Making contact with strangers

[Rebecca Steele]

Fitty,

I finally plucked up the courage to write the letter to Arthur Davis's son at the beginning of January ....... and am still waiting for a reply. 

I think I've got to accept that he's not interested  maybe he isn't one for digging up the past. 

Oh well, I'll find out myself oneday - I hope!

Rebecca

[Geoff]

Out of about 50 leters sent through the post I have received two replies.
One of these led to a connection with one of my lines.

However, I have received a reply from just about every e-mail i have ever sent in the quest for family history.
This is regardless of a connection or not.
This method has also led to a constant criss cross of communicating with rellies I never knew I had.

Cheers
Geoff

[Fitty]

I recieved an email a couple of weeks ago from a lady in Wakefield asking to see my Tree.  We swapped a few names and then realised we shared the same G Grandfather.  Her Grandad and mine were brothers. We spoke on the phone and then decided to meet up......now normally you'd meet up with a stranger somewhere public ......but not me.....We met in Pocklington Grave Yard and hit it off straight away.   I can't get over how much like my mother she is...more like her than i am!  thats scarey!

We've met and talked on the phone lots of times over the past couple of weeks and we're meeting up tomorrow to visit her G Aunt who remembers my parents and G parents.   I,m going armed to the teeth photos and certificates and a box of tissues, cos i know there'll be tears!  <g>

My new cousin is a couple of years older than me and we have met when we were small but neither of us can remember......(that might be a blessing, cos i was a orrible kid! and probably pulled her hair or worse).

Uncle Alf ( my mums brother) has been grilled many a time by me for new info on the family and he never mentioned anything about his Uncle untill i mentioned it to him  " Oh Aye!  ....Uncle Charlie was the black sheep of the family".........sheeesh! 

[Rebecca Steele]

Fitty ...... thats great news I'm really pleased for you!

[lovin lass]

IM ALWAYS CONTACTING PEOPLE I DONT KNOW IV HAD GREAT RESPONSE FROM THIS SITE AND GENS AS IM ADOPTED I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFULL AS SOME PEOPLE IN MY BIRTH FAMILY MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME THINK IN A SKELENTON IN THE COUBOARD AS THEY SAY IV MADE CONTACT WITH 1 COUISIN AND 2 AUNTIES AND THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT STILL GOT LONG WAY TO GO AS DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT MY BIRTH MOTHERS SIDE OF THE FAMILY JUST LEAVE LITTLE DESCREAT MESSAGES ON THE BOARDS
GOOD LUCK TO ALL YOU RESEARCHERS

[JAP]

My Australian friend was bumbling around a Swiss village looking for connexions to her ancestors who had gone from there to a distant part of Europe centuries earlier before finally coming here to Ozl  No, no, no was the constant and consistent reply.  Until at one house, just as they were leaving having failed yet again, the lady of the house had second thoughts and called after them that a chap who was up a ladder fixing the electiricity wires out in the street had been around quite a while - yes, you can guess the outcome ...

Keep trying - and trying - and trying,

Judy

[mickgall]

Hi all
I always wonder what I should say in the first few sentences in a letter to sort of break the ice. Anyone got any ideas?
I presume Wotcha Cousin is a bit informal

Mick

[Rebecca Steele]

Mick,

I usually start off with 'I hope you don't mind me contacting you like this' and then I go on to say that i am reseaching my family tree and then give them a bit of background about why I think they may be able to help me.

[possum_pie]

I've contacted lots of distant rellies through www.GenesReunited.co.uk and most of them have been really helpful!  Dug up a cousin of my mothers she didn't even know existed - given up for adoption!!  Also contacted a third cousin of my partners through the same site who was really shocked to hear of him as he was linked via an affair a resulting illegitimacy!!

Most disappointing was contact with a third cousin of mine who swore to get back in touch with me and clearly had info I really needed but never got back to me.  Not sure people understand until they get 'the treeing bug' how important these tiny pieces of info are to us!!

Also sent some letters to potential relatives but disappointingly got no response at all - even a 'get knotted' would have been nice.

Possum_pie