Genealogy Chat

I was wondering what will happen to the untold certifcates cenus
records and lots of other things. None of my family are interested.
after i have gone.
Margaret

Most of my family are not very interested either Margaret and I've collected a whole load of paperwork, certificates, photos etc.

However I've made my son promise that rather than just throw it all out that he will take it to the nearest Family History Society or Local Archives. I'm sure it will be of some use to someone in the future.

I think my son will keep my Family Tree programme on his computer though.

Kath. x

I think that there are a lot of us like you.

I am an only child and there is no one to pass on my research to.

I have loads of BMD's. Think I will leave a note for my 'family' to donate all my reference/London etc., books to the local Family History Society that way nothing will be thrown out which would be such a waste of money.

Money spent on both books and BMDs well close to .......... well I would rather not think about that! :-D

Hi Kathleen and Piglets Pal
Maybe I will convince one of the family to keep my records
margaret

Our local records centre is pleased to get any local family history records, Problem is I live in Kent and my families came mostly from Essex . :-(

None of my family are interested either but I have asked our daughter not to throw my hard work away .

All my cousins that have shown interest are around my age... though it is me on both sides of my family that has done most of the leg work.

Couple of distant ones interested on one side... I will get my girls to keep all my docs till they get to my age and then maybe they will show an interest.

I saw where someone on here wanted to take over his father's tree and keep working on it as his father now has lost his memory.
So that's the other thing leave the passwords for ancestry access as well.

Persie

As we are busy with family history, I would have thought that the safest way to ensure your hard work is of benefit to others, family or not, is to state in your will what is to be done with the records, cert's, books, etc. It is then the responsibility of the executor to ensure your wishes are carried out.

If you think that a family member could change his/her mind the way you word your will could reflect that possibility. We have done that with a few things that our family members said "no thanks" to. As they get older minds & viewpoints change. Some of the "no thanks" are now "is it too late to say yes please?"

I'm sure Familysearch have a free storage facility for trees, ready for the judgement day when all souls are collected :-D

In my research and through contacts,some from Genes members, I have been given some images and trancripts of letters sent in the mid 1800,s for one side of my tree. Thanks to someone who lodged the documents at Chelmsford Records Office Essex they have invaluble in making connections of grt x 5 grandfather Wood to the right family from Essex.
if someone hadnt deposited those letters etc then no connections would have been confirmed.
It does make me think my research should be deposted too!!. I should think of putting this in my will as a request.

Came across this on Y-IRL · Ireland Genealogy

as a simple and easy way to express your wishes...

My Genealogical Will
Genealogical Codicil to My Last Will and Testament:

To my spouse, children, guardian, administrator and /or executor:

Upon my demise it is requested that you DO NOT dispose of any or all of my genealogical records, both those prepared personally by me and those records prepared by others, which may be in my possession. This includes but not limited to books, files, notebooks or computer programs for a period of two years.

During this time period, please attempt to identify one or more persons who would be wiling to take custody of the said materials and the responsibility of maintaining and continuing the family histories.

Parties to contact regarding the assumption of the custody of these items included but not limited to as follows:

1. Name
Address
Phone Number

2. Name
Address
Phone Number

3. Name
Address
Phone Number

In the event you do not find anyone to accept these materials please contact the various genealogical organisations that I have been a member of and determine if they will accept some parts or all of my genealogical materials. List of organisations, addresses, phone numbers at bottom; include local chapters, with their contact persons if available as well as state, national contact information and addresses.

Please remember that my genealogical endeavours consumed a great deal of time, travel and money. Therefore it is my desire that the products of these endeavours be allowed to continue in a manner that will make them available to others in the future.

Signature
Date

Witness
Date

Witness
Date

What a good idea...I have no close family and it would be a great pity to see all my work junked.

I have a couple of other suggestions. Occasionally I donate data CDs - parish register transcripts and the like - to my local LDS family history centre so that other library users can have them, so consider, perhaps asking your executors to send any such material to them. Since their coverage is worldwide, the fact that your data may relate to a different part of the country is not an issue.

As far as your actual tree itself is concerned, the Society of Genealogists would probably be happy to receive a copy.

I recently became a great-aunt and, in addition to the usual gift, I prepared a report and tree from my FTM tree, using my new great-niece as the starting person and gave it to her parents in a nice folder. No guarantee that she will maintain an interest of course, but at least the information may be carried forward for some time.