RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: CarolBurns on Friday 31 March 06 23:49 BST (UK)
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Today we met my Dad's 2nd cousin for the first time - Thanks to Rootschat!!
I received an email about 6 weeks ago from a lady asking for details on my Great Great Grandfather William Thomas b 1841 and his family. She was writing mainly on behalf of her husband who was the great grandson of William.
Her husband, Michael's father was an only child so he had no 1st cousins and also thought there was no other family out there until his wife emailed me.
Photos were sorted out as well as census reports and certificates and sent in advance so they had plenty of info to start them off.
As it so happened they had arranged to visit Blackpool with her brother this weekend and as we live in Blackpool it seemed the perfect place to arrange a "Family reunion".
My Dad was so excited they decided to travel across last night instead of today - he said so he could rest! My Mum said so he had more energy for talking!
We sat waiting patiently (if there is such a thing when first meeting family!) until they arrived. Would we run out of things to say? Would we bore them? Would they bore us? Would we get on? All these questions were flying through our heads. We sat at the window trying to guess which couple were our relatives. They managed to sneak up on us though - they were driven here and sneaked in at the side of the building. lol
Fantastic people with no airs and graces about them and so friendly it felt as though we had known them all our lives. So many stories of members of the family we knew about but had lost all hope of finding again as well as those we didn't know about. And the photos!!!! So many that I was in researcher's heaven and still am! Certificates were included. My poor hubby was sat at the scanner for over an hour scanning them all (bless his big woolen socks!)
After 3 hours they had to go as they had a dinner to attend but they had to be dragged away as they had 10 minutes to get back to their hotel and get changed (never managed it though).
My dad is still talking about the similarities between them. He's 71 and I know this has made his day as well as mine
The strange thing is, they live on the same road that my Dad drives along to visit his sisters in North Wales. He virtually passes their home! So if you guess that their journey will be slightly longer each time they go from now on, you would be right.
So if you get the chance to meet your new relatives - go for it! It is a brilliant experience and different with each person
We are now looking forward to seeing them again in a few weeks when we go through to Anglesey and hopefully we can meet the rest of the family
Carol
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Hi Carol
How wonderful for you all, especially your Dad hope he has many wonderful visits with his new found rellies. :) :)
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Carol :o :o :o
I congratulate you on your description of the day, by the end I thought I was there too :D ....just wonderful :D and I just know you'll enjoy Anglesey as much. Your Dad in his 70's too, enjoy every minute :)
Wendi
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I'm sure he will Jericho.
As he lives in Yorkshire he doesn't like to travel across the Moors in the cold weather so usually travels during July and August unless he really has to (funerals etc) but he is already planning a trip for late April Bless him!
I'm trying to equal it out by finding Mum a new relative and then Dad a new relative so they don't get too jealous lol
Carol
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Hi Carol
I am so happy for you
Love Anne
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Carol :o :o :o
I congratulate you on your description of the day, by the end I thought I was there too :D ....just wonderful :D and I just know you'll enjoy Anglesey as much. Your Dad in his 70's too, enjoy every minute :)
Wendi
The strange thing is that I have been going through to Anglesey once a month since August last year to visit my Auntie and cousins and to visit the records office (mainly researching this family that is the link to all of us) and have also passed their home each time.
Now the journey won't be so boring with a someone to visit half way
Carol
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Thanks Anne
I am now trying to age half the photos through the photo studios named on the backs of them so might try a visit to photo restoration board to see if anyone can help. Hopefully the good feeling I have about one of them could be right and it could be a photo of my Great Great Great Grandfather. Fingers crossed xxx
Carol
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Now the journey won't be so boring with a someone to visit half way
That 'taint a someone THAT'S a RELATIVE !!!!!
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OOPS!! :o
Can't believe I put "a someone" when I meant to put "someone"
And Yes I should put relative or family shouldn't I?
Carol
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Hi Carol,
Meeting a new rellie is always an interesting experience!!
I forgot to mention in my new rellie thread that my new rellie emailed me a photo of my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather George William Tanner, a Hackney Cab Driver in London. Until this point I had no photos of that branch of the family at all, so receiving this photo was brilliant!!
Hope that photo of yours turns out to be of your Gt Gt Gt Grandfather!!
Researchers Heaven, what a place!!
Regards,
David.
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Hi David
Well I put one of the photos in the photo restoration section and there have been two dates come back so far.
The first was 1860 which would have made him my GGG Grandfather but then Prue (very knowledgable on dates etc) came back with about 1894 + which would make it the son of my GGG Grandfather. Either way I will ba happy to have found at least a photo of them. It's amazing how much info a simple photo can give out and if you have enough dates and info you can make a very good guess (usualy about 90% correct) about which member of the family it could be
Carol