What have you aquired during years of your research

[trish251]

Dollylee,

I get that. One of the things that I have started "collecting" due to this hobby, is funeral cards. It just happened that I got a few, and then people gave me more when they found out. It is an interesting bit of history to have but certainly an odd collection.

Kath

I have very few funeral cards, but I do have a large collection of cemetery pictures - the extended family think I am truly weird - I go on cemetery holidays!  My computer desktop is a wonderful cemetery picture with my grandparents hiding in the back corner

Trish

[KathMc]

Dollylee,

It was one of those things that just started. I had a couple from funerals during my lifetime -- a great aunt, an uncle, my dad, a cousin of my mom's -- and then my mom and I were going through a box of photos and things and there was one for a ggg grandmother and her 15-year-old daughter from England. Then my mom found some for a few great-grandparents that she gave me, and another great-aunt. I told a newly discovered relative and she sent me Xeroxes of ones from her branch of the family, and then I got a ggg grandfather's from another relative. I have quite a collection without even really searching. I like to get obituaries for relatives because I can find quite a bit of information from them. I hadn't thought of it,but I should contact existing funeral homes and see if they keep any and if I can get some. My oldest is from 1875. I have one for a gg grandmother who died at 24. It is interesting because she and her husband had only been in the USA for about 5 or 6 years when she died and the card says, "West Orange, South America" and South is crossed off. I don't know who crossed it off, but it is in pencil.

Kath

[Windsor87]

Things I have aquired since I started this (two years ago this month):

1: A new close relative. I discovered my grandfather's half sister. She never knew he existed, nor we her. She will hopefully be making her second visit to us in March.

2: Photos of three generations (ggg, gg, g grandfathers) of my main paternal line. I got these from distant relations in Canada, who were put in contact with me through another family historian in Australia).

3. Previously untold Family stories which were key to the development of my family (told by number one and her cousin).

I suppose they would be the three main ones. If they count.

[adee7]

Besides the usual certificates, census sheets, books, etc., which fill a cabinet to overflowing, I acquired some old family boxes and albums filled with photos.

I have been going through them carefully, checking each to see if there are any names or other information written on the back.  Through that process I managed to learn more about my grandmother and her sisters, but of course, many of the photos have no clues.

Kathleen

[RichardK]

I have not found:
1. A coat of arms; or
2. Descended from royalty; or
3. A large and forgotten inheritance

Because I haven't found any of these, my close relatives don't really see the point.  Doesn't bother me though!
R

[aghadowey]

Kath- not sure if what you call funeral cards are the same thing I'm talking about. The ones I have are 'death letters' which were sent out to invite friends (relatives) and neighbours to the funeral. The oldest I have is dated 1849 and handwritten on plain paper: "Sir The remains of my Dear Husband will be removed for Interment to the Grave-Yard of Camus, on Monday Morning, 29th Inst. at 0.0,Clock Yours Respectfully Sarah Ramage Dromore 2th Jany 1849" Most of them are printed on black bordered paper and they range from the 1849 one until the 1930s. As many were before newspaper death notices and quite a few of the people don't have headstones they are a great source. Also, they list the place of burial which is not found on Irish death certificates.

[KathMc]

By funeral cards, I mean printed cards, usually by the funeral home. They are most often a little bigger than business cards and have the name of deceased and either the date of death or date of interment. Oftentimes, there is a prayer or a poem on them. I tried to attach one that I have scanned in but it's too big.

Kath

[KarenM]

Like this one Kath?

[celia]

would i be correct in saying that  most funeral cards are used in Australia,Canada & America all the people who have these cards.Seem to live in those countries i have never seen any for the U.K.

Celia