back to the top. What started as a mere comment has brought some wonderful stories. Enjoy those photos. Elisabeth

I have quite a collection of old family photo's from my side of the family. Had great fun in 1995, when we visited my sister in Australia going through them all and labeling them with names of those she could remember (she's 13 years older than me, so that helps). My sister-in-law has been doing a wonderful job tracing my husbands family-she has loads of photo's too. I have built up a small scenario of my mother-in-laws wedding day group photo, my parents, my maternal grandparents wedding photo, and a group family photo of my parents 25th wedding anniversary, on the cabinet in the living room. Every so often a photo is taken down and studied by the children (now grown up). Fascinating to see family likenesses in the descendents.

To Margaret Mitchell. Don't give up hope!!! I didn't know any of my relatives on my mothers side because she too left home very young. After a lot of time and patience, I now have photo's of my 2xgreat grandmother and great aunts and uncles, I am in contact with 1st cousins once removed and next week I will be visiting the children of my mothers eldest brother!!!! It took me a while to find them but I'm so glad I persevered. I have also found 3 brothers but still have two siblings to find.

Only last week my Aunt leant me some 40 photos taken between 1860 and 1910. Many show my GG grandfather growing up from about 10 years (stood with his mother) to about 50+. Even got 2 snaps of his father - John Baker (bn 1807 in Newsham, Yorkshire). He looks 50 - 60 years old. Quite a few of the photos have been signed & dated!! I have spent the last week scanning them into the computer & sent off photo quality prints to relatives in an effort to get 20 identified. I am absolutely over the moon with these snaps. I just want to show them to everyone. Paul

Dierdre, I think it must have been normal for the young recruits to have a photo taken in case they didn't come home. I have a beautiful one of my father too. Luckily he did come home. Elisabeth

Photographs really are the icing on the cake aren't they? Cousins (of whom I'd never heard) who have contacted me thru GC have emailed and/or sent via post photographs of both my paternal great grandmothers - who had died long before I was born. I had never seen images of either of them before! Also I have been sent pictures of some great aunts and a great uncle who also died in WW1 aged 18, resplendent in his army uniform, and one of my own late father aged 18, in his National Service uniform - the "youngest" picture I have of him! So to all of you who hope and dream of receiving photos through GC connections - it can and does happen! Good Luck! Dierdre X

Tracy, What a wonderful thing to have. I am thrilled for you, and you too Jean. Elisabeth

Absolutely agree - I just 'inherited' my Granny's collection of photos after her death last year. Fortunately I had sat down with her a few years ago and gone through some of them, writing names on the back. It's been great to put faces to names and of course there are still some 'unidentified faces', that don't have places on the tree (yet) and some that I wish I'd got more information from my Granny and written a better description on the back who are still intriguing mysteries...

I am a photoholic, if there is such a thing, my other hobby is photography -digital now, and my Dad's hobby was also photography so I have loads of photos from my parents' generation plus some from the previous generation. I have two wonderful wedding groupd, one of my Grandmother (paternal) in 1907 and one of her brother in 1922. The hats are marvellous. In my 'office' I am surrounded by family photos, old and new. My eldest grandson is now into photography so I mean to instruct him on labelling them all. Lots of my Dad's had no names which has involved a lot of detective work. Luckily he was very bright until he died when he was 93 so I was able to go through some of them with him. Somebody had trouble getting photos onto CD, what was the problem? Can we help? Ann

I am trying to add old photos to my database. it is also worth taking them when you visit older generation relatives. Photos trigger personla memories which can be very interesting.

Margaret, I hope one day your dream will come true. Chris

Elisabeth, I certainly will treasure the photo.I only got to know one of my grandmothers as the other one died when I was young.and of my grandfathers one died before I was born.I was young when my other one died but I hadn't got to know him before that because when we went to visit my nana in Liverpool he was away in the Army. Chris

Christine, Treasure that photo. I only had one grandparent living, my Mum's Dad who was someone I found a little scary but always bought a crate of 'pop' for us when we went to stay. I still love Dandelion & Burdock and Icecream Soda! Elisabeth

Elisabeth I've got a lovely photo of both my grandmothers and me,from when I was christened.I've put it in a frame and I can't help but keep looking at it. Chris

Christine, It is amazing how a photo can trigger someone's memory. I have found a few leads from photos, especially ones loaned. They say - of course that's so-and-so that Uncle went to live with when Grandad died. It was a real breakthrough to me. Now found a whole new branch of the family because great-aunt's marriage wasn't turning up, but here I had her married name. Bingo! Don't want you to think our 800+ pictures are all studio portraits or anything. Many are just 'snaps' of a house, or a dog - but someone will come up with a name. Elisabeth

Hi, I'm also trying to put my photo's on cd,just haven't got the hang of it yet. Most prized photo is one of my g,grandmother Jane Badkin.I have hit brick walls every step of the way with her.When I asked my cousin if she had any old photo's,she said she had one and would send me it.Turned out to be Jane.I couldn't believe my luck. Chris

Carol and Alison, It is amazing what turns up. We are a large family spread in age over many years for one generation. Some cousins have lent me photos of their branch and I have been able to give them new items from our collection. It has even turned up photos of cousins I didn't know existed who died early 19OOs. My eldest cousin has just died at 92 years, my youngest has just turned 5O! My brother has just turned up some of my father's WW1 papers. He joined up 14 August 1914 and was discharged in April 1919. (I am not ancient, still 56 just!) Elisabeth