Genealogy Chat

Hi guys I have just returned from a local bootfair (Gillingham, Kent) and just needed to air my thoughts. Among the not wanted array of goods were very old savings books, documents, photos, letters, books etc. Each and every one belonging to someones family from the past, set on a paste board table selling for pennies. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a central location for all this stuff to be collected at or sent to. The people selling the stuff dont really want to take it home at the end of the day and generally leave it behind to be burnt and lost forever. I did pick up some old books but finances would not allow me to grab everything I see. I just kept thinking how nice it would be to return it all to its rightful/relevent families. Anyway, thats got that off my mind. Just wanted to know what you all thought or am I just being sentimental. Linda Goodman

Hi Linda, my sentiments also. Over the years I often pick up photos of people that I see just lying in boxes on the ground at car boots and fairs and think how sad that they have been discarded. I think your idea would be great, if only. Carol 430181

I agree, I go to the boot sale and often see books on areas I have no ancestors from. Today was a lovely old book on Croydon full of lovely old photographs. I know someone somewhere would love it. Price 20p. I buy so many books that I have had to put a stop to it. Bought a nice one of the Diss, Norfolk area a few weeks back and put offer on the board if anyone wanted copies of the photographs but there were no takers. Perhaps we could start a thread for a look out for books or photographs of certain areas, I would be more than happy to look and post on if I knew someone wanted it. Irene

Last summer I bought 2 envelopes full of old black and white negatives - they chart a family from about 1910 to about 1940 - I have sent copies of some of the pics to the local newspapers in the off chance that a family member recognizes them . Its so sad to see things like this - which were once treasured - abandoned :-((

Linda The problem with this is that there would be tons of material and no-one with the time, energy etc to sort it. I know how you feel though, when I am going through census pages or directories etc I think - all these names apart from my family are potentially of interest - but I haven't time to copy and organise this on the off-chance that the very person who wants it will put a message where I will collect it! nell

I knew a woman whose father was a solicitor in London. When he died, his five storey premises were packed from cellar to attics with old papers. She took a sackful away with her, but could find no takers for the rest. The task of establishing where each document had originated and returning to the correct part of the country would have been enormousous. In the end, the rest all had to be destroyed as she could not afford the costs of storage. My immediate reaction was that she had commited a terrible crime and that some of those documents would have been invaluable. But the act of placing them with interested parties would be horrendous, both in costs and time consumed. I'd like to think I'd behave differently in the circumstances, but I'm not convinced.

This is what county archives and record offices are for. They don't only take official records. Donate stuff like this to them

Thanks for the comments I'd like to think that there was someone somewhere with enough storage space and money to collect these items, I would certainly love the job. But as you say, there are always problems. One being, not everyone is tracing their history and thats an awful lot of documents left over. SHAME !!! But I take on board the records offices and bear that in mind. Linda

Hi Everyone, When ever I go to op shops or the like I have a dream that one day I will come across a book of photos and information on the families I am researching. When you have no grandparents or great aunt to ask re your familys history and the odd photos you have are as rare as a hens teeth.....it is enough to make one weep that such things are thrown out... Victoria

only a very very very small proportion of stuff survives in private hands. Sooner or later almost everything ends up with somebody who isn't interested or hasn't got the space. It only takes a moment to bin it, and that's that. Public archives are the only way to preserve anything long-term