David Gwilliam
Well-Known Member
I was prompted to write this post by an excellent article in The Guardian which whatever its other virtues is frankly not usually a good source for heritage matters. I have put the link underneath this paragraph.. Full disclosure I am not a family historian although I have great respect for those who are.
http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...arns-forgotten-century-email-photos-vint-cerf
The last few years has seen a very pleasing boom in family history. Anything that takes History away from the priesthood of historians is to welcomed. Ironically this has come when a lot of information for future generations will be lost through the use of e-mail and telephone.
This is a plea for people to put their memories on paper for future generations. Modern technology is transient while paper lasts ; think of VHS tapes.
To write down that John Smith married Mary Brown in 1985 is fine. But how did they meet? What was their story.
People often keep a diary of their holiday which is an exceptional time but their everyday life is more important to future generations. People often keep a diary of their holiday which is an exceptional time but their everyday life is more important to future generations.
What was the reaction to historical events. My father remembered that when Lawrence of Arabia died there was a feeling in the factory where he worked that "He's not dead; he's on a secret mission".
Most people do not label photographs and when they do the label is often unhelpful. My family has photos from the 1930s of a Mr Hewitt but no information about whom Mr Hewitt was.
Give children a diary and advise them to leave out anything they do not want other people to see. One reason children give up on a diary is the justified fear that mum will read it - it is a rare mum that won't take a sneaky look.
Don't be afraid of poor English. I have never known anyone who sneered at the writer of an old document because of mistakes in grammar or spelling.
Don't take the attitude "Oh my grandchildren are not interested". They probably will be. My father's Uncle Charlie had fought in the Boer War but as a little boy I was bored by visits to him. How I wish somebody had written down his memories
A lot of people I meet say they intend that one day they will write things down for future generations. If this post prompts just one person to actually do it then it will have achieved its aim.
http://www.theguardian.com/technolo...arns-forgotten-century-email-photos-vint-cerf
The last few years has seen a very pleasing boom in family history. Anything that takes History away from the priesthood of historians is to welcomed. Ironically this has come when a lot of information for future generations will be lost through the use of e-mail and telephone.
This is a plea for people to put their memories on paper for future generations. Modern technology is transient while paper lasts ; think of VHS tapes.
To write down that John Smith married Mary Brown in 1985 is fine. But how did they meet? What was their story.
People often keep a diary of their holiday which is an exceptional time but their everyday life is more important to future generations. People often keep a diary of their holiday which is an exceptional time but their everyday life is more important to future generations.
What was the reaction to historical events. My father remembered that when Lawrence of Arabia died there was a feeling in the factory where he worked that "He's not dead; he's on a secret mission".
Most people do not label photographs and when they do the label is often unhelpful. My family has photos from the 1930s of a Mr Hewitt but no information about whom Mr Hewitt was.
Give children a diary and advise them to leave out anything they do not want other people to see. One reason children give up on a diary is the justified fear that mum will read it - it is a rare mum that won't take a sneaky look.
Don't be afraid of poor English. I have never known anyone who sneered at the writer of an old document because of mistakes in grammar or spelling.
Don't take the attitude "Oh my grandchildren are not interested". They probably will be. My father's Uncle Charlie had fought in the Boer War but as a little boy I was bored by visits to him. How I wish somebody had written down his memories
A lot of people I meet say they intend that one day they will write things down for future generations. If this post prompts just one person to actually do it then it will have achieved its aim.
