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Advice please - writing a letter to a stranger!

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Hawthorn

Hawthorn Report 22 Oct 2007 13:31

I am trying to trace descendants of a Great Aunt of mine. I have a copy of her daughters death certificate (dated 1993) and the informant was her nephew. I would like to contact this person in the hope he could help with my family history research.

I have been given two possible names (from 192.com) by someone on this board. When I write to them, do I explain where I got their name and address from? Contacting somebody cold like this, they might be suspicious!

Any suggestions?

Kathlyn

Kathlyn Report 22 Oct 2007 13:43

I was given some addresses by a kind person on this site who had access to telephone directories. five possibles came up and I took the bull by the horns and wrote to all five, with something worded this way...

Dear Mr. Bloggs....I am researching my family tree and have reason to believe that we could be related. I enclose the relevant part of that tree in the hope that you will recognise the names. Should you think we do have a connection I would very much appreciate you contacting me as I am sure we each have photos etc that would be of interest.

If we are not connected, please do accept my sincere apology for any intrusion I may have caused.

Yours faithfully..

As it turned out 4 of the names were related to me and I have since met two of them and spoken on the phone to the others.

Best of luck.

Kathlyn

Hawthorn

Hawthorn Report 22 Oct 2007 13:45

Many thanks for that Kathlyn . . . . I didn't think of enclosing a part of the family tree!

Thankyou

Brian (Stu)

Kathlyn

Kathlyn Report 22 Oct 2007 13:48

Brian, You are most welcome.

kathlyn

Lynn

Lynn Report 22 Oct 2007 17:20

Hi All

Wish I had thought of adding family tree to a letter I sent to a person I believed was a relative. I wrote twice explaining who I was and asked questions about a close relation to us both. Both times I included a SAE, both times no reply. Disappointing but I suppose some people just aren't interested.

Lin