From: Duncan L. <dli...@gm...> - 2007-07-04 14:34:09
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I'm off to New Zealand shortly to spend time with my grandparents in their 90's (while I can). I'm a bit concerned about how best to use the short time I will have effectively. many of you will have been through similar situations and will no doubt have some advice for me. I would love to hear what you think. Here's an idea of what I know and what I'm hoping to learn: I know: * names and dates are pretty clear * most family relations are also clear I want: * personal stories,especially if they can connect people to certain places and events * a feeling for what their life would have been like, for example as a poor Scottish shepherd in the Boarder Counties in the 1830s * some information on the more uncomfortable parts of the history. * the (unconfirmed) illegitimate children * the religious conversions and scandals through time So, anything you good people can offer would be appreciated. Bear in mind that: * I only get 1/2 hour one or two times a day with my (blind) paternal grandfather before he needs a nap. * my (rather deaf) paternal grandmother has failing memory, which upsets her. * my (senile and in care) maternal grandmother has always lied about many things, not least by glorifying her own past. And her childhood in Prussia is a delicate mix of politics, religion, nationalism and family infighting. And the place names have all changed, and I don't speak Polish. * One branch of my paternal grandfather's family are not very communicative and threw a lot away when his (eldest) sister died. I've never heard from them or met many of them, I'm nervous about their reaction to my questions. I look forward to hearing your thought Duncan |
From: Steve H. <dig...@da...> - 2007-07-04 15:20:23
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Duncan, The best suggestion I can offer is to record everything in the best quality you can. Video is even better, but at least a sound recording lets you make more time during the discussions AND have primary evidence of the interviews. Of course you also have them to go back over (even transcribe) as often as you want in the future to pick up all sorts of subtleties you would have never recorded if you were just taking notes. Advice from somebody who wishes he would have recorded a whole lot more in times past. Steve On Wed, 2007-07-04 at 16:34 +0200, Duncan Lithgow wrote: > I'm off to New Zealand shortly to spend time with my grandparents in > their 90's (while I can). I'm a bit concerned about how best to use > the short time I will have effectively. > > many of you will have been through similar situations and will no > doubt have some advice for me. I would love to hear what you think. > > Here's an idea of what I know and what I'm hoping to learn: > > I know: > * names and dates are pretty clear > * most family relations are also clear > > I want: > * personal stories,especially if they can connect people to certain > places and events > * a feeling for what their life would have been like, for example as a > poor Scottish shepherd in the Boarder Counties in the 1830s > * some information on the more uncomfortable parts of the history. > * the (unconfirmed) illegitimate children > * the religious conversions and scandals through time > > So, anything you good people can offer would be appreciated. > Bear in mind that: > * I only get 1/2 hour one or two times a day with my (blind) paternal > grandfather before he needs a nap. > * my (rather deaf) paternal grandmother has failing memory, which upsets her. > * my (senile and in care) maternal grandmother has always lied about > many things, not least by glorifying her own past. And her childhood > in Prussia is a delicate mix of politics, religion, nationalism and > family infighting. And the place names have all changed, and I don't > speak Polish. > * One branch of my paternal grandfather's family are not very > communicative and threw a lot away when his (eldest) sister died. I've > never heard from them or met many of them, I'm nervous about their > reaction to my questions. > > I look forward to hearing your thought > > Duncan > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express > Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take > control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. > http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ > _______________________________________________ > Gramps-users mailing list > Gra...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gramps-users > |
From: Jim W. <jim...@gm...> - 2007-07-04 16:15:08
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Duncan, You are very wise to take the chance to get information from past generations. My experience with interviewing older relatives is that if you ask them "How was life when you were a child?", you probably won't get much information. Try smaller bites like "Where did you go to school?" and let them start rambling from there. Much as we're driven to get answers to our specific questions, we can learn more by just letting them ramble. Steve suggested recording or videoing the conversations. It is hard to get older people to relax when you're recording them so you may want to make notes first until they are relaxed. Another tool I find useful is to tell back to them something they told you earlier but deliberately make a mistake. They will correct you and then a whole new avenue of discussion will open up. Mainly, though, be relaxed and enjoy it. You can't get this stuff out of books. Jim On 7/4/07, Duncan Lithgow <dli...@gm...> wrote: > I'm off to New Zealand shortly to spend time with my grandparents in > their 90's (while I can). I'm a bit concerned about how best to use > the short time I will have effectively. > > many of you will have been through similar situations and will no > doubt have some advice for me. I would love to hear what you think. > > Here's an idea of what I know and what I'm hoping to learn: > > I know: > * names and dates are pretty clear > * most family relations are also clear > > I want: > * personal stories,especially if they can connect people to certain > places and events > * a feeling for what their life would have been like, for example as a > poor Scottish shepherd in the Boarder Counties in the 1830s > * some information on the more uncomfortable parts of the history. > * the (unconfirmed) illegitimate children > * the religious conversions and scandals through time > > So, anything you good people can offer would be appreciated. > Bear in mind that: > * I only get 1/2 hour one or two times a day with my (blind) paternal > grandfather before he needs a nap. > * my (rather deaf) paternal grandmother has failing memory, which upsets her. > * my (senile and in care) maternal grandmother has always lied about > many things, not least by glorifying her own past. And her childhood > in Prussia is a delicate mix of politics, religion, nationalism and > family infighting. And the place names have all changed, and I don't > speak Polish. > * One branch of my paternal grandfather's family are not very > communicative and threw a lot away when his (eldest) sister died. I've > never heard from them or met many of them, I'm nervous about their > reaction to my questions. > > I look forward to hearing your thought > > Duncan > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express > Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take > control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. > http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ > _______________________________________________ > Gramps-users mailing list > Gra...@li... > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/gramps-users > |
From: Duncan L. <dli...@gm...> - 2007-08-22 14:45:19
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On Sun, 2007-07-08 at 08:45 -0500, Mike Bramblett wrote: > Here is a link to a script that can be used for interviewing relatives..... > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~lineage/famhist.htm Mike, thanks for that one. I found that list much better than the others I've seen. Much better questions, I really got my grandparents giggling with the one "What mischief did you get up to as a child and what were the consequences?" Great question to get them talking. So thanks for that. The trip went well, although my paternal grandfather is so weary that I didn't really get to talk to him. I'm hoping he'll reply to my letters instead. Duncan |