The flat wooden box that I found at the top of her linen cupboard in my grandmother's house when I was moving her to live with my Mum, is probably what started me off researching my family.
Her Marriage Certificate - which also noted the date and place of her parent's marriage!
Her Birth Certificate - and Grandad's Birth Certificate, (Baptism also noted and signed by the Minister)
My Mum's Birth Cert, and also her sister's
My Dad's Birth Cert, and some work references of his
My Parent's Birth Cert.
My Parent's Marriage Certificate
Her Father's Burial - receipt for the plot (in perpetuity) with Number and location noted.
All my great grandfathers writings - poetry and speeches - mostly re Robert Burns
Really old photos, Awards for Best Pikelets, best scones, best sponges, best flowers etc etc
School Awards - Mum and her sister.
Sundry newspaper cuttings re family
A handwritten letter to her re the death of her father, from a close friend, Walter Nash, A Govt Minister of Finance at the time, who later went on to be Prime Minister Of NZ
And lots of other bits and pieces.
If only she had still had her wedding dress, or perhaps I should say the dress she was married in, like Claire, and when I was 12, it fitted me! She was pretty tiny, as I was - it was brown and cream striped silk, a frilly high neck, buttoned down the front, where the stripes were diagonal and puffy sleeves.
Never did find out what happened to it though, one of her sisters I would expect, who came to pick up some linen and stuff she'd asked that I put aside for her... Grrrr -pleased that she couldn't climb up into that top cupboard and spot that box - I suspect that would have gone too!
Amazing starter kit - just waiting to be found by me! Thank You Nanny!