Genealogy Chat

I have asked to meet a lady that is related down the line to my OH for me to interview her. I have never had to do this before. Do any of you have any tips please thanks Jackie

Do what reporters do. Do a list of questions you want to ask her. Starting with the important ones first, and work down. Do it in a reporters note book, one question per page, so you can write her reply on the same page as question and so on. Then ask if she has any pictures of who she is talking about. And go from there. Best of luck.

I have done this once before. I made a note of the questions I wanted to ask and I used my husband's dictaphone to record answers. I explained the reasons for the notes (my memory is dreadful) and made sure the person was comfortable with the dictaphone. The meeting was very relaxed and once the person got talking, I found out so much valuable information that gave me leads to other branches of the family. I also found that some of the information wasn't quite correct. Using the dictaphone meant I was able to concentrate on the person instead of writing (and possibly missing important facts). I found that I was able to share information I already had. It was a very good experience. Good luck with your meeting. Regards Jackie

Thankyou both, I am so excited but nervous. Jackie

Hi Jackie I have recently contacted a lady who I NEVER in my wildest dreams thought I would find! Briefly, I was adopted, + last year found some B/fam names. My B/Mother had died when I was 10 months old. Nearly all the names I found were deceased. However through a Hot Match I found my God-Mother! Well, actually it was her daughter who I first contacted through GR. I e-mailed my God-Mother for a while, THEN she gave me her phone number. I can't tell you just how much my stomach was churning while I dialed the number! In fact I picked up the phone + put it down a few times before I actually dialled! I need not have worried! She was lovely. I had made a few notes on what info I wanted but I didn't want to bombard her too much!! It is just wonderful, I wish you luck with your meeting, think of it like meeting a friend. Remember she may be just as nervous as you! Regards Ann

Jackie Just remember to take it slowly and easy - she may not be as interested as you, and if there are skeletons or anything similar you may have to chat to her a couple of times to get the info. I have contact with two second cousins of my fathers and it has taken me over two years to get to the bottom of a story I already knew the basics of, but have had to 'weedle' out of both of them as they were reticent to pass the story on. It will be worth it in the end. Looby

Hello Jackie, I was fortunate to meet up with distant cousins last year. We decided to meet for lunch at a pub, and yes I was nervous, would we recognise each other, would things be stillted.....It was a wonderful experience, she almost rushed to the door to greet me as i walked in. She had much more info than I did, but we exchanged info and photos and have kept in touch ever since. It makes you think what the long dead rellies must be thinking as they sit on their clouds looking down on the meeting!!!!! Kathlyn