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General => Technical Help => Family History Programs, Tree Organisation, Presentation => Topic started by: craggus on Tuesday 21 September 04 15:35 BST (UK)
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Having spent the last six months researching my mums family tree, I would like to give her a 'Your Family Tree' book at Christmas. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice as to the best way to present this information?
My original idea was to include one large ancestry tree (with siblings), together with a generation report and copies of all documents discovered so far (census scans, certificates, photos, wills etc).
But then I got thinking ... a report by generation containing "Mr xx was born on the blah blah in blah. He married blah on the blah of blah" etc could be a bit boring? So I tried to write it more as a story instead, and that failed miserably as well. And is it worth including copies of census papers etc? If you are told that your great-great grandmother was born on a certain day, would you want to see a copy of the birth certificate?
Arrrrrggggghhhhhhh! :-\
I know there is no 'correct' answer to this question, but it may be something some of you clever people have done before?
Any advice greatfully received ;)
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Craggus, what a lovely idea! From your name I don't know if you're male or female, but regardless of gender, have you got an artistic leaning? I was thinking of presenting the family tree in the form of a SCRAPBOOK. They have great kits these days and the finished results are so nice. You can type-up small family story's, add photo's, layer the coloured papers etc. You could go for a 'vintage' kit which would give the right feel for the project. I think most craft stores would stock such things. Get creative, I'm sure the end results will be fantastic and your mum will treasure it.
Jane
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I did a Family Tree book for my great-nephew's christening (that was the excuse, anyway). I started with a branch of the family as far back as we could go and traced them forwards to the point where they met another branch - then traced that branch. It makes sense if you include mini-tree charts to show just a few generations. I also included brief descriptions of the places they came from, and plenty of pictures. I got the finished product colour copied and spiral bound. Expensive but well worth it.
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Hi'ya Craggus,
Great idea ;D
For what it's worth,I would definately include things like census pages, and any certificates that you may have as,imvho,not only are they interesting documents but they help to support the story.
good luck,Mick ;)
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Hi Craggus,
I'm doing exactly the same thing for my parents - just I'm intending distributing it to those family members who have helped with info and those from whom I''m hoping I'll get a good response.
I've put a tree together on A1 size paper (we've got an AO size plotter at work, so it makes things easier than taping separate pages together.) This gives names and dates.
I've then put a blah blah together, but separated into chapters, according to family. I've arranged it with the male line coming first and the female lines joining on in order of date. However, it is with the female lines that I go back furthest. So whereas with my direct males ascent I go back 6 generations, with one of the female ones I go back 17, which distorts the numbering of generations somewhat.
I've arranged each chapter according to number of generation i.e the furthest back is generation 1. I've included photos of people, houses, churches, graves etc. Where I have addresses, I have also included extracts from maps, showing exactly where they are. I have a rout planning programme on my pc, so I can highlight each address separately. My best example is Aberystwyth where I can show 12 addresses of various families (at that time) all on one page.
At the end, I've just got a list of references. I'm not going to all the effort of copying census entries, BMD certs etc. I'm keeping all these in my "master copy", to which people can refer if they are interested.
I am putting in the wills though, as most family members are quite happy moaning about how much they should have been entitled to, so that will keep them happy for a while. It might also be an idea to convert some of the figures into todays values.
I'm putting the lot together with a spiral binding, with some sort of photo collage as a title page.
I'm hoping that I will get about a 20 % response from the family.
Its not particularly imaginative, but that is what's easiest for me.
I did toy with the idea of a snappy power point presentation, but binned it as not feasible. Another possibility is an interactive, i.e. like a web site, but as my older rellies don't have pcs, thats not feasible either.
Perhaps someone else has an idea which we can put to use.
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My records are all in word processing form anyway. Some years ago I made up books, one for my fathers side and one for my mothers side. I made it A5 size to fit on a book case. I have pages for each name and included maps and pictures. In the back was a foldout tree. I sent one to each of my cousins. I thought they could tuck it in their bookcases and forget about it once they had read it. Everyone was thrilled and promised to send me more pics. These have not materialized. Other people do not share our enthusiasm but I thought maybe their grandchildren would find the book when clearing out the house!
I also sent a copy to the relevant family history societies.
I have been trying to update things and now have far too much to make the book up, I have 52 pages of one name without pics and maps. I am going to send out CDs sometime and they can print their own. Of course I am now the elderly relative. A book is a definate for the olds if you have them. It's a wonderful idea.
Sylviaann
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(http://fool.exler.ru/sm/daz.gif)
What a great idea. You could also give a potted history on their occupations and what was happening in their area at that particular time. Also. if you could include pictures of their towns or villages so that they can compare the past and present.
dinkey
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Going the other way.... my Mum decided to make books fro my 3 kids with a photo of every member of their grandmaternal "trees". Back to the kids gtgrandparents where possible. So she gathered together good quality xeroxes in triplicate along with 3 small books with plastic pockets and armed with a labeller set to work. And a fine job she made of the first one....and 1/3 of the second one..... And that was it! She ran out of steam and passed it on to me. Naturally I put it away to mature for a while and then both my parents died so I didn't quite feel like doing it. Maybe Craggus' query will be enough to spur me on to finish the job ;)
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I am also writing a book. It is in hypertext, so it can be read using a browser, but I am deliberately keeping to a format, which I can print out easily, as not every relative has a computer.
I have structured the contents, roughly as follows:
The people are grouped into families and each family has 4 sections:
1) Family History (concerning the whole family).
- Where they came from, moved to etc.
- Census scans
- Photos
- maps
- any other interesting documents (like excerpts from my mum's diary from 1938/9)
- interesting web links i.e. to places they lived, etc.
This corresponds, I think, to Dinky's idea:
... You could also give a potted history on their occupations and what was happening in their area at that particular time. Also. if you could include pictures of their towns or villages so that they can compare the past and present.
2) Biographies, sorted in generation groups
each person has a "mug sheet" with a standard format
- born
- died
- parents
- siblings
and per Spouse
- spouse
- children
If available I include thumbnail shots of BMD certs. and photos (The thumbnails are links to the full-size images).
Then comes a box, where I add anything we know about this person. This may be empty, or just have Occupation (from the census) or run to several pages. The more we know, the easier it is to write a "story" and not, as Craggus says "Mr xx was born on the blah blah in blah. He married blah on the blah of blah"
3) a family tree. I use an Excel spreadsheet to draw this, as I haven't found a suitable program yet. I may end up writing one myself.
4) a pedigree chart, starting with the youngest generation of each family. This is a standard output from PAF or Legacy, and probably most other gen. software.
I also have a page with family legends and stories. i.e. unsubstantiated, or not referring to a particular person. Two of these, I have already "printed" here
("Are you related to royalty":
http://www.rootschat.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3318.msg8055#msg8055, and the Hessie Story: http://www.rootschat.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8416.msg13644#msg13644 )
Add an introduction, and that's it.
This is an on-going project, I burn it onto CD and print it about every 6 months or so and distribute it, but I think the same thing could be done, using WORD, without the hypertext elements.
D ap D is
... hoping that I will get about a 20 % response from the family.
I have now "published" twice, and that's about the response I actually get !
A bit like Sylviaann, really:
Everyone was thrilled and promised to send me more pics. These have not materialized.
p.s.
on other threads, we are discussing web-pages and books, etc. but they are about the media.
I think this thread is great for a discussion about the content of web-pages, once RootsChat starts this service.
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I really like the idea of including old pictures of the towns and villages, and also a breakdown of the occupations over the years extracted from the census information. One line of the family tree have all lived pretty locally so I may even try purchasing an old map and plotting their movements on that. Unfortunately the book is to distributed amongst 'older' readers, which rules out the 'hyperlink' approach in my case. I guess the final book may well end up having a 'scrapbook' feel to it.
When I started the project I stupidly thought that I would have it 'finished' in a few months. Of course, I now realise that the project is never-ending. The last six months have been a real adventure, like a giant treasure hunt. I have discovered postcards with great-great grandparents pictured on them, references in books 100 years old, wills, apprentice authorisation forms from the 1850's.. never did I think it would be so addicitve and interesting. I'm completely hooked! ;D
Many thanks to all of you for your wonderful ideas :)
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Maybe you could include a time line or similar?
The top of the line could be what was happening in your family at the time, Births marriages etc and the bottom of the line could be what was happening in the wider world, The Boer War, Fire of London, the Civil War etc etc
Sometimes when I am engrossed in the research of a particular line I forget what was happening at the time, Then I look at the date and think "My God they were alive during the Napoleonic wars" or whatever.
I don't know about anybody else, but I used to love history in school. My only complaint was that it was "state history", not "people history". I know that to a certain extent they are inter-related. Through genealogy I finally have a chance to learn what impact the major (and minor) historical events i studied had on MY family. I enables my to better understand why family X moved from one county to another a certain time. Etc
Anyway I'm digressing....
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I don't know about anybody else, but I used to love history in school.
Funnily enough I hated history lessons with a passion, couldn't see the point of it at all. And yet I love family tree research. Dunno what that says about me, lol :-\
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Lovely idea, Amy. I'll definitely do something along those lines for a later edition !
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Amy,
That is a great idea, putting the people into context, as it were.
I think I will do that with mine. ;D
Kazza.
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When I wrote up my fathers side I hadn't got very far back(1821) so I padded it out with events. I wondered if they had cheered in the streets when Mafeking was relieved etc. A lot of it was conjecture but the older rellies loved it.
I haven't got any further back but have learned a lot about the East End of London where they lived so the next one will be more padding.
Sylviaann
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At the end of my book I put a timeline of the significant family births, deaths etc. and the national or world events that had occurred during that year. A half-sister was disappointed to discover that the only important event the year she was born was the invention of polythene.
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Hello everyone,
What a wonderful topic this is. I wish I was more creative with a flow, if you know what I mean, but I always find that, that, does not come easily.
I personally, would go the scrapbook route, adding photos and pictures and bring it alive with census material and perhaps even a copy of their signitures on marriage certificates, How many can really visualise our ancestors writing? That is a nice touch and brings it alive.
Does anyone else keep a diary? I don't just mean, one with appointments, but a true diary, with thoughts and "bits" in.
I have always kept a diary - Just a A5 nice hardback note book. My current one had a rather nice William Morris print cover. Anyway, I just write the date and write away. if I go anywhere & I want to make a note or add something, like a ticket I do. I also add research notes that I have done in it, and any thoughts that come to mind, and perhaps where to research next. I started in my late teens and have piles of them in the study. I just hope one day they will be preserved and not dumped!
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I just think you are all brilliant! I have promised someone a copy of one of the trees I have on the computer and when I looked at it the other day I realised that is going to be 42 pages wide x 3 pages deep - A4! I hope you will all spare me a thought when I start sticking it together!
Jill
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Hi Julie,
I was also thinking of a scrapbook, but the biggest problem, is that there is only one copy, and if you want to send it to relatives, then you have to think about how to copy it.
My "mailing list" is 14 people, 4 of whom (over 75's) don't have a computer.
I think this is what made me go the hypertext route - which is, basically, an electronic scrapbook - because I can make as many copies as I like, paper or CD.
I like your idea with the diary. I don't keep a diary, but I have recently found three of my mother's diaries from 1938 to 1942. These cover the time when the family fled from Vienna to Prague and thence to England, and the outbreak of war. They are written in german, so I am translating them and will include excerpts in my book. (including a few scans, for the handwriting !)
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Hi Bob,
I can see your point about having to copy a true scrapbook. Is there not any computer generated programmes that will allow a scrapbook effect so then you could make several copies?
The diaries sound great, about what is an important part of our history. She has really provided you with a wonderful insight to her life during that time, to pass to future generations - that is wonderful!
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Hi Julie,
the only thing I can think of is to stick to loose-leaf A4 format. Then you can scan everything into the computer and then print as many copies as you want.
Or you could just go to the CopyShop and get colour copies !
My Mum also left me her photo albums. She sorted all her photos, including those she had inherited, and mounted them in 24 albums, going from the 1880's to the 1990's.
I am scanning these into the computer
- so that I can 'cut' out individual pictures for my book, and
- simply to burn them "as is" on to a CD, both for preservation, and for distribution to the family
I may also include the diaries and the photo albums "as is" on the CD version.
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Hi All,
My wonderful gen software RootsMagic allows for the compilation of a scrapbook. ;D
You can attach to records, document scans, photos, and other things I cannot remember at the moment. ::)
There is a Publish option, which takes you through the process of publishing whatever of your material you wish, in a variety of forms, including a scrapbook, or a WebSite. It will also produce narrative reports, lists, indexes, diagrams, and you can cross-reference everything to notes.
Kazza.
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Kazza,
I got curious, so I found the web-site in google and went looking: http://www.rootsmagic.com/
there is free demo-version, which I have just down-loaded to try out.
It sounds like the "all singing, all dancing wool-milk pig" (but doesn't all advertising ?)
Looking forward to trying it out.
Do I need to add the usual disclaimer, ... ?
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Hi Bob,
You will find that some of the festures are disabled in this evaluation version. That is the route I went, and ended up buying it, it really is very comprehensive.
Speaking as a Software Test specialist, I see no problems with it. The only thing that could be a niggle is it offers you too many options in some cases.
Kazza.
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Hi Julie,
the only thing I can think of is to stick to loose-leaf A4 format. Then you can scan everything into the computer and then print as many copies as you want.
Or you could just go to the CopyShop and get colour copies !
My Mum also left me her photo albums. She sorted all her photos, including those she had inherited, and mounted them in 24 albums, going from the 1880's to the 1990's.
I am scanning these into the computer
- so that I can 'cut' out individual pictures for my book, and
- simply to burn them "as is" on to a CD, both for preservation, and for distribution to the family
I may also include the diaries and the photo albums "as is" on the CD version.
Hello Bob,
Yes, I guess A4 loose leaf pages using a nice colour paper and decorated would look nice. Then get the lot copied by a good printer and perhaps bound too.
How wonderful to have such a photographic collection. Did you Mum name those in the photos?. I would most certainly scan the photos and burn them to several CDs, just incase!
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Hi Kazza,
I hadn't thought of using my family history page. - I have Family Origins 10 and there is a facility to create a journal within that software and add photos.
Did you original use FO? I have wondered if there was much difference between Rootsmagic & Family Origins.
Creative Memories is an American based company that produces scrapbooking materials. The albums are pricey, but it is worth it for perhaps a special occassion.
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What I love about RootsMagic is you are able to create a list of "things to do" like a huge shopping list.
This works well for me as there is alway so much to do I can forget where I am upto.
It also allows you to create and upload a Gedcom File ! As easy as pushing a few buttons! Nice and simple :)
RootsChat
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Julie,
No I have no experience of FO, RootsMagic was the first I bought. RootsChat recommended it, and I love the TO DO list too. I would be lost without it. ;D
Take a look at the download version (free for Evaluation) :
http://www.rootsmagic.com/
Kazza.
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Thanks for providing the details of Rootsmagic. I have downloaded the demo and shall have a play over the weekend.
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Here is one I did just recently for my family, I had to reduce the quality to send over the net.its size is A3
Basicly it is a timeline linking my family with historic events/people and a background of rlations, historic items ( you could include family documents such as birth certificates)
Now the bottom line is that you would need a little knowledge of graphics programmes(not an excessive amount) and a computr with tons of ram - at times my file streched out to 100mb.
I also have a larger poster (1mtr x .8mtr) that is a family group photo circa 1914with the family tree overprinted.
Moderator Comment:
I have removed this image as Dennford has re-posted it, 'screen-sized', on Reply #33, and this one was too wide for the screen.
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sorry but hopefully this one will fit the screen
Denn
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oops
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Hi Denn
I like that very much - what a great idea ! - I love the poster idea too - that would be good for older relatives or young children - if it's always on the wall - little kids could learn genealogy through osmosis....!!!!! I like that!
Annie
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hopefully i have it right this time ,if not just persevere with what is there
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Now that has worked, here is the 1 metre poster
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what a brilliant idea
peter
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Hi Denn
Fantastic visualisations - start taking commissions!
cheers
Paul
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Some timeback there was discussion about Scrapbooking ----- someone must have been listening because iRemember - Digital Scrapbooking for Mac appeared around June 2005.
http://zytech.com.au/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SOiRemember
Review -
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/06/28/iremember/index.phpR
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I have a new neice (1month a day old) and plan to give her a framed family tree with photos as part of her christening present.
Additionally, I plan to give her and anyone else in the family who is interested a CD with all the info on about the family, including photos and certificates.
In a very sad way I am glad no body did this for me as I love doing the research!!!
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Hi
Sometimes when I am engrossed in the research of a particular line I forget what was happening at the time, Then I look at the date and think "My God they were alive during the Napoleonic wars" or whatever.
Could not agree more with Amy K &c about relating 'world/national' historical events or epochs and placing family members in context
I 've asked myself questions along those lines
Thanks
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Hi,
I am in the process of doing a book for my brother and sister to give them with their Christmas presants.
I have kept It simple and have done it in five sections.
IE grandparents . Grand dads side, Nan's side. on both mum and dads side.
I have added photo's and certificates etc.
I have started with the oldest grandparents and moved forward as the years progressed up to the presant day. I have included photo's of my siblings at school etc up to photo's of their own children now..
The old part of the books are the same with our ancestors and then I have continued with pictures relevant to each of them. So their books differ as they have there own family's now
I have left a section at the back for them to continue adding presant day events which will be family history to our great grand children. also they can add info on their relevant spouses if they want to.
Hopefully someone will keep it going.
The mix of old and new photo's make it interesting for the younger members of the family to relate back to the old sepia photo's for the 1800s.
Sorry if I have waffled on just wanted to give you some ideas
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Sorry if I have waffled on just wanted to give you some ideas
No, that's not waffling at all - it gives us all more ideas and that's exactly what this thread is about.
Denn
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That is wonderful...Truly
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An idea for presenting my family tree that I'm trying is to use <a href="http://earth.google.com/">Google Earth</a>.
I've put together a file for my Skinner tree which shows the kind of thing I mean. If you have a copy of Google Earth you can view it here -
<a href="http://www.familytreeassistant.com/SkinnerTree20080625.kmz">My Tree on Google Earth</a>
Don't forget to expand the time span slider in the top right corner of the Google Earth screen (click on the right hand side of the slider and drag to the right).
The above tree was produced from a GEDCOM export using the <a href="http://www.familytreeassistant.com/">Map My Ancestors</a> program.
I'd be interested in hearing your opinions on whether being able to visualise the your family on Google Earth is something of interest to people?
Many thanks
Tim
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I'd be interested in hearing your opinions on whether being able to visualise the your family on Google Earth is something of interest to people?
There is a general discussion about this here:
Topic: Mapping the travels of our ancestors
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,146629.0.html
Bob
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I too have gone the scrapebook route - only so you can add more pages if need be. I wanted to show my children where we come from. Originally my Mum wanted to find out who her Father was! and it started with getting her original birth cert. sadly she died last year but was really interested in how things were going - I just wish she had seen how far I've come now -from only my Mum and my children I've found 179 relatives!!
I especially wanted my children to be interested and so included photos (only a few) but also used ebay and got old postcards of the areas that the people were living. Most postcards are only £1 - 2 and really bring the scrapebook to life!
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This thread is fascinating, and I should have realised that my recent chatty query had been gone over, in depth, many times before!
Thanks to all who contributed here, I have now got a little list to help me proceed.
BTW, as my project unites many parts of Europe I will probably insert little flags in too.
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BTW, as my project unites many parts of Europe I will probably insert little flags in too.
Make sure the flags are relevant to the history, though!
European borders changed all the time; as did the flags ;D ;D
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BTW, as my project unites many parts of Europe I will probably insert little flags in too.
Make sure the flags are relevant to the history, though!
European borders changed all the time; as did the flags ;D ;D
Absolutely..... getting a suitable map is posing a bit of a problem too.
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On this topic, does anyone know of a reliable and not too expensive way to 'publish' your family tree in paper form. Is there a company that will do this for you, assuming you provide the information of course.
I've got no printer myself and no access to one, we just don't use it enough to make the cost of having and storing one at home worth while. We've never replaced our old one for this reason.
Up until now, anyone whose had an interest in my tree has been a family member who is online so I've been able to share my work that way - however another relative would really like to see their section of the tree but they are not online at all. I would love to share it with them, but I think that printing it out in some way and arranging for it to be sent to them is my best choice.