Genealogy Chat

Hi all,

I came across in some paperwork a bio on my Great Grandmother, written after her death by a family friend. It got me thinking and I've decided I'm going to 'interview' my Nan about specific people in our family tree, and then herself. The problem is that my Nan doesn't have the best memory and if I asked her to sit and 'tell me everything' it won't be effective.

Therefore I want to ask, if you were given the opportunity, or if you're already had it, what questions would you ask a living person in regards to ancestors?

I am hoping to not only gather information that will enable me to find historical records on a specific person (certificates/work place/ addresses etc) but also to get to know the person off paper. As great as it is to have documents about a persons life, it really doesn't tell you that much about a who they were.

Any advice would be most welcome!

Qiuck fire questions probably are not the way to go.

''Tell me about your childhood'' would probably be more effective. If she wanders off into 'memories' so be it.

I remember a chance convo with my dad '' How on earth your mother sat 9 of you down to eat amazes me, in that tiny house''

Well, of course she didn't. Aunt 1 was already out in service, Aunt B had signed up the forces and so and so was this by the time X Y & Z were born,

I've tried that and it's worked for a distant relative I met, but I get the feeling Nan would prefer to answer direct questions instead of having to think things. I think for her a direct question makes her think about specific things, where just letting her talk, as interesting as it will be, wont last for long and she wont follow on like your Dad did.

I've googled a few ideas, but was wondering what others found to be the most successful / important questions.

Cheers.

What you get back will obviously depend not just on what they know but on what questions you ask and how you ask them. I cannot remember who first said it but the words Who, Where, What, Why, When and How in a sentence are good servants. They are words that cannot be answered easily with a yes or a no but will solicit a lengthier answer.

What you learn can also be affected by where and when you ask your questions. People are usually more relaxed in their own home so where possible visit the other person at their home. Find out when it is going to be convenient to visit. Verbal communication is better than written as when an answer is given you can expand on it. If visiting you may also find that they have documents or photographs that can help your research.

When dealing with older persons whose memory may not now be as sharp as it once was it sometimes pays to throw in a fact that you know may be wrong. This seems to focus the other persons mind and the person will react recalling the correct fact and often other facts relating to it. An example being to say something like “Your father was christened Bill wasn‘t he?” The response might well be something like, “No! He was actually christened Francis William after his grandfather”. This secondary fact can often then be used to enquire about the grandfather.

Whatever questions you ask the important thing is to ask them now before it is too late.

If you have any old photographs with people you don't know in them it is worth seeing if she can tell you who they are. Also see if you can copy any photos she may have of ancestors and siblings.

Try and record the conversation if you can. And if she can't recall an answer to a specific query, ask again next time you see her. In the intervening period, her subconscious may have been working and she'll come up with more details.

(Could have easily throttled mother in law on one occasion, Bless her :-D )

Don't take everything she says as fact - memory does confuse events. But on the other hand, there is often a grain of truth said by even the most confused of the elderly.

I understand your need to ask actual questions, but those of a general nature can give leads too.

Asking whether Mum's family had any relatives to visit brought wonderful tales of her blind Uncle Fred being brought to them from the Welsh valleys on a pony and trap by his named relative whereas Auntie Jinnie and Laura, always ' visited in the autumn and brought nuts with them, which we buried in a large jar in the garden ready for Christmas'.
'Oh where did they live then?..........and so on.

You can lead the questions, but a gentle 'ramble' often brings forth other interesting snippets, which helps to build a better picture of life in their times.

Gwyn