What will happen to my Treasures?

[jettejjane]

Just a thought, and I certainly don't want to appear as rude.

As you are so proud of your father being Mayor of Arundel - might the Council be interested? 

They already have many photos similar to mine plus 2 portraits on the wall.

Is there any family history societies or museums nearby that might want it.  You could maybe do your own exhibition and invite your family and then they might become interested.  I made up folders wth family trees and scanned in photos and sent to my family in Canada and elsewhere so that there some record of work I had done.

Good idea. Arundel museum does in fact have some of our original docs and copies of others, however I am not liking that they are not displayed and they are gathering dust god knows where, even they don’t know where they are.

[Viktoria]

Oh dear it is a heartache !
When I moved I gave to each child their things,first shoes,baby teeth,( actually some were a puppy’s,my daughter was losing hers as the puppy lost his so they too went to the tooth fairy).
School books,cards they had made us at school,cards we had sent them( I had saved them all) their baby clothes,Oh so much.I don’t think they were thankful!
I really can’t throw away so many things that have memories.
I did burn love letters,could not bear to think someone else would read them. But of course I now wish I could read them again.
All I can tell myself is I have enjoyed having them and so after me if the nearest family are not interested well what can I do?
 I had visions of them crying over my things but I really doubt it, and I would not want them to be sad(have I mentioned that I tell lies sometimes?)
As Scarlett O’Hara said in Gone with the Wind, “ Tomorrow is another day”.
Viktoria.

[jettejjane]

Victoria, that is a great idea giving the children all their personal keepsakes. I will certainly do that, maybe in years to come they will look back at the memories with fondness. I will get on it tomorrow.

I think I would find it hard to throw /give away or sell things, like you I love my memories remembered or tangible and love having them near me. To me it would be like loosing a best friend. Let nature take its course who knows maybe they will be grateful for them, even get an interest in family history.Maybe the grandchildren will.  I know many people discover this hobby after a relative has died. I didn’t start seriously until I was in my late 50’s after dad died.

Que sera, sera- what will be will be, as Doris Day would say

[Kendra71]

I have teenage children and they have very limited interest in the photos, letters and research I've gathered. However, I remember back to what I was like at their age, and it didn't interest me either at the time. I'm hopeful that one at least will get more interested.

With photos, I think it can help if they are organised into albums, or even stored in an attractive box. They hopefully then are easier to see as a family keepsake/heirloom, rather than old clutter.

I'm not sure if any of this really works in practice by the way :-)

[Viktoria]

Well having lost a photograph of my O.H recently ,from my purse ,I was absolutely bereft,almost like losing him again,which is silly .
Another copy found and now I am kicking myself that I do not have our letters which I burnt as it would have been embarrassing for others to read them.Our fall outs and making up again.
Can you remember the scene in  Billy Liar where he and one of his girl friends is in the cemetery and she is sucking oranges I think and wittering on about “ little Billy “ etc one of their yet to be born children and he wants the engagement  ring back for his brash common as muck other girl friend.
We were always talking about what children we would have.
Only had three of the four  we wanted were born after serious complications with the third( for me).
But I knew him for 61 years,married for 58.
I have boxes and boxes of cards ,did throw away all but family ones some time ago but three boxes of retirement cards from the two schools where I worked ,hilarious,all the things I said to them ,like “ Is the floor alright?”
when they had taken a bad fall,but the stress was not in them and it was surprising how it worked and calmed them down.
Oh I have decided I am living forever.
I really could do with the space though .
No easy answer is there.
Viktoria.

[BillyF]

I`ve been going through some of my treasures  on the wet days this week, a little note in my mother`s writing showing her grandparents names and birthplaces ( some wrong bless her ) but lovely to find again.

I`ve also got the typewriting certificates she received in 1933 and 1934, she would have been 16 and 17, plus some for the Red Cross and some for my father which he received from St Johns. I`m not sure what to do with one as it`s just a little bit too large for any folders and I don`t want to cut or fold it.

I think that my daughter will also treasure them and my youngest grandaughter too.