Genealogy Chat

i find i don't say much to anyone,unless i see the slightest flicker of interest! i always feel i am boring them. it's interesting to me but maybe not to others! chris.

Merry, I bet the ones who think you shouldn't investigate the past and think your hobby is 'disgusting' are the ones who are scared stiff all the family skeletons will come tumbling out of the closet. I find the 'skeletons' make the hobby much more interesting. Kath. x

My mum is hopeless with names and is only interested if I find anyone who has been very successful (rich!!) in life. She is very sneering about all the ag labs and other ''lesser mortals'' so I don't tell her anything any more - I feel rather protective of them..... Hubby is interested and involved. Other friends and relations are either bored stupid, incredulous, or downright angry (''you shouldn't investigate the past....your hobby is disgusting'') Merry

Ooh, yes, I would only use photocopies.

I've seen that mentioned too Angela, but make sure you use photocopies, not the originals, as laminating will ruin them. Kath. x

I get really excited waiting for them and can't wait to open them. I did hear someone who say that you could take copies of them (especially the Death Certificates), get them laminated and use them as place mats!!! I must admit that appeals to my rather black sense of humour. It would certainly be a talking point at dinner parties!

My Oh isn't that interested, although occasionally he will show interest. He does try to listen when I tell him things though, as I do when he goes on about the latest round of golf. And he has been known to walk round cemeteries with me. Ann Glos

My OH isn't remotely interested in the past, but does have the good grace to try to show a glimmer when I'm rattling on about my latest 'find'. Reg

All I get from my eldest son is 'who cares.....they're dead!!' Surely he'll want to be remembered in the future??? I also gave him and his wife all of his cerificates from school - swimming, gymnastics etc., baptism records, school reports and such, that I had kept since he was little.........they all went in the bin. Couldn't you just scream!!! Kath. x

I know why people look at you in a strange way when you mention doing the family tree. They think we are strange because all we do is talk about is dead people, and they can't see why this would be of interest to anyone at all!! They think we sit at computers and visit record offices in search information on all these dead people, lets face it they think we are weird!! The think life is about going out drinking, having a good time with you mates. Just depens what you like in you life, we are after all very different, each man/woman to his/her own. Betty

It's the glazed look that appears in people's eyes when I talk about it that drives me mad. Why can't they see how exciting it is when you have been looking for someone and suddenly there they are?

I know how you feel, none of my children or husband are really interested in our family tree and never share my excitement when I find out about a birth, marriage or death of someone. I did laugh to myself when I went to a funeral recently and heard an old aunt of my husband's telling everyone that his great grandfather was a civil servant, he was a waiter on marriage cert all the children's births and his death cert. His wife's father was a diplomat, he was a builder. I thought I would not burst her bubble as she is almost 90. Good luck with your research. Irene

I can't wait for a certificate to come through the door . Its like Christmas everytime I get a another one. I swear I have spent a fortune but who cares? I have even bought special archival paper & acid free stuff to keep them all in. The reason I get most of them from the local Register offices is because I don't want to wait weeks & weeks for them to arrive. That would drive me round the bend. You carry on hunting your rellies and enjoying the thrill of the chase. Eve

You're quite right Chris. I've been doing this for about 3 and a half years and I've got about 70 certificates in all, and I still can't wait for them to drop through the letterbox. Kath. x

but it's so exciting when the cert comes through the door isn't it! so glad i'm not on my own!! thought it was just me!! chris

I know what you mean. My family think I'm mad to spend the amount of money I do on certificates........but they don't say no if I offer them photocopies. The only ones they are SLIGHTLY interested in are death certificates....because the cause of death on a lot of them are for diseases which seem to run in the family. Kath. x

i was showing someone my certs i have collected so far,and i was asked what am i going to do with them all? keep them i said!! they are nice to keep! it's history!! i explained about getting a marriage cert,and then you can see who the parents were,and start searching on that! why do people ask stupid questions? i think it is very interesting. anyway,i wont show this person any more certs that i get!! guess who this person was---------------------my mum!!!! why can't people see how interesting it is? and i have found a lot of things i didn't know about, but it's all on my dads side of the family!