Genealogy Chat

I have amongst my collection lots of old photo albums. In one of them I found a photo of a grave. The deceased's details were quite legible so I did a little research. Lo and behold - someone on this site was looking for the very same person! I mailed them and asked them if they would like the album, as it was very likely that they were all ancestors. 'No thanks' was the answer! 'We probably wouldn't recognise them!' The album dates from the very early 1900's late 1800's and has about 200+ pics in it. Fortunately, I found someone else who was also researching the same person on another site and the album will now be going to it's righful home. Ian

Ian, I would give anything (well not quite anything) for something like that about my family!!!!! I can't belive that anyone would turn down such an offer - Thankfully you found them a good home. Thank goodness we are not all alike. (If you ever come across anything related to me - I would bite your hand off). Dea

Oh Ian, some people are COMPLETELY UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!! I have had two similar situations......Offered a photo of a distant cousin (through this site) a photo of her G-grandfather ( she had never seen him) and she said NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Offered a man with whom I have no connection, a photo of his gg uncle (ggu was a friend of my g uncle who died WW1 as did his ggu) and he said NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is it with people???? Merry

Hi I can't believe it! If only there was such a find connecting to my family it would be a great addition to my family history research. My mum has photos dating back to end of 19th century and early 20th century and its great putting a face to names im researching. Regards Marie Prior

That is unbelievable. I would be grinning from ear to ear if someone offered me photos of my family!!!

I'm glad you found someone else who wanted the album.......Lets hope they loved it more than the first people?! Merry

I wish I had something like that from my family, I remember an old family bible with all the names and dates in it.(Eckersley) It's long gone now but if anyone comes across it I would gladly pay for it. And as for photo's well that's a real bonus, still it's their loss!

I think some folk are more interested in the numbers game. For me, putting some substance on the frame is more important. There is no better way to do it than with photographs or personal possessions. I must admit to being rather deflated when they weren't bothered. I would have been singing and dancing! Ian

would you ever Adam and Eve it? I'd slap my own face just to have one photo, let alone an album!

It's nice to get a birth/marriage cert , but photo's how nice that would be. THe feeling would be great, it would make my day that would. Helen

Ignorant and unworthy, nothing else can describe that person-I would give so much for one single photo - one single reminder - cold hearted and callous - sorry am I being over harsh? Just cannot believe they said no!

NO, Ian .......I can't believe how someone could refuse such an offer!!! Why are they on GR looking ,I wonder? Crazy logic , if you ask me!! Ann xx

Well if that's their attitude, it's just as well that they were not entrusted with such a gem. I have some photos of my family from the early 1900's and possibly earlier, difficult to date.... And although I don't know who they all are....I know that we have a connection. The one thing I have learnt with my own photos is:- Write on the back, not pressing to hard who's in the photo and when and where it was taken....It does take me ages to do so, but I know that future generations will appreciate this detail. Pen x

When my house burns down the one thing I shall rush back into the flames to rescue is the photo album dating back to the 1880s with photos of my father's mother's family in it. Slowly, very, very slowly, I am putting names to the faces, thanks to sharing photos with cousins I have met through this site. One of the best things that has happened to me on here has been receiving from another new-found cousin, this time on my mother's side, a photo of my great grandmother. I have been putting flowers on her grave since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, but had never actually seen a picture of her. She would have been in her late 60s when it was taken, and was getting very forgetful (senile we would call it now), and looks like a lost little girl. It makes me cry to look at it. How stupid is that! Tina

I have a few old family photos but would love to have more. If it were me, I wouldn't turn them down. My mum has had copies of some made for me, one of which was my grans wedding photo from her first marriage - still havenn't managed to trace the groom though! Lisa

Hi Ian No i dont believe it! However i know it does happen. Many years ago when my mother had just got married (whos now in her late 60's), purchased an Large old Bible. After a few years my mother put it away so it would not be damaged. About 3 years ago i came across it and took a closer look. In the front cover was a family tree, which covered parts of Essex and Kent. The bible was over 200 yrs old, and had lots of good information recorded in it. I found somone who had a few of the same names and dates. So i contacted them and they asked if i could scan the image and send it to them. Which i did , and they said that the did not want the bible as there were a few dates that did not match up. A few months after i found someone else who bit my hand off for it . As she also mentioned that there were dates and names which did not match up , but with all the other information given . It then also proved the family story of the surname changing through the years. For many months after i had people emailing me also asking me for the info and the bible. I have purchased a baby book , which has pictures telegrams, passports , hair , certificates etc. For the last two years ive been trying to find the family which it belongs to. Sarah

Well, I suppose it was more honest to say no, and let it go to someone else who was probably frothing at the mouth to get at it! I have a family photo, a 'Studio Portrait' of one of my mysterious relatives - she is a beautiful, wistful looking girl, with huge eyes and a great mop of hair. It has pride of place on my living room wall. Everyone who sees it, does a double take and says 'Is that your daughter?', and I can see them trying to work out why my daughter has posed for a photo in an off-the-shoulder white chiffon gown and a row of pearls (not her normal style!) Now, my Dad wrote on the back of this photo: Edith or Pamela 21st birthday. Wish I knew which one, and when! Olde Crone

To be fair, I suppose they might have been trying to save me the bother of postage, etc. However, I would bite the hand off anyone who offered me pics of family going back over a hundred years, no matter how tenuous the link! I have lots of pics, thousands in fact. This was the first time I have managed to trace anyone who has an interest in any of the ones I have, so I suppose I felt rather deflated when they weren't as keen as me! Some of them acn be seen at http://photobucket(.)com/albums/c253/northeast123 if anyone wants to take a look. Ian

Ian, I'm so glad you found someone appreciative of the photographs, hopefully they'll cherish them. What I wouldn't give to have at least one pic of my Grandfather! BTW had a look at your photos, recognised a couple of the buildings you had no title for, one being St Giles Cathedral , Edinburgh and another being Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church in Cambridge, hope that's helpful. best wishes Christine

I cant believe they turned it down - perhaps they thought you wanted big bucks for it? Madness, we wouldnt recognise them - why on earth are they bothering to do a tree at all if thats their attitude