| Questions for the Relatives | | | | each other? |
| They are your key to the success of tracing | | | | - Are any of the siblings still living today? |
| your family tree and your family history. From | | | | - If they are still living do they have any contact |
| this you may be able to uncover three or four | | | | details for them? |
| generations of your family's tree. | | | | |
| - When looking at relatives to gain information try | | | | When did your parents die (If applicable)? |
| and identify your living relatives. | | | | - Mother's Death Date? (If not known an |
| - Try and indicate in what way they are | | | | approximate year of death can give a good |
| connected to you, by creating a rough family tree | | | | starting point when accessing the death registers). |
| diagram. | | | | - Where was the burial or cremation held? |
| - When you have the location of the living | | | | - What town, city, village and regional area or |
| relatives you should be able to start to look at | | | | county did she die? |
| the demographic spread of your family. | | | | Father's Death Date? (If not known an |
| - The main thing to bear in mind with location of | | | | approximate year of death can give a good |
| family members is the distance time and cost of | | | | starting point when accessing the death registers). |
| visiting family members. | | | | - Where was the burial or cremation held? |
| - You may feel that it would be more beneficial to | | | | - What town, city, village and regional area or |
| use other means such some of the more modern | | | | county did he die? |
| techniques like, E-mail, Instant messaging, Video | | | | |
| Conferencing. These methods of communicating | | | | Your parents, can they remember any of their |
| amongst family are becoming very common and | | | | parent's birth and marriage details? |
| should not be put out of hand. | | | | - Fathers Details |
| One of the main areas that you will find by the | | | | - Do they know their fathers birth day? |
| identification of your own relatives is the ages of | | | | (Sometimes all they will know will be the day and |
| the living members within your family. | | | | month that they were born). |
| - Clearly you will probably have looked at getting | | | | - Do they know what regional area or county |
| in touch with the more senior members of the | | | | were they born in? (If Known) |
| family, but bear in mind when doing this don't | | | | - Do you know when your father got married? |
| throw everything at them in one. it may take | | | | - Do you know where they got married? |
| several visit or conversations about then subject | | | | Mother's Details |
| to get a clearer understanding of the history that | | | | - Do they know their fathers birth day? |
| they can unlock. | | | | (Sometimes all they will know will be the day and |
| - Younger members of the family should not be | | | | month that they were born). |
| dismissed lightly as they also could hold valuable | | | | - Do they know what regional area or county |
| keys to uncovering historical family events. | | | | were they born in? (If Known) |
| | | | | - Do you know when your father got married? |
| Before you visit | | | | - Do you know where they got married? |
| | | | | |
| These are some of the basic steps in planning | | | | In your father's family can you remember any of |
| before your visit to the relatives. This we feel is | | | | his brothers and sisters? |
| important as it can allow you time to research the | | | | - How many Brothers or sisters did he have? (if |
| type of questions that you would like to ask. The | | | | known) |
| key point of the visit is that you must set | | | | - Can they remember their names? (Full names if |
| yourself some key aims and objectives. | | | | possible but they might not remember them). |
| | | | | - What regional area or county were they born |
| - Try not being too hasty in your approach to | | | | in? (If Known) |
| relatives as sometimes this can make people | | | | - Are any of the siblings still living today? |
| more guarded and the information that you can | | | | - If they are still living do they have any contact |
| get may not have as much depth to it. | | | | details for them? |
| - We would advise any person when contacting | | | | |
| relatives, to make an initial but brief contact, | | | | - Do they know of any details about their |
| which could either be by letter, Email, or | | | | grandparents? |
| Telephone. In this type of contact you should | | | | |
| make your explanation of what it is you are doing. | | | | In your mother's family can you remember any |
| - Try when arranging a meeting, to make the | | | | of her brothers and sisters? |
| atmosphere that you are going to be receptive | | | | - How many Brothers or sisters did she have? (if |
| for your relatives, as when they are calm and in | | | | known) |
| a place of comfort you will be able to get them | | | | - Can they remember their names? (Full names if |
| to open up and speak more at ease. | | | | possible but they might not remember them). |
| - At all times be aware that when you are | | | | - What regional area or county were they born |
| gathering your stories from members of the | | | | in? (If Known) |
| family always try and reassure them of privacy. | | | | - Are any of the siblings still living today? |
| - When planning on a visit to relatives try and | | | | - If they are still living do they have any contact |
| make it that there is only one person doing the | | | | details for them? |
| interview so to speak. This will not give rise to | | | | |
| interruptions from second parties, and it will not | | | | Do they know of any details about their |
| sidetrack you from your intended aims and | | | | grandparents? |
| objectives for the meeting. | | | | |
| | | | | Did any members of the family serve in either of |
| Possible questions to ask | | | | the world wars? |
| | | | | |
| What we are going to do in this section is to | | | | Has any members of the family emigrated? |
| create a simple checklist of some of the | | | | |
| questions that you could ask relatives. As these | | | | Has the family if they know originated from |
| questions are generic they can be applied to or | | | | outside the country? |
| adapted for other family trees that you may be | | | | |
| interested in investigating. | | | | Do they know of any one researching the family's |
| | | | | history? |
| Questions | | | | |
| Check | | | | Are there any family heirlooms? |
| What is their full name (as some relatives did not | | | | - Documents |
| always use the given birth name)? | | | | - Service records |
| | | | | - Family Bible |
| What is their date of birth? This may include | | | | - Last wills and testaments |
| some of following secondary points). | | | | |
| - Where were they born? | | | | What to take and do when meeting relatives. |
| - What regional area or county were you born in? | | | | |
| | | | | When you are talking to relatives there are some |
| Did you have any Nicknames when you were at | | | | things that you may find that you will need to |
| school or at work? | | | | take along with you. |
| | | | | |
| What educational establishments did you attend? | | | | - Take a large notepad with you try to write in |
| Where were these educational establishments | | | | capitals as this will be easier for transcribing later |
| located? | | | | on when you are entering data into a family tree |
| When did you attend these educational | | | | program? |
| establishments? | | | | - We would suggest that you take some form of |
| - Infant school? | | | | recording device with you so that you can |
| - Junior school? | | | | recheck what has been said. (Recording devices, |
| - Senior / grammar school? | | | | mobile phones, Dictaphones, recordable mp3 |
| - College? | | | | machines). |
| - University? | | | | - Take a proper camera with you to take |
| What Qualifications did you receive at the end of | | | | photographs of your subject and any |
| your education? | | | | documentation for provenance to your family |
| When did you leave school to start work? | | | | history. |
| | | | | - Sometimes it is nice to take a welcoming |
| When you were in education can you remember | | | | gesture to a family relative, it helps put them at |
| any stories of the teachers and pupils you were | | | | ease. |
| in contact with? | | | | - Arrange other meetings as the first meeting |
| | | | | should always be short, you can always ask other |
| After leaving school did you do an apprenticeship | | | | questions in later meetings. |
| or any other training? | | | | - Be sure to get the interviewees permission to |
| | | | | record the conversation, as you may also want |
| Can they remember their first job? | | | | to make this available to other members of the |
| - When did you start the job? | | | | family. |
| - What was the company name that they | | | | |
| worked for? | | | | What to do when you get back |
| - Can they remember the address of their first | | | | |
| place of employment? | | | | When you return from your meeting, you must |
| - Did they advance / get promoted in the | | | | record the information in some way. |
| company? | | | | - Correlate any information and put it in some |
| | | | | form of chronological order. |
| Were you the oldest or youngest in the family | | | | - Create yourself a brief summary of what you |
| (what was their placing within the family?) | | | | got from the meeting. |
| - How many Brothers or sisters did you have? | | | | - Preserve and label any recordings for future use |
| - Can they remember their full names? | | | | and transcription if that is required. |
| - What were the age differences between you | | | | - Bullet point the key areas |
| all? | | | | - Organise in headings and sub headings |
| - What regional area or county were they born | | | | Download and archive any photographic material. |
| in? | | | | If required print off any photographs that may be |
| - Did you have any pet names or nicknames for | | | | required for further use. |