My sister doesn`t want me to do the family history.

[MarieC]

Ambers,

You touched a chord with me.  My Dad was interested in family history, but sadly when he died in 1989 we did not have the Internet to research, and I did not share his interest.  I know that he would be thrilled with what I have discovered about his family!  I hope that he does know.

I'm sorry about the destruction of your parents' documents.  That must have been awful for you!

MarieC

[ambers]

Hi MarieC,

Although I have been able to trace my mothers side of the family without any of the original documents, my dad's side were Welsh and have found it impossible to get the birth certs for anyone.

Dad was orphaned at a young age, and his knowledge of his family background  was little. He always kept a very old leather bound book which was given to him as a child, it had dates of birth, marriage and illnesses to my knowledge, which he kept up-dated.
It did look very tattered, but to destroy along with other things of my parents was unbelievable

Ambers

[Mogsmum]

A few pages back, someone asked why their enjoyment of family history should be regarded as an 'obsession', whilst their OH's collection of travel books was described as a 'passion'.

My husband and I had a similar discussion only yesterday, when he asked why I was 'obsessed with dead people'.   Ignoring the, 'never answer a question with a question' advice, I asked him why he always felt the need to buy far more wood than he required when doing anything.    His reply was - a rather unsatisfactory - 'just because ...'   

QED I think?

[drodgers34]

I wonder where the world would be now if humans werent prone to obsessing a little.

No religion, no spectator sports, no wars, no collectors, no millionaires - sounds a bit like  John Lennon song - but he probably wouldnt have written it ! and even if he had no-one would have bought it .

[MarieC]

Dad was orphaned at a young age, and his knowledge of his family background  was little. He always kept a very old leather bound book which was given to him as a child, it had dates of birth, marriage and illnesses to my knowledge, which he kept up-dated.
It did look very tattered, but to destroy along with other things of my parents was unbelievable

Ambers

Oh Ambers - I'm so sorry!  What an awful thing to happen - you must have been ropeable!! 

MarieC

[JAP]

Ambers,

That is so very very sad.

To think that so much of your heritage was discarded is too cruel - especially after your Dad had cherished his heritage for so long.  Let's hope that it might have survived somewhere and might turn up one day.

Most of my people have been able to be traced by the records despite the fact that photos and so on were chucked.  My father's sister burned so much.  But before this my father's brother's son kept heaps of stuff (especially photos) and took them with him when he went to live in New Guinea.  When he returned to Aus he packed photos and papers into two piles and told the people who worked for him to pack one pile to go to Aus, and to burn the other pile.  Yes, you know what happened.

All the very best,

JAP

[ambers]

Thanks MarieC and Jap for your thoughts on what he did

Sorry to hear of your destroyed documents too Jap.

Maybe Johngirls sister will be very sorry for not taking an interest in what she has accomplished with her Tree one day too.

Ambers

[johngirl]

Hi ambers and JAP.

How sad that people don`t realise the importance of documents like these. To us they are our past. All that part of your family history just gone.
My oldest sister would have loved that I`m doing our family history but sadly she passed on eleven years ago. My sister knew more about our family than the sister who is kicking up a fuss about me doing our family history. My oldest sister was a lot older than my other siblings.
Yes hopefully one day my sister will come around and appreciate what I have  researched. Until that time I will just keep up my interest in my family history.
Pity my sister can`t get the family history obsession bug like most of us on rootschat.

    Johngirl

[GAJM]

My brother told me its usually the mad person in the family that does the family tree bit insulting indeed!

I didnt let it get to me I have made hundreds of friends from the research.

Keep up the research I think research like this is a monument to our ancestors.