researching by default

[Heather Barford]

Well I never really intended to get in to family tree research, but because surnames have always fascinated me and being lucky enough to have a book at home owned by my grandfather on all the heraldic information of the UK, a book of the meaning of surnames another book called the Encyclopedia of New Zealand that listed all the early arrivals where they landed and of course the early postal address book of everyone in the country.Whenever I met someone with a new name I would look up the meaning and where they came from it was rather surprising to discover a surname that meant butcher for instance in another language, would have a son still working in the same trade. Coincidences have always fascinated me and one of the things I have discovered is that often what you think might be a coincidence some time later you find is actually the real thing. It was suggested to my grandmother in 1957 when she obtained a list from the Sexton in Forfar Scotland so she could find a family grave as like a lot of people she knew quite a bit about her mothers family but very little about her fathers family that she would do some family tree research, but he cautioned that people enjoy it always looking for the rich and famous but when they come across a murderer they generally just gave up. She was actually contemplating doing this when she died in 1964 so it never eventuated. My husband started researching his family tree when the Australian Government made available index to records NSW to help Australians discover their convict ancestors and he set out with high hopes of discovering a villain but the John Barford who was a convict in the early days turned out to be about a 5th cousin of one of his early relatives who obviously had to live on his wits having been born in a London Workhouse to an alchoholic mother so he really never had a chance, but a really cheeky and clever guy.
After he had been researching for about four years, I started to research my fathers family only because people started to ask me question and I realize if the information wasn't put down it would disappear forever and so like topsy it has just grown and grown. The odd few murders,lots of babies born, before and after marriage, some very upset relatives, that either don't want secrets uncovered or have a mythical belief that their family were all goodness and light, however the thought is without each and every one of them we would not be here. Some of them were tough, ruthless and no doubt the opposite as well but to them we owe the debt of existence they were survivors and it is only through them we are lucky enough to be living in the here and now.

[terrysfamily]

Some of them were tough, ruthless and no doubt the opposite as well but to them we owe the debt of existence they were survivors and it is only through them we are lucky enough to be living in the here and now.

And so say all of us

[Sandra Parker]

And so began........
It is a fascinating, enthralling, frustrating, rewarding and almost everything else as well as a truly great, opportunity to record the history of who we all are.
Enjoy this forum as much as we do.
Sandra

[Saphyre66]

Welcome Heather from a fairly new member Being the Family "detective" is very rewarding...there are probably also some members of my family who wishes I weren't (uncovered too many secrets!) but it is fun just the same Enjoy

[spison]

Welcome to the forum and to this very addictive hobby. Who knows where it will lead you? The trip will certainly be interesting.
Jane

[Heather Barford]

Our ancestors were governed by thoughts and attitudes of the times they lived in as we are now. So even though at times I try to think why and how they might have reacted in certain circumstances, without knowing the forces and pressures they personally were under being available to help us know why they made certain decisions I often feel my summing up perhaps falls pretty short of the mark. I read books relating to the times they lived in, to try and give me a fuller picture. But despite what is happening in the world at the present time I feel we are so much better off in every way to them, but rather wish I could see what it will be like to my descendants 100 years in the future.
This is obviously a great site and as soon as I can become familiar with the way it works the better, I will be able to utilize it.
Heather