Genealogy Chat

My dear old Mum, who will be 90 next month and has been a mine of information, has recently told me that her father put a box of family papers up in the attic for safe keeping!!!.... This was a rented house and it must have been at least 60-70 years ago.... My grandmother died in the 60's and of course the family has now scattered all round the world..... Mum did manage to salvage the papers from the 'other' side of the family when Nana died, but of course the ones that are now missing were the Irish side!....Oh what I'd give to get my hands on them!... I wrote to the 'occupant' of the house and had a very nice email back saying that they'd recently had the house re-roofed and the only thing that was found in the attic was a photo album. Oh wow methinks!! Nope wrong family wrong time period. .... Sigh!..... So, do it now, don't put it off, get dusty up in the attic!.. Sylvia in NZ

Sylvia, i know the feeling, when my dad died i moved all his stuff to my house so i could look through at a later date. NOTHING, a couple of photos of the grandkids the odd one of his 3 daughters, no letters, no memories,he lived in a sheltered accomodation and had to downsize, but at what cost, his various moves over the years led to him leaving a little piece behind every time there wasn't even a wedding photo.(my mother died in 1974)so in 30yrs all the family history gone!i think thats why i am such a hoarder now. MOE!

I went root tracing in Shrops...the house my GG garandad lived in in 1871 was there still and for sale....I stood outside longing to go in and rake in attic and I don't even like attics, if I had the money I would have bought the house

When you think of all the certs, photos, letters etc that families accumulate it is frustrating when they go. I find it rather irksome that I have more paperwork about my gt grandfather's 2nd wife, who wasn't a blood relation, than any other member of my family. Similarly, on husband's side we have masses about the French husband of one of his aunts, and his first marriage. No connection with us at all. But where are the certs we need???????!!!!!!!!! V. frustrating when we are trying to pinpoint exactly when his McCarthy lot became Carter as there are so many birth indexes with either surname with the first names we have! nell

Speaking of Photo albums my Aunty told me that in her loft is an album with pictures of a trip out somewhere in Wales of my Grt Grandparents and their children my Gran included. I have asked her a few times to get up there and get it for me she knows all the work i have done on the family history and she praises me but i am still waiting for this album. Even my cousin on MSN last week said so dozily i'll have to get that album down for you YERRRRRRRRRRR BEFORE I DIE MIGHT BE NICE. I dont think untill they do this themselves they will not understand what it means to have pictures of the people you have researched hours on. Col xx

Someone already has! A week after my g/grandfather died, his daughters went round to clear out his house, only to discover it was empty. Their long-lost brother had got wind of his father's death and, according to the neighbours, had arrived late at night with a van and taken as much as he could away. He took all the personal papers and photos as well as furniture. It's annoying for me because I know there must have been fascinating stuff, but for the family it was upsetting because the Will was gone.

I probably wouldn't mind so much, except knowing what was saved for the Scottish family, (birth and death certs, army papers and even a funeral directors account) It breaks my heart to think what may have been in amongst the Irish lot. I have wondered if whoever found them may have donated them to a library or somewhere in Kingston on Thames...but knowing my luck they probably binned them Sylvia in NZ

Hi Sylvia, I was so lucky. A year ago I met a cousin of my mum's, I did'nt even know he existed. They are both in their 80's. He gave me a photo of my gt. grandparents. It was in a bin liner with the broken frame. It is about 100yrs old & about 12'x18'. I repaired the frame, had it remounted on new card & had it reframed. It is wonderful & wonder what would have happened to it. I will always treasure it as it is the only photo I have of these two. I will make sure it is passed down to my son. Hilary. x