General Chat

Apart from all the names I have collected for my family tree I have also been given items that I will cherish.As soon as my God Mother knew I was delving into family history she gave me an original newspaper cutting of when and where my Gt Grandmother and Gt grandfather Married (1887)...this was a wealth of information as it named all the family who attended,what guests and bridesmaids wore, even down to who done the flowers(but wasn't related).Another cutting of when they had their Golden wedding anniversary.A sampler done by Gt grandmother when a young girl in 1880 and a needle-point embroidary which at one time was in a fire screen...She even gave me a photo of myself when I was in the newspaper at a year old as my birthday is the same day as Prince Charles. My most treasured items are two letters written by my father in 1953 to my mother who was in hospital,and he was telling her all I was getting up to while she was away.Sadly these were found shortly after her death last year and my father had died 17yrs before but she had kept these letters all that time,,,,,has anyone else any treasures from ancestors????

Lynn, what a wonderful story! You are so lucky to have had someone in your family who cared so much about you all to collect these items. Good luck in your research. I'm sure your godmother will be watching over you and guiding you in your future research - just follow your heart - she'll be there for you. Believe me. Regards Janet

Hi Lyn. When my parents died we cleared their attic and found a number of WW1 photographs of serving soldiers. We have absolutely no idea at the moment who these people are but one has been used as a postcard dated 1914 from Albert Thompson, dont know who he is yet and cant identify him on the photo as there are a number of other soldiers with him, but he asks his mother if she can see him. Would love to find out who all these soldiers are, but after 3 years am still no closer. We also found a beautiful home made victory banner made in silk from WW1 with lovely embroidered flags on it of all the allies, and a little pocket to put the photograph of the returning hero, but there was no photo in it. Dont know who made it, but my Grandmother was a schoolgirl at that time so i like to think that it was her. I shall treasure them always, and i will keep my promise that i will find out who these soldiers were. Jane

I have quite a few photos dating back to late 1800s and have managed to put names to all but one or two people. I have my Grandfathers papers from WW1 confirming he had signed up along with my father's sign up papers from WW2. I also have a certificate signed by Prince (later King) Olaf of Norway thanking my father for his part in the war. (Fighting it - not causing it!!!) Unfortunately, like many others (including my husband!!) war medals were traded for toy cars and cigarette cards by children years ago. From hubby's side I have 3 envelopes made from postcards with an embroidered front. One still has a message.

I have something similar to Jane, silk postcards sent from WW1 from my greatgrandad to his girlfriend (future wife) and his parents, showing the allied flags, and special Christmas postacards too. I was going through my Nans old family photos and came across them, and I asked that she leave me them in her will but she gave them to me anyway.

Hi Lynne. I have some treasured possesions also. Postcards from WW 1 written by my Grandfather to his girlfriend, later wife. His discharge papers postcards written from the hospital where he was taken after being injured, describing where he was wounded and a list of differant scenarios, he had to circle whatever applied, I am being transferred, I am having surgery, etc. I also have photographs from circa 1930 of my Grandfather and father in swimsuits on the beach in Scarborough, my Grandmother dressed in fox fur walking on the promenade in Southport, very elegant. I have photos of my Great Grandparents also copies of birth certificates. My most treasured possesion is the death certifiates for my Great Grandmother and 2 months later her baby daughter, my great aunt, who died in the flu outbreak after the first world war. I even have the grave number and the bill of sale for the cemetary plot, such treasures. I am at a loss what to do with them, who of my children will best take care of them. I expect you treasure your possesions as I do, what do you plan to do with them?

Nothing to do with genealogy - but l have approx 300-400 McDonald toys,one or 2 quite old:)))) 'l' \/ Jude

Jude - Snap!! My son is coming up 32 and I have some from his childhood as well as those collected by my daughter nearly 14. Don't know what to do with them but don't want to get rid of them. Maybe daughter's children? Son's are too old. Jacky :-)

Hi Evelyn and all who posted,Who would I leave in charge of my treasured items of family past.I have put together a rather large photo album which gives my children insight into their ancestral family. Maybe in years to come they will find it as intresting then as I do now.They are all tied up with their own children as I was years ago to even worry about my roots (not to sound morbid) but for me It was after my parents had both died that I stopped to think and to trace.I have had the joy of finding family I have not heard of for 30 odd years and catching up with all that has gone by.As my youngest daughter Kate 29 says to her eldest child...Nans doing an ology and its something you will understand when you are older...

Hi It would be a good idea to leave these with a records office, this will let future generations look at their past families. In 1976 an elderly relative of mine deposited box loads of the family paper work in the Norfolk Records Offices, these go back hundreds of years. So when I have time, I go and read all their letters, look at their bank accounts and every reciept for everything they bought. I even found a family tree which had been compiled in the 1800's. Apart from this her family home went to the maritime museum, Yarmouth, as they were all seamen and items of social history to the Norwich Castle museum. This even included old food boxes and packaging, its amazing. The clothes went to the costume museum.Linda