Genealogy Chat

It's been a difficult time lately... my nan has just passed away and my family and I are sorting through her belongings. My nan, bless her, was a hoarder. Among her papers and photographs, I came across some inconsequential letters addressed to my great-great-grandmother from her son. I skim-read through them and asked my mum if I could take these home to read through properly. Well, today she phoned about the funeral arrangements, and to ask me to write down everything I have on a specific family line for my nans cousin who will be attending the funeral. Lorna (nan's cousin) hinted to mum that there are a few gaps in the family... and did I know about Harry...? Well... there in the letters I have is a mention of Harry... a relative that I hadn't noticed before. Harry is my great-grandmothers brother - and there is no mention of him in any census that I can see. But he exists... and now I can proudly add him to my tree where he belongs. These letters and the people written about in them can seem like strangers... until a chance remark or a knowing tale from a family member. Keep these letters -- ask your family who people are and you may find a lost rellie like me.

I agree with you. We have half of an old letter that was in my mothers house. It was signed by John Gurney, and mentions his wife Sarah. We had no idea who these people were, but my sister hung onto the scrap of paper (that's all it was really). Some time later I managed to find the death reference for my great grandfather in 1910 and sent off for the death certificate. The informant on this was a John Gurney, described as 'brother in law'. We still can't work out where he fits into the family as Gurney isn't a name we've found yet, but it just shows how important the smallest scrap of information can be. Kath. x

I came across an empty envelope amongst some papers handed down. The address tied up with a census and confirmed a family as being 'ours'.

I found an old prescription dated 1888 for catarrh mixture (eeeuuuwww!!!). On closer inspection, (years later, lol) the chemist had put his stamp on it - but why was one of my MISSING rellies buying a catarrh mixture in this strange area? And thus I found the death registration I had searched for in vain for five years! In a totally different area to where he was buried, I might add. Old crone

I have an empty envelope postmarked 1914 addressed to my g-grandmother's sister. On the reverse is the senders street address and number (but no name or town). It must have been years since I had last looked at it when I happened to trace a distant cousin to their home in 1901. Hey, I recognised their street address and number!!!! So now I know that my own poor branch of the family WERE in contact with the rich Knightsbridge branch!! Wonderful stuff! Sarah

You're so lucky! None of my relatives kept anything. One even threw out his son's WW2 medals, so the chances of him keeping letters is non-existent. The only thing I have is a WW1 postcard but the adressee had two sons fighting and I don't know which one sent it.

I have a copy of a letter written in 1847 announcing birth of twins-worked out who the writer was but not who he wrote it to and why it came back to the family. On the back it says 'ONLY RECORD OF J.R.RATTRAY AND J.T. RATTRAY`S GRANDMOTHER`S BIRTH' John Rennie Rattray was my grandfather who I never met. Rosalyn

I know exactly what you mean. When we lost Mum we found an 1865 wedding certificate and an 1876 birth certificate. We had no idea who these people were. Because I am the oldie of the bunch of us, the others told me to keep them. They nagged and nagged away at me until I just had to know. That's how all this research started and they turned out to be my maternal great grandparents' wedding certificate and my paternal great grandmother's birth certificate. Whoopie!! I'm so glad that I can't let sleeping dogs lie LOL. Jan x

My Dad has some old postcards that my Grandmother kept and they have been quite helpful in my research. I am convinced that one day they will help uncover the mystery of who my Uncle Tom was!! Kaye x

That's great Jan - and you saved yourself £14 into the bargain!!! Kath. x