Family history?

[Cas (stallc)]

Apologies if this is a bit 'deep' but would like opinions or feedback on what have you learned or gained since doing you family history? 

I know we have learned about our individual forebearers, but alongside this, I have aquired knowledge of geography, and history, (throughout the UK) and also ICT, amongst many other things, whilst in my own search and searches for others.

Also do you believe you can have or develop a sense for family history when you do look ups.  Such as a 'nose' like an investigator.  Or do you think it is just experience along the way? Or is something genetic in some of us that compels us to find out, for ourselves and others?

I kinda sense sometimes, not always, that this is the people I am looking for, even though it is sometimes quite vague and obviously needs confirming.

Do others feel like this sometimes, or are you going to say am I well off my trolley, and need a new hobby.

Cas 

[Simon G.]

I kinda sense sometimes, not always, that this is the people I am looking for, even though it is sometimes quite vague and obviously needs confirming.

Makes perfect sense.  Each and every one of us here is in touch with our ancestors and know the ins and outs of their them to varying degrees.  It's inevitable we'll develop an intuition that tells us that even though we can't prove it yet, we're looking at family.
I sometimes like to think that it's our ancestors guiding us to them...sometimes they want you to find them and will lead you on the right path, other times they'll be difficult and lead you astray.  Sometimes they're sitting looking over your shoulders whispering in your ear telling you "this is me...make me live again through your research".

[kerryb]

I've learnt how to create a website to share the information about my family with other interested people.

I have learnt a load of stuff about the occupations and social history of my family as well as the geography of the places they lived in.  All very interesting information.

Kerry

[KathMc]

Besides learning a lot about my family, I have learned a lot about the places they were born, and am still learning quite a bit. I've also learned how to deal with bureaucracy, dealing with all the libraries, courts, vital records offices.

And I definitely get a feeling that I have found the right person. I am still working on one that I need to confirm as being my gg grandmother and am not sure if I will ever be able to, but I just know she has to be mine. I can sense it.

Great topic, btw
 

Kath

[mitchell]

I'm ashamed to say that I knew little about Scottish history before beginning my research and I am a born and bred Scot  Although I did Higher History at secondary school it didn't cover Scotland at all nor was it taught much in primary that I can remember. I'd say that I've learned most about that since I started.

I have felt 'guided' too especially if I've hit a brickwall. I'll leave it and do something else then something will pop up in relation to the brickwall when I'm not expecting it such a relevant post in a list or advice for someone else on a forum which helps me to go a bit further.

Elaine

[Cas (stallc)]

Thanks to all that posted.  I rarely start a new topic.

At least I know I am not alone in my FH world...

My OH cannot understand my totally uninteresting hobby, and why do I want to find, or help people, I have never met, unearth dead people!!  (his words)

Glad  'the sense or feeling' is with others, perhaps that is why I posted this topic, to ask if others felt it.

I do believe I have learned a lot, still am, even though I am not uneducated, as I teach. 

Besides all the added knowledge, gained along the way, my greatest satisfaction is the understanding and incite, into my own history and those that 'made me'.

Cas 

[Comosus]

I certainly have far better knowledge of the geography of the areas I am looking at.  Every time I go up to Yorkshire I pass villages that I recognise on signposts but only realised their significance to me once I'd done this.  I've been going past these signs for about 13 years now and only in the last year or 2 did they seem to make sense to me.  I was really strange when I first recognised things on signposts...

I also have quite a good memory when I need it so my ancestors tree is mostly memorised.

Andrew

[julianb]

Apologies if this is a bit 'deep' but would like opinions or feedback on what have you learned or gained since doing you family history? 

Good thread you've started here, Cas.

Like you I've learned a lot about history and geography of various parts of the country.  I've learned how to put a website together and through that sharpened my broader computer skills.

What is striking is the regional, and even local, differences in industries and occupations.  And working out why people moved from where they were born - a living history and geography lesson.  If only I'd done this while I was at school - it would have made it much more interesting.

It's also been quite a humbling experience.  Viewed from our cushy, yet rather sophisticated lives now, I've been reminded how tough it was for many of our ancestors, but their's was probably a more straightforward life - inevitably focused on securing the funds to feed, clothe and shelter the family.  Not a lot of consumer choice there!

And, at times, I too feel as though I've got a "good" lead, and at other times I have a nervousness about whether the conclusions I am drawing are the right ones.  Unfortunately these two feelings don't always match up in the right way.

One other thing I've learned is that you can learn so much from others, and the things that you yourself know can be of help to others.  That's why rootschat is invaluable because there's always a good second (or third etc) opinion waiting for you - a community rich in knowledge and skills.

At least half of us (if not most) of the people researching family histories are off our trolleys, whether we started that way or have nded up like that.  So you are not alone there!

JULIAN

[lizdb]

Yes, good thread.

Everyone is right, you learn so much. Especially social history, how people lived etc, the situations of having families of 10 or more children in tiny 2 up 2 down houses, with several of the children dying in infancy, whilst another branch of the family is doing fine with a bevy of servants. And geography too - it must be hundreds of times I have reached for the road atlas as a new place name has come up. And mostly detective skills!- being able to look at an apparantly 'deadend' situation from all different angles until finally a breakthrough is reached via the most unexpected route!

I had a visit from a very old friend (Well, he's only about 50, but I mean someone I have known a very long time!!) last year, I had not seen him for about 20 years, though we had kept in touch by an annual Christmas card and letter. He remembered vaguely from these letters that I had an interest in Family History, and was in the process of saying he knew someone who was VERY into Family History and how very 'sad' it was! He had to eat his words when I produced the 3 inch thick 'book' telling the story of our Edmonds's from 1713 to the present day!