Why research your family tree???

[Bellejazz]

Anyway, when my grandmother died I inherited the family suitcase (over 3 sons and 3 older grandchildren) and with the documents at my finger tips started the tree.

Does everyone have a family suitcase? I spent ages looking through my Grandma's suitcase at Christmas which must be at least 80 years old.
Claire

No suitcase in my family unfortunately.
With one exception there are no photos before 1970 due to the previously mentioned fires, and not even alot from 1970 - 1985 due to the family being fairly poor and not having cameras.

I have no idea what my Mum (or any of her siblings) looked like as children. My only pictures of my grandad  who died in the early 80's are a wedding photo which miraculously survived and the fading image of him as an old man that I have in my head. As for my Nanna, his wife, she died before I was born and the wedding pic is the only one I have ever seen of her.

It makes me very sad.

[colliehouse]

It is so sad not to have any photo's of family past and present. I was in that position until two weeks ago.
I took a year to decide to write to the person who registered my fathers death (having had no contact with his family since I was about 2 - many years ago
This lovely person had collected and stored for ten years a whole collection of photographs that she sent me. I now have family photos going back to my great great grandmother, so exciting.

[genjen]

About a month ago and through a contact of a contact, via Genes Reunited, I received a photograph of my partner's maternal great grandparents. He had never seen any pictures of them and this weekend we will show them to his mother, who certainly never knew her grandfather and I'm not sure she met her grandmother either. It feels very odd that I should be the one who received the photograph as it isn't my family, but my partner was absolutely delighted and we're hoping his mum will be too.
And I most definitely know where both mother and son took most of their genes from - the likeness to grandmother/ great grandmother is astonishing.


Jen

[janan]

Hi Colliehouse

Welcome to Rootschat

What an amazing story - you must be so pleased.

Jan

[MarieC]

I second that, Jan!

Welcome to Rootschat, colliehouse, and I'm delighted that you have had such a windfall from your contact!

MarieC