That was interesting

[Osc]

Some years ago (10+) I started to put together a family tree for my father's side of the family, did a lot of work pre-computer and some primitive computer stuff, most of which I lost on a computer changeover. I tracked down someone from the Australian branch, who subsequently visited Ireland and I had a little party for him with some of the Irish cousins. After that, by a roundabout route, I spoke on the phone to an Irish second cousin, didn't even know about her, we had a very long chat and she sent me some photos and info about the large San Francisco side of the family. However, dancing was beginning to creep into our life by then, and I gradually did less and less of the family history work. Earlier this year, I went to a genealogy show in Dublin and it was my intention to really try and get back into it this winter.

Fast forward to this afternoon, and there I am ironing away when the phone rings - it was the Irish second cousin (imagine she still had my number) telling me that she was in the town where I live, with one of the San Francisco cousins and would it be ok if they called in! I said I'd be delighted so long as they took me as they found me Raced upstairs and managed to get on some eyeshadow and was just doing the second eyeline when the doorbell rang! Both women had their other halves with them, both very nice men who sat there patiently while us ladies looked at the family tree I drew up years ago - all my papers are really disorganised at this stage - swopped legends about some family history and generally got on really well. These two women are maybe in their early 70s so a few years older than I am and have known each other for 50 years. I hardly knew that the Irish cousin's family existed because there was a severe falling out between her grandfather and mine although I think my father tried to keep in touch in later times.

Definitely something is telling me to get back to the family tree - earlier this year I had contact from two other San Francisco relatives, I think one generation down from myself.

[Kaz]

Oh how fascinating!!!! What alovely surprise - LOL @ the make up thing though, I would have been the same

I reckon you're right, and that the fates want you to get back to the drawing board

[Ally]

That's fantastic Osc.

Definitely get back to the tree..it sounds great.

Loved the idea of you 'doing' your other eye when the doorbell went.

[JoM]

How wonderful Osc! Yes, I think you really need to get back to work on that tree!

[Diflower]

How lovely Osc
Blimey I remember when you were getting into the family tree thing!

[Osc]

Blimey I remember when you were getting into the family tree thing!

Di, that's not today or yesterday

[Diflower]

Not quite, no Osc

I remember especially because one cousin on my mum's side (M), and one of the only two on Dad's side, were also tracing ancestors at the same time.
M and his wife & son have been here, and we've been to them, and he's gone on about the genealogy stuff and I'm just not really interested, I know all Mum's side, there's nothing scintillating

[Kaz]

My oldest friend from school does genealogy as a paid hobby, drawing up family trees, and she very kindly did mine for me after mum and dad died, as a gift, and it was very very interesting

No sign of the Jewish ancestors that had long been rumoured, but some Northern Irish we knew nothing about, and some Scottish - they were all miners and moved to the NE of England for work - and we turned up a vet/horse doctor in Victorian London and his son, my great grandfather who was a caretaker at the Houses of Parliament and looked after Big Ben..................It's a lovely thing to have, I think. My niece is very interested in it all but my sister isn't really - the extended family stuff isn't her 'thing'

My MIL has been doing hers for a while now, using Ancestry.com

[JoM]

My Mom's cousin has been doing his family tree, and gave my Mom a copy of the part where her family come into it which was interesting to see.
I've had a look at census entries and the like on Ancestory.com. That was quite interesting, seeing that my great grandmother was an unmarried mother living with her parents in 1901 - would love to know the story behind that. In 1911 she'd disappeared off the census but her son, my grandad, was still living with his grandparents. Nothing else juicy though, and no one from far flung places - everyone's from Shropshire, Birmingham, the Black Country or here

[TheOstrich]

How fascinating, Osc ....

My S is the genealogy expert in our family and has tracked it back many generations .... she has a huge wallchart up in her spare bedroom !!

I believe she has found that we had one distant relative who was one of the 14 crewmen who perished in one of the biggest UK lifeboat disasters on record - off the coast of Southport in 1886.