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Organising Your Family History

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  • Organising Your Family History

    It's taken me a long long time to get myself organised, no system is perfect, believe me! Mine has evolved and been adapted over the years, normally when I have been unable to find something when I needed it most, or I have downloaded or ordered a certificate twice!

    I have added pictures and written up how my system works. I use a lot of templates and sheets that I have made for myself, if anybody wants a copy of any of these, don't hesitate to give me a shout.

    I recently shared online some pictures of my Family Tree Filing system and organisation and it proved to be popular amongst fellow Family History Researchers, so I thought I would expand and explai…
    My Family History Blog Site:

    https://chiddicksfamilytree.com

  • #2
    Relocating back to the UK in 2008 meant I was able to "lose" most of the accumulated piles of paper.

    Now it is all contained in one bookcase, on my hard drive or online.
    Caroline
    Caroline's Family History Pages
    Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

    Comment


    • #3
      I have both digital versions and paper versions its a bit OCD I know
      My Family History Blog Site:

      https://chiddicksfamilytree.com

      Comment


      • #4
        I think a bit of OCD is a fairly essential requirement for a family historian.

        I'm off to have a read of your article now.
        Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

        Comment


        • #5
          Looks very tidy, but couldn’t be doing with all that paper, I only have a handful of documents that have come as a hard copy, and everything else I have is digital and has arrived as that.

          I am not sure why you are printing them, are you concerned that they will be lost digitally?
          Carolyn
          Family Tree site

          Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
          Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

          Comment


          • #6
            I keep paper copies as I'm scared I'd lose access to online trees, my computer goes down or memory stick doesn't work.

            Have had loads of problems so now just being careful.



            Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

            Comment


            • #7
              The essential info - births, marriages, deaths are recorded in Family Bibles, one on my Mum's side of the family, dating back to 1858 and one on my Dad's side, dating back to the 1890s.

              I have a tree online on Ancestry complete with photos. I have a fireproof safe with old photos and certificates and documents. The rest is in my head! I did have a paper version on about 8 massive ring-binders, which I just didn't have the space for when I moved to my flat. They took up most of the spare bedroom in my old house, but I don't have a spare room now.
              Good news is that my younger son is happy to take over the research when I've gone.
              ~ with love from Little Nell~
              Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

              Comment


              • #8
                When I started out there were no digital resources so I have paper copies of lots of things and I still enjoy actually browsing through my folders and notes, and handling the pieces of paper. I think if I only had digital I would miss out on some things. It's often easier to quickly flick to the right section of a folder than to fire up the computer and search for the file that you are looking for.
                Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

                Comment


                • #9
                  I do also have folders with the bare info - names, dates, places, of my ancestors so I can use them as crib sheets.
                  ~ with love from Little Nell~
                  Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I like to keep a paper copy for various reasons, firstly when I started computers were very much in their infancy, so the only option was paper copies.
                    Also not all family members who I share my tree with, are computer savvy, so having paper copies enables me to physically show them the results of my work, plus I can always post copies to those further away. Also like others have said its another form of back up. I have an online tree, back up to memory stick, back up to cloud as well.
                    My Family History Blog Site:

                    https://chiddicksfamilytree.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Tend to have all bmd (australian, english, scottish, irish) certificates printed and on my ancestry tree. My master tree is on ancestry, but organised trees and notes in binders. I remember where most of the sources are from, so can find info quickly if a website goes down. I have wills printed as easier to read on paper, especially bad writing or in latin or french.

                      I've got all the census for direct lines printed and in folders, but in general don't print the english parish records as not much info and too much paper. Though experimenting with putting them into family grouping histories and notes written on word.

                      I print all my german and french records though. Been lucky to find notarial records for the french lines as well as parish register entries, excerpts from books and genealogies; and the occasional civil registration. So paranoid i will lose those and not be able to find them again lol. The french records are not generally indexed and can be a bother to find again, and the german ones are not online.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Wow I'm impressed Paul,

                        I'm not very organised at all! I do have all my census/media/bmds on my computer and cloud based, though what has actually just occurred to me is that I haven't actually sat down and revised any part of my tree. What I mean is that when sit back it's just a collection of names and dates. Nothing that makes it other than what it is, names/dates etc. I'm waffling again and probably not making any sense whatsoever!
                        Julie
                        They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

                        .......I find dead people

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Darksecretz View Post
                          Wow I'm impressed Paul,

                          I'm not very organised at all! I do have all my census/media/bmds on my computer and cloud based, though what has actually just occurred to me is that I haven't actually sat down and revised any part of my tree. What I mean is that when sit back it's just a collection of names and dates. Nothing that makes it other than what it is, names/dates etc. I'm waffling again and probably not making any sense whatsoever!
                          I was struggling to get past the names and dates, without photos/newspaper articles/wills/family knowledge I think some will remain as that, as the basic records don't have enough substance, particularly if they never moved and had the same job.

                          But what I have started to do, as I finally have time, is make a narrative, encouraged by the thread Caroline has posted https://www.familytreeforum.com/show...rs-in-52-Weeks and Pauls postings.

                          I have also started looking at the area that some lived in and will do some narratives about that, and get images etc for there.

                          Paper copies are not something I will return to, I hated filing when it was necessary at work, and was pleased to get rid of all the paper work when I moved the team to digital, so definitely couldn't face it at home Just before I retired I got rid of most of the paperwork in the house, as my husband just used to chuck all the bills in a cupboard waiting for me to file/bin them.
                          Carolyn
                          Family Tree site

                          Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                          Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
                            I was struggling to get past the names and dates, without photos/newspaper articles/wills/family knowledge I think some will remain as that, as the basic records don't have enough substance, particularly if they never moved and had the same job.

                            But what I have started to do, as I finally have time, is make a narrative, encouraged by the thread Caroline has posted https://www.familytreeforum.com/show...rs-in-52-Weeks and Pauls postings.

                            I have also started looking at the area that some lived in and will do some narratives about that, and get images etc for there.

                            Paper copies are not something I will return to, I hated filing when it was necessary at work, and was pleased to get rid of all the paper work when I moved the team to digital, so definitely couldn't face it at home Just before I retired I got rid of most of the paperwork in the house, as my husband just used to chuck all the bills in a cupboard waiting for me to file/bin them.
                            yes that is a bit like me, very very few photos, in fact I have one photo of my grt grt grannie and one of my 3x grt uncle a few photos of my maternal & paternal grandparents but that is it!

                            I think I need to sit back and actually see what I have got and how best to flesh this out. I do have several 'family tree' books that are blank for you to fill in yourself maybe that would be a good way to start?
                            Julie
                            They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

                            .......I find dead people

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Darksecretz View Post
                              Wow I'm impressed Paul,

                              I'm not very organised at all! I do have all my census/media/bmds on my computer and cloud based, though what has actually just occurred to me is that I haven't actually sat down and revised any part of my tree. What I mean is that when sit back it's just a collection of names and dates. Nothing that makes it other than what it is, names/dates etc. I'm waffling again and probably not making any sense whatsoever!
                              Hi Julie,

                              I reached the same conclusion with my own tree a few years ago, it ends up as just cold data and facts on a page, so I started writing,

                              I started with my 8 x great grandparents and have now moved onto my 16 x great grand parents, have a look below.


                              This is the first in a new series of blogs, tackling the life stories of my 16 Great-Great Grandparents. So strap yourself in and lets begin the journey of discovery and uncover the life story of m…



                              This is the second of my series of blogs on the mammoth challenge of documenting the lives of my 2 x Great Grandparents, next up is Thomas Elisha Day, and what a very interesting and enterprising A…



                              This is the latest and recently updated biography of my great-grandfather, John Edwin Barnes. It’s always good practise to periodically review and revisit your work and I have included here s…



                              There are a lot more biographies on my blog, have a look and if you need any help give me a shout
                              My Family History Blog Site:

                              https://chiddicksfamilytree.com

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Originally posted by Darksecretz View Post
                                yes that is a bit like me, very very few photos, in fact I have one photo of my grt grt grannie and one of my 3x grt uncle a few photos of my maternal & paternal grandparents but that is it!

                                I think I need to sit back and actually see what I have got and how best to flesh this out. I do have several 'family tree' books that are blank for you to fill in yourself maybe that would be a good way to start?
                                Many of my family are not that different/interesting in a big way, so I have started with a few that were interesting. eg had their own business; were born in the same town as me and we never knew; I remember them and have some photos;

                                I had a go years ago, but was very dry, and no photos, but with newspapers/more records have more content now.

                                this is the start of the new stories, menus at top
                                Last edited by cbcarolyn; 31-01-20, 15:23.
                                Carolyn
                                Family Tree site

                                Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Wow lovely Paul... especially naming your son and getting a place named after your Forebears.


                                  Carolyn, that is SO Spooky I know Gunwallowe quite well and have been down to the beaches there many a time, if you would like any photographs taking then i'd be happy to help with them.

                                  I have a few ideas re the occupations as many of mine were coal miners/FWK's/Needlemakers so I may have the bones for some 'background' stories.

                                  thank you both.
                                  Julie
                                  They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

                                  .......I find dead people

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Originally posted by Darksecretz View Post
                                    Wow lovely Paul... especially naming your son and getting a place named after your Forebears.


                                    Carolyn, that is SO Spooky I know Gunwallowe quite well and have been down to the beaches there many a time, if you would like any photographs taking then i'd be happy to help with them.

                                    I have a few ideas re the occupations as many of mine were coal miners/FWK's/Needlemakers so I may have the bones for some 'background' stories.

                                    thank you both.
                                    Thank you
                                    We have had a few holidays down there a while back now, and did take a lot of photographs of the graves, I had only just started the research then so may have missed some, as I just took photos of every Lugg and Freeman there...which were very many! http://www.familytree.chatandthat.co...ls.php?album=2 will see if I can find any odd ones that I missed.

                                    Weirdly my Aunt bought a cottage down there using the money from my Nanna towards it....and it turned out to be the one that her Grandfather had actually built, she knew they were from there. But had no idea about the property connection.
                                    Last edited by cbcarolyn; 31-01-20, 19:26.
                                    Carolyn
                                    Family Tree site

                                    Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                    Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      ...edit there is one I need so if you are going soon.....
                                      Carolyn
                                      Family Tree site

                                      Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                      Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
                                        ...edit there is one I need so if you are going soon.....
                                        have pm'd you.
                                        Julie
                                        They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

                                        .......I find dead people

                                        Comment

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