I was interested in my genealogy long before I knew what the word 'genealogy' meant!
My paternal line was my interest, having lived with my paternal g/mother for a year on a remote island (South Uist, Inverness-shire) & annual holidays as a child (as well as holidays in my adulthood) after my g/mother was deceased.
There were no 'playgrounds' with swings etc. & all the kids I went to school with were Gaelic/English speakers although when speaking to each other, Gaelic was their native language which was mainly used! (I was about 9 yrs old) i.e. the kids probably never gave it a thought on my 'English' only language apart from the odd words unless I spoke, they would answer me in English
I spent many hours/days/weeks/months with the only g/parent I ever knew (paternal g/mother) as the rest of my g/parents were deceased before I was born
My g/mother was b 1882 i.e. very old (in her late 80's) when I lived with her in 1969/70
The Island of South Uist (where she was born) is small & my g/mother would tell me many things such as the names of her siblings/parents/g/parents etc. & my father (her son) told me much about his paternal line who were all born Motherwell, Lanarkshire but descended from South Uist & most of whom had emigrated to Canada!
I somehow (from such a young age) had a great interest in how my g/parents met & how both their families descended from South Uist & I found they lines easier to trace although my paternal surnames & forenames were aplenty, I rooted them out
My paternal g/mother's mother had an uncommon surname on the island i.e. that made things easier!
My mother on the other hand had been an orphan & born in N/Ireland!
Her parents both died when she was a child of 6/7 yrs old, (within a yr of each other) & knew nothing more than her parents names (mother's maiden name) & when they died.
I was able to piece a lot together in later years (from memory) most of what I'd been told with my Scottish roots but my Irish roots were a bit harder & had to rely on 'opening up old wounds' by having to ask my aunt (mum's older sis) questions which were hurtful for her to answer because of the nature of her parents deaths.
By the time I plucked up the courage to ask my aunt (my mother had been deceased for many yrs) & I had become acquainted with the techniques of FH research i.e. able to ask relevant questions which actually stirred up many memories (although distant/vague) in my aunt's mind but so much came to the fore with my questions & although the info. was scant from her own memory as a teenager, I was able to discuss things which helped her to recall more than she had actually remembered.
I have now traced my maternal parents lines further back than my paternal lines, mainly because there are more records to be had on my maternal lines who were actually of English/Scottish descent with more records available in the areas from which they descended (further back).
Such a pity my parents aren't here to enjoy my findings
Annie
