Trouble over Family History !!!

[Kimi]

My Husband's eys glaze over when I even dare to mention it and only listens to shut me up!  He says I spend too much time on the computer with dead people   and when the post is late, he says the post man has died of boredom on the way cos he's got to deliver my certificates.  My Mum is semi interested but I think she has trouble grasping it all.  She gets this blank expression on her face when I show her what I've found .  Me and my hubby sometimes set challenges for each other and if I win, he has to take me to the FRO and spend the whole day there with me.............I won't tell you what I have to do

Kimi

[Bee]

Obviously we all have a love affair with are own family history  but would our other halves/living relatives/friends show more interest if we told them that we had famous ancestors or that there was an unclaimed legacy just waiting to be claimed, not that I've got either in mine and I'll be very surprised if I find any.

[M.T.H]

Family history,and the time I devote to it,certainly causes some consternation in my house

My long suffering, but wonderful partner,isn't into genealogy or history at all,not one bit she thinks it's all a waste of time and pointless.

I'm sure that I'm not alone,but when I make an interesting discovery,I want to tell someone about it,but any attempt to enlighten my other half,is met with the usual rolling eyes and an expression that clearly says "why do you bother,you know I'm not interested".

In a vain attempt to get her 'interested' I decided (without telling her) that I would research her family,that would surely do it,I thought.

I spent a ridiculous ammount of time on it (fortunately ,her family were all local) and I managed to get back to 1780.

Pleased with my efforts,I chose the time carefully,and presented her with a detailed history of her family.After a look through it all she said "they weren't too interesting were they,they didn't move far and they were all farm workers" 

Now,I rarely bother telling her what I've discovered.Our cat knows more about my family history than my partner does
At least the cat 'pretends' to be interested,and she keeps her opinions to herself

So,there's no big discussions in my house about social history,no discourse on the lives of people in Victorian England,no Military history,in fact nothing remotely related to family history,but I love her to bits,and I make up for my apparent shortcomings in 'other ways'

My sympathies to anyone in a similar situation,

Mick

[dinkey]

My mum is very interested by what I find about her family but says she could not be bothered by doing all the research. My husband were not the slightest bit interested until I found his Dads cousin in New Zealand. I am now in touch with him and we have received an invite to go out there. My son finished Uni. a year ago and wanted to go out there but student debts prevent it. Now he says sod the cost when are we going. Its the only time he has wanted to know about  his family background.

[MrsLizzy]

Many people think it's an interesting hobby but they seem to think it's too much like hard work for them to do themselves.  My mum thinks it's great but expects me to do all hers for her - doesn't even offer to help pay for certificates!  And as I posted elsewhere, she once asked me "When you've finished doing the family history, can you research the history of my house?"  Research your own house, Mum!  you live in it!

 

[newbie]

Whenever I mention - Guess what I've found today ? to my other half he sort of groans and that look of "wish I wasn't here" appears! If my two - now grown up children are around it's oh no Mum's going to talk about the family history...
oh well, wish I had a cat to talk to,
Newbie

[Kazza]

Or,  you could share it all with us,  we love to know. 

My husband has also given up even pretending to be interested.  Mum and Dad always ask me what the latest is though.   And as for Nicey (My beautiful Burmese cat) he is far too important to be bothered with my affairs.  He sits next to me while I use the computer though,  he likes to keep an eye on me.

Kazza.

[Shanko]

All my friends are now getting into it themselves, my mum would of loved it but sadly shes gone

My aunties and uncles are thrilled and join in.

Ive found new long lost cousins back home (UK) and now they are getting into it as well BUT send all the details to yours truly to put together

As for going through graveyards its a bit hard as all my ancestors are back home in the UK and its a long way to go through them from over in OZ

My brother thinks is wonderful and always asks have you found another 1960s London gangster?
My hubby looks at me raises his eyebrowns then frowns and says when I tell him what I found out 'Your all bloody criminals! haha

with uk actors, 60's gansters, and the like my family tree is full of colourful characters

[Zeb]

My research is proving fascinating for the rest of my family and more are eager to know what I've found out so I call them regularly and let them know of anything new.  A large part of my family history is unknown.  Well, was unknown until I found out some fascinating stuff.

For example, the names of my grandfather's siblings on my mother's side were completely unknown as they dispersed during WW1 - now I have them and loads more info.  Names on my ggrandmother's side were also unknown but I now have them and more.

The general reaction I get is of interest when I tell people what I do in my spare time.  I don't think anyone has thought of it as dull and boring.