I wonder....did my great aunts and uncles really know each other

[DavidG02]

Well I definitely know 2 who did!! They were brothers who married sisters

I think the point about dominant female is true as my great grandmother and most G-uncles and G-aunts  lived in Port Pirie , we lived in Adelaide and my grandparents lived in the South East- so even though Pt Pirie was closer we always went south-east

Though one special old bird always visited my nanna (her sister) and still wearing miniskirts at 70. Lovely crazy wonderful woman died 6 months shy of 100.

Met a few at weddings but could have walked past them on the street and not known them

[Ringrose]

I also had three great  uncles who married three sisters between 1900 and 1910.I know the sisters supported each other but two of my great uncles left their families.One had 5 daughters and was told by his wife to go and not contact his daughters.It has remained a mystery why and also where he went....he had a common name.The other one treated his wife badly and also left home but he had contact with his three daughters.
Ringrose

[LizzieL]

I think it's geographic and linked to "the oldest female".  While families are close in distance and the "old mum" is still alive, they'll naturally see each other several times/year when visiting mum.

And even more so if "Mum" is widowed relatively young. Both my grandmothers were widowed in their early sixties and went on to live more than 25 years afterwards. But I don't think it always "mum" that holds everything together. Both my grandmothers had sisters who never married and they were every bit as active in keeping in touch with their nephews and nieces and great nephews and nieces.   

[iluleah]

On my maternal side I know they knew about each other as that is how I knew about them and met them, I know one moved to Ireland and I remember going over to visit and my mother still writes to her cousin, another moved to Canada although returned but two adult cousins of my mother remained there and made their lives there, again I remember when very young them coming over for a visit and meeting them , I have via FH research been in contact with their descendants who I didn't know about from 'family'
My great grandfather was previously married which 'family' didn't know, my grandmother did say she thought "her mother was previously married but no one talked about that or asked questions so she didn't really know" turned out it was her father and who I thought and she thought was a full sister was actually her half sister from his previous marriage, also found she had 4 other half siblings all who had died hours or days old. My regret was that my grandma had died before I found this all out as I would have loved to have shared that with her.

On my paternal side was a different story, my father was an only child his mother died when he was 4yrs old and I only met one great aunt, my grandfathers sister so my paternal side of the family are all 'new' to me and only found out about from FH researching.

[DavidG02]

On my paternal side was a different story, my father was an only child

 <snip>

 so my paternal side of the family are all 'new' to me and only found out about from FH researching.

Same here. Only met my dads cousin at grandmothers funeral. But very fortunate as he had the family history ( to some extent) and passed a lot to me , giving me the impetus to follow the lines

[Jeal]

My grandfather was the eldest of 13 children and the only one who visited him was the one who emigrated to Canada , when she was back in the UK . He seems to have had no contact with those who lived in the same town or a few miles away. My father did not know his paternal aunts and uncles but had regular contact with his mother's sisters. Only after my father's death did I meet one of granddad's younger sisters, a lovely lady who was able to give me some family history. The other siblings all seemed to be in regular contact but my grandfather chose to cut himself off . Apparently there was no big row he just had no interest in his family. Large families are not always close.

[LizzieW]

It's right about mum keeping in touch with everyone.  When my mum died and I got her address book I found she was in touch with all my cousins and aunts and uncles and even her father's cousin!

I was in touch with the aunts and uncles - the ones still alive and a couple of cousins.  I wrote to all my cousins and got replies from a couple of the ones I wasn't in touch with, one has since died, but it seems since mum died most of the cousins I wasn't in touch with aren't interested anyway.  Perhaps because they were mostly male and younger than me.  My female cousins have kept in touch.

Interestingly my grandfather's cousin who was a similar age to my mother died a few months after my mum, but whilst she was still alive I was able to ask her for info about my grandfather and his family.  She didn't have any photographs of my g. grandfather, but did have one of his brother - her father - which she sent to me.  She told me they looked very alike, so that was a plus.  Sadly she died before she was able to look out any further photos.

Lizzie

ps.  I hope my children and grandchildren keep in touch after I'm gone - and I'm not going anywhere for many years yet - my children all keep in touch although they do live fairly close to each other, apart from one in USA - and my older grandchildren keep in touch with each other, albeit mainly by Facebook.

[ThrelfallYorky]

When my mother died I too went through her address book, and wrote to all the names there - most of whom she'd faithfully been sending Christmas cards to for years.
I worked out that I had to say to them that I didn't quite know who they were, but I was informing them that Mum had died, and I politely asked them if they'd been friends or relatives, and enclosed s.a.e.s.
Hardly anyone bothered to reply. One replied and said that they didn't want any contact! (Not quite what I'd said) - and later when I started researching, I realised that several must from the names and locations have been relatives I didn't know of. Ah well.

[AnneMc]

I was lucky on my mum's side of the family I knew all of my grandmother's siblings.  In fact I stayed with some of them when I was younger.  They were a close family and they visited with each other a lot.

cheers

anne