How long have you been 'AT IT'?

[Mutley]

Following a couple of recent conversations, with a newbie and an 'old timer' I wondered who might win the title
of the BG member who has spent the longest time researching family history?

You may be 76 years old but only researching for a year or 36 years old and dabbling at it for twenty years.

I thought long and hard about placing this thread in General Chatter or General Family History Queries but finally decided that it is might be useful for a beginner to realise that the 'job' may be never ending.

BTW. I'm a beginner, only six years on the trail.

[Allanah]

10 years for me and still lots to do.

Allanah

[Colin Rowledge]

I'll never tell the truth - you all know that - so my 1st thought was when Moby Dick was a Guppie

In hindsight though, it was when I was going through letters and other papers of my mum who died in 2002 and my dad [aged 83 when mum died and he being illegitimate], it seemed logical to attempt to find his biological father.

In the 1070's I found out about dad's birth At that time the subject was taboo, but I dabbled and had 2 banker's boxes full of paper relating to what I thought was his birth.

So, to the members here, how long I have I been involved? Pick a date

[warncoort]

My son was in high school in 1995 and was given a project to produce a family tree.I only knew my parents details so phoned a cousin and she scribbled out most of what she had and the project was completed with 3 generations.Some months later i attended a seminar at the LDS centre,now 17 years and 1107 people later i am still at it.
Eric

[David Tuson]

I started on my family in 1996, but because I hit a brickwall early on I started on a one-name study of TUSONs. I go back to my family and my wife's from time to time and usually manage to either knock out another brick or discover another intersting snippet.
I get a real sense of achievement when I can link together seemingly separate TUSON lines - one day I may find a link for my family.
David

[AnnB]

The only way I could verify the date I started on this lark was by looking at the date of the first certificate I bought......1977 So, about 35 years.......and I'm not even halfway there with a lot of my mob, even with the advent of 'modern' technology!

Thanks Mutley for making me feel old

Best wishes
Ann

[Elma]

Like Ann I started in 1977, the year I got married. I had always been interested in knowing who I was but somehow it became more important when I changed my name!
I slowed down around the 80's, when I wasn't up to new computer trends but eventually I realised the history hadn't changed just the way we were recording it.
I still only consider myself a beginner and I have a lot to learn and gaps to fill but anyone thinking of starting out don't be put off. I have met some really interesting people and stories along the way, virtual and real. I have often got sidetracked but been fascinated. I have never regretted it and as for Mutley, he helped me yesterday.
One thing also is you can make it your own, the bit I like best is visiting the villages and learning more about the lives of the people, my brother enjoys the military side.
If you are thinking about it, go for it that is what I would say and enjoy.
ELMA

[eNZedFred]

In 1976 I sat at the kitchen table with my paternal Grandfather. I asked him where he came from in Scotland. He described working with horses and farming near Laurencekirk. There was only a few of us, whereas Mum's family had been here in New Zealand for 5 generations and there were relatives all over the place. I now know more about the Scots than the English and Danish team. I continue to learn more and more.

[Ladkyis]

I am a comparative newcomer. My Dad started researching around 1985 and I started in 1994 with my husband's family after I had major surgery and couldn't lift the rolls of fabric I used for my sewing business. He said "Do my lot I don't have many relatives" - he just didn't know. Then in 1998 My Dad decided that he couldn't "do thinking anymore" so he gave me his files and asked me to "find those darned actors". I am still picking at the threads and trying to avoid the Irish research and I am nowhere near finished yet.

[Jan1954]

I was a hyper-active child - without the benefit of "E" numbers. I slept from 10:00pm to 2:00am - that was it. Mum used to get up with me at 2:00am and look after me until 6:00am when my Gran, with whom we lived, got up and looked after me so that Mum could go back to bed for a couple of hours. This continued until well after I had started at school.

In a valiant effort to try to wear my brain out, Gran used to tell me stories of her family and, the precocious child that I was, I would be asking questions all the time. Gran was one of 13 children, the eldest having been born in 1885, the youngest in 1906, and she was born in 1894. As you can imagine, there were a lot of stories and I just listened enthralled.

So, I suppose that I am saying that I have had an interest in my family history since I was a batlet, asking questions and squirrelling away the information, gathering photographs where I could and recording the tales until such time as it occurred to me to verify them.

I am one very lucky person to have had a Gran who was also interested.