Curating and documenting your personal stories and family history.
Why record the past?
Have you ever had a relative tell a family anecdote, relay a snippet about their childhood, or reveal some curious titbit of information about their ancestry, and thought – I must get that written down before it’s too late? And then suddenly, it’s too late…
Have you got a few stories of your own, some family research, or a collection of memories you want to preserve for future generations?
We tend to take for granted that the right opportunity to record our family’s stories and heritage will miraculously present itself: when we’re not so busy, when we retire, when we’re stuck at home with a broken leg, when the kids leave home.
Capturing the past somehow doesn’t seem important in the rush to predict and shape our future. However, one of the best ways to see into the future is to examine the past – nothing influences us as individuals quite so much as our own ancestry.
Navigating the maze of the past becomes difficult if there is no reliable record.
The latest from the blog…
- When Does a Secret Stop Being a Secret?
Part 2 – Why do we keep secrets?
At Record My Past, it is not uncommon for us to unearth a secret. Someone relaying their life story might say ‘You know I’ve actually never told anyone that before’, or during our family history research we come across a ‘skeleton in the closet’.
…continue reading. - Garland Secrets – Part 2
Exploring a mystery in the GARLAND family
Without a deep dive into my DNA test results, I would never have discovered my newly found Melbourne cousin and he would be none the wiser about the identity of his maternal grandfather, (continued)
…continue reading. - Garland Secrets – Part 1Exploring a mystery in the GARLAND family
Without a deep dive into my DNA test results, I would never have discovered my newly found Melbourne cousin and he would be none the wiser about the identity of his maternal grandfather.
…continue reading. - When Does a Secret Stop Being a Secret?Part 1 – What is a secret?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I find so compelling about researching my own family history and helping others research theirs. It’s not only to do with completing the jigsaw of my genealogical story. It’s like an almost misplaced fascination about what secrets lie lurking.
…continue reading. - Far from Ordinary
There is extraordinary in every ordinary.
Having just finished off Record My Past’s most recent project, I am once again struck by my storyteller’s humble and self-effacing reflections. Whilst he would have called his life an ordinary one, the family members … will see in its pages why I’ve subtitled it ‘A Lucky Bloke’.
…continue reading.