Genealogy Chat

See below in a mo.............

I have often seen questions on here about Smiths A4 acid-free pockets for storing certs etc and they are very cheap when compared with other sources. My problem though, is photo storage. Firstly, I have about 500 prints from the 1960's through to when we got our first digital camera, which are mostly still in the packets they came from the developers in. These need to be labelled in some way and put into albums..... Secondly, I have a metal trunk measuring 2x2x1 feet which is FULL with photos dating from the earliest available through to about WW2. There are literally hundreds and hundreds. It took me and mum a whole day just to glance at each one!!! So far I have put names and dates on the backs where I can (there must be at least 200 where I will never know who they are, but I cannot bring myself to get rid of them) I have then separated them all into about 8 catagories by family and rough date spans. Each of the 8 catagories is in it's own Tesco carrier (Yes, I know - not right is it??!!!!). My problem is - how can I afford to deal with all these?? Those that are named and dated are written on the back and if they are in permanent albums I won't easily know who they all are......... Does anyone have any bright ideas???? (other than breaking and entering at my local archive stationery suppliers) Happy Hunting - Merry xx

shoe Boxes or something similar? Places like Au natural sell pretty Utility boxes for storage - do they really need acid free pockets if they are stored sensibly in a cool damp free space in lidded boxes? Jess

Merry You do need to store them properly to preserve them, but, If you have a scanner, you can scan them (front & back) and save to disc. Give each file a name to reflect who they depict - keep in seperate folders for each family Then you can look at them anytime without damaging them. If you don't have a scanner put it on your christmas list, they are quite inexpensive these days Hope that helps Elly

WHSmith does a range of acid free photo albums and picture corners. By using picture corners you can still take the photo out to look at the back. I did this up my nan's as all her albums had dicture corners so I kept taking the photo out to read the back. Don't buy the albums with the sticky lines on or use glue, double sides tape, sellotape or foam pad as they will destroy the photo. My parents had a lovely looking wedding album with the sticky lines on when they got married, now 25 years on all the photos are brown and faided fron the glue.

Hmmmm - Yes, maybe that's an idea - some in albums and some in storage boxes....... A lot are scanned already.........so that's something! The thought of even starting the task fills me with dread!!!!! Maybe I could get nice looking stuff for Christmas?? Where's a good place for attractive storage that Santa might approve of? (Jess - Who are Au Natural?? Sorry to be ignorant!) Merry x

Au Natural or Matalan Office world or similar maybe Wilkinsons pound shops even (must have some of these where you live!)

Doh, Jess.....you want me to visit a SHOP???!! LOL Oh, all right then! I HATE shops!!!!!!! But just maybe as it's for my hobby, I could force myself?!! Merry

Scanning to your pc is a good idea and then burn to cd the popular tv shopping channel are doing a scanner at the mo a Visioneer 9000 at £28.97 I saw it on there last night and it can do photo scanning and it seemed good value John

You can get archival quality storage boxes from some of the genealogical sites.

Ooh Heather - without getting up off my bum, then! Any recommended? Merry

Always been my predicament Merry. My husband has his family photos(some from the early 1900s)in special boxes, and we have albums for weddings,celebrations etc.but it's the hundreds of photos taken over the years that become a problem as,like you say ,can't part with. While reading your thread it's given me an idea. I'm going to buy a couple of those slim- line plastic boxes on wheels that go under beds,they will take quite a lot of see through folders. Just an idea! Maureen x

Hi Maureen - I will have to buy a new bed first lol!! That is a good idea though - a large box on wheels with everything else inside........ Merry

Merry if you are after a new bed then get a hammock. Think how many boxes you could fit under it!! lol Claire

Ooh, Merry, you are so lucky to have all those old photos. I got quite excited last week about only finding a few. I think that I would be tempted to try and put them all in albums. After all, you don't have to do it all at once and your would know what to ask for for Christmas and birthday prezzies for the next few years. If the information you have is written on the back of them then it could be put onto little labels in your best joined-up writing next to each photo. If you got other people to buy the albums as prezzies, then you wouldn't even need to go to the shops!!!

Jeans and Angela - LOL!! Angela - Joined up writing!! I hardly know what my writing looks like these days!! Merry x

Merry, if you just google acid free archival box you get tons of sites up. I know about them because I was searching for my acid free album a couple of weeks back.