Family History after parents passed away.

[Greyone]

I ought to have said that it pays to verify rather than just accept and also be aware of programmes that offer matches which may not be the same person at all. I have an unusual surname which makes checking of facts and relationships relatively easy but I have also come across some 'facts' that are anything but.

Thanks for such a good warning. I don't doubt that there are many traps for the unwary out there.

 

[Greyone]

You'll need to be ready to handle the feeling "if only I'd asked about that!"

I went to my great uncle's grave in Twickenham Cemetery but couldn't find it. I later purchased the exact grave reference online, and either the headstone has gone or has been pushed over/fallen so that you can't read the writing. I searched the whole area 3 times. The annoying thing about this is knowing my dad had paid for the headstone and feeling he might have been diddled by his cousin who might not have put the money towards it when he gave it to her.

There are lots of family secrets and things you might uncover. Or it may not make sense, for example my dad never knew his dad, but the stepdad took his surname so that the children didn't look illegitimate. This would not be in the records and unless I already knew that I could not search back any further.

I have become familiar with that since mum passed away because i think a lot about the past. We found out that dad waited for mum whilst she was looking after her father and that one of her brothers son was from a previous marriage.

 

[Lawson58]

I have become familiar with that since mum passed away because i think a lot about the past. We found out that dad waited for mum whilst she was looking after her father and that one of her brothers son was from a previous marriage.

And what is often passed down as family legend can sometimes be myth. I was always led to believe that my paternal grandmother was German. Her parents were German but she was born here in Australia.

I was also told that my maternal grandfather came to Australia as a young man but he was only 2 years old when he arrived here.

I know that in discussions with my sister, our recollections of events, people and places are different and we noticed differing details. Recording family narratives may be of great interest but the information may not necessarily be accurate. My grandmother had a great tendancy to provide 'facts' in a way that would put her in a good light but she quite unashamedly lied about heaps of stuff so we can never take what she said at face value.

 

[Tin]

And what is often passed down as family legend can sometimes be myth. I was always led to believe that my paternal grandmother was German. Her parents were German but she was born here in Australia.

I was also told that my maternal grandfather came to Australia as a young man but he was only 2 years old when he arrived here.

I know that in discussions with my sister, our recollections of events, people and places are different and we noticed differing details. Recording family narratives may be of great interest but the information may not necessarily be accurate. My grandmother had a great tendancy to provide 'facts' in a way that would put her in a good light but she quite unashamedly lied about heaps of stuff so we can never take what she said at face value.

"Grandmother facts" made me laugh, So true.

 

[SnowWhite]

My results were 42% Ireland, 34 Great Britain, 9 Finland, 8 NW Russia and 7 Iberian Peninsular. I found the last one very interesting as I am always drawn to holidaying in Spain or Portugal and afterwards several friends told me they weren't surprised as I "look spanish" .

The first contact on my list had an unusual name and I just knew it was my cousins adult son who lives in the US. We have been in touch. I am disappointed though as there's another 2nd cousin listed but they have not replied, nor have 3rd and 4th cousins.

I don't have too much spare time at the moment to delve any further but I must do soon.

 

[Greyone]

Thanks for the explanation and detail. I didn't think it was that interesting to be quite honest. So in the future, I may very well give it a go.