My father left diaries, school magazines etc - how is best to share this info

[Tigsy]

My father recently died, he was brought up in Heston and kept a diary since 1941 to the day he died.  I have all his school books, school magazines (Spring Grove Grammar School) newspaper cuttings and military service documentation as well as school reports, documentation when he was in the Scouts etc, so much information it is really quite overwhelming!

My question is though, as a family historian there is so much valuable information that could be shared, that others may be interested in that went to the same school or served with him when he did National Service.

I have contacted local museums but they only want the originals, which I don't want to part with, but happy for copies to be made. 

I was thinking of setting up a website with this information but how do members suggest the best way to share these documents.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[mshrmh]

For the school - does it still exist and/or is there an old pupils association? Would either of these be interested in copies of the school-related material (even for a school project)? They might offer help scanning & copying in return if you're lucky, which would be a start. Similarly there may be an old comrades type of association for his military service. I don't know if Scouts go in for that type of thing, but again if the group is still going the leaders may be able to suggest if material could be used by someone working on one of the badges or awards who could help you with scanning etc.

It sounds as though if you could do with help to get it scanned in order to share the material - do you have a local FHS that has a computer group or local history society or a U3A group - there may be someone trustworthy who'd be happy to help & perhaps use it for a group project in setting up a website.

Best wishes with your treasure trove!

[Tigsy]

Thank you, the school doesn't exist anymore (Spring Grove Grammar School) in Isleworth and I did contact Hounslow Library and they said they were interested in the school publications, but only if I was prepared to donated the originals.  It just seems that there must be lots of people that have ancestors that went to this school that would just be interested in accessing the information, even if it is copies, especially as these were the war years.

His handwritten exercise books of his lessons, especially history and geography in 1941 must provide an interesting insight into the world pre WW2.

My father also kept a detail diary about what was happening during the war and numerous scrap books with newspaper cuttings of what was happening in the war. 

He travelled around the country as he became a journalist and lay preacher, living in London, Leicester, Congleton, Peterborough before retiring in Skegness. I also have newspapers for all these areas which again must be of interest to others.His scouting career also scanned over all these areas. 

As you say it is an overwhelming task/project.  I literally have crates full of this information, including birthday cards, photos and his letters to Santa Claus in the 1930's. 

An invaluable resource for any family historian but I do need to find a way to share this information.

[fastfusion]

Given there would be vast amounts of profiles within the data,   maybe you could do an A - Z of souls mentioned,       
If you have a camera phone or scanner maybe u could do a series of the more interesting images.
I would personally catalogue each article to its content,  and most probably do a detailed chronological written article of the history as the documents give.
The handing over to an institution would have to be carefully assessed , as it may fall into the wrong hands, but I would consider contacting the local family history group for which the school was located to ask for furthering opinions , and you may find there could be folk who would gladly undertake some volunteering to realease such a collection.

Good Luck with that   and   Yes  historical information is most valuable to genealogists and historians of every callibre.

fastfusion

[Tigsy]

Thanks, I had considered creating a book but the enormity of the information I have would be just too much.  A website has to be the best option.  Does anyone know if it would be possible to create a website and regularly upload documents/photos on to it?

At my dads funeral I donated all the photos of his life after I had left home (which meant nothing to me) to the locals at the village he lived in, everyone took away photos of events/memories they had shared with my father.  The remainder I donated to the local village archives.  It was a brilliant idea and went down so well and really was a celebration of his life.

What are the rules about data protection with regards to diary references to people during my fathers in National Service.

There is such a fascinating variety of documents - I know these would be of interest to so many people.

[fastfusion]

If you made a series of pdfs  with your information of ownership in the details box, then each pdf becomes a copyright identity.
then if u have a host page   then u can attach links   which would be the pdfs.

the actual handwritten material your father did is his copyright (assigned to you because he has passed)

by creating bio's on each soul mentioned then it would be limiting what you release...

May I suggest u have a look at this:>

The register of Tonbridge School, from 1820 to 1886, also lists of ...


archive.org › ... › The Mugar Memorial Library, Boston University


The register of Tonbridge School, from 1820 to 1886, also lists of exhibitoners, &c., previous to 1820, and of head masters and second masters (1886) ...

which was a brilliant way for folk to have a little understanding of each student...

m

[mshrmh]

Thank you, the school doesn't exist anymore (Spring Grove Grammar School) in Isleworth

There is an association of Old Spring Grovians:
http://www.springgrovegrammarschool.org.uk/

As regards creating a website - I've seen in the past that local U3A, WEA or some similar group has run courses. If you're in an area that would be covered by some of the material a local group may be interested as a collaborative project (local history, civic society, WI etc). You could approach the RootsChatters who are covering the Manchester General Cemetery grave transcriptions - that website is updated from time to time:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,481713.0.html

I've been listening to a National Archives podcast by someone who has created a book, based around family letters from WW1 - it's interesting even if you don't go down this route:
http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/marjories-war-four-families-and-the-great-war/

[Hystericalwriter]

What about your local archives? I think that you could deposit your collection with them, and it could be used by folk for research etc, but you still keep ownership of the collection.........and can remove it if you wish. The Scout Association do have an archivist, and it may be that he/she could be interested in old Scouting memoralbilia.........or (as there is in Somerset) there well may be a local Scout archivist for the county/district/group that your dad belonged to.

You might have to catalogue the stuff first  but this is the way social history is collected to allow historians use for their research.

Anne

[Tigsy]

Thank you for this information.  I have spoken a few times to the people that run the 'Old Spring Grovian' website and they are very interested in the information.  As an aside a very sweet story is one of the organisers of the association, remembered my dad and sent a letter about what he was like as a school boy which was read out at his funeral. 

The organisers though are not sure how long the society will run for as they have no one to hand over to.

As an interim measure on that front I have decided to scan a few copies of the school magazine and send them a CD with the images on so that they can write articles based on the information. They did however say that if I created a website and uploaded the pages they would do a link to the website - this may be one idea and to catalogue all the names listed.

How do I start with this project? 

I could then upload pages and divide the website up into different sections and direct people to the relevant section, cataloguing items. I could do 'little and often' and that way I get to keep all the material and share at the same time.