Average Age of Family History Enthusiasts

[arabella]

Hi Keith - just a wee bit younger than you - born 1950...and yes, been doing it about 5 years.My father died then and it struck me that if I didn't start looking pretty soon there'd be no one left to answer any questions.....as it is, remaining family  knew very little so its all coming together like a new jigsaw.

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Arabella,
Admitting one's age can be a funny old thing.  I've just read a passage from Robert Graves' book "Goodbye to all That", in which he describes how half the soldiers in his regiment at The Front fibbed about their ages - 15-year-olds pretending to be 18, and fifty-somethings pretending to still be in their forties.
But I suppose wartime and genealogy are two entirely different matters.  And yes, my mother and father's generation are beginning to drop by the wayside now, so like you I realise that time is of the essence if we're not to lose certain vital family facts before it's too late...
Keith

[jax]

Hi - merry xmas 

I am sure that there was a poll taken on this a while back.  I am sure one of the moderators could confirm and find results for you...

Ps - I am 40, and been interested for several years on and off.. and am now totally addicted 

jax

[SS from The Rhondda]

Try this one:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=22125.msg81728#msg81728

[GRACELAND]

Ps - I am 40, and been interested for several years on and off.. and am now totally addicted 

jax

 Yea 1964 wot a great year , I was born !!!!!!!!   

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi Rhondda,
I've just clicked on the link you suggested - which was in fact a poll started late last month, and notice that 60-odd people have so far responded.  I also note that twice as many women as men have responded, and there was I thinking that women were rather more coy about their ages than men!
Or maybe there are twice as many women as men interested in our wonderful hobby/pastime/passion.
It really would be good if lots more people could poll their ages so we could get a clear idea of age.
The younger the average age, the healthier things are looking for the future, I reckon...
Keith

[kerryb]

Hi everyone

I have just added my age to the Poll.  I am under 40 - but only for another year, 1 month and 17 days!  Have been finding my family history since early this year.  My brother bought my Grandparents house after Grandad's death and in the attic we found an old family bible with inside some names, dates of birth and death and it got me interested in finding out who these people were.  So here I am 9 months later, totally addicted with a family tree of about 900 and growing all the time.   

kerryb

[booger]

36 yrs and rising

It's a 30s and 40s thing. We're all middle aged and getting measured up for our coffins. We have to leave a record now to show that we actually existed.

[Keith Sherwood]

I wonder what would fit the description of "middle-aged" these days.  In Shakespeare's time a lot of people would have been quite glad to have got as far as 36 years old!
For years and years I used to look in the mirror in the morning and still think of myself as 18 years old.  Now, at 57, I'm much more realistic about the aging process (lines, thinning hair, etc. etc.) and my own mortality...
Keith