Another useful place is the The Genealogical Society in your state or local area.
Don't forget local, state and national libraries, national and states hold the electoral rolls and can provide lots of information.
About life, memories and meaning...
From Your Life Story Written
Rebecca Skinner, author and editor of
Celebrating Life's Chapters
Once you've started the quest to find information on your family, any blank dates can be filled in from your relevant state’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Most have online search functions. Another useful place is the The Genealogical Society in your state or local area. Don't forget local, state and national libraries, national and states hold the electoral rolls and can provide lots of information.
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If you are trying to get some information or stories from a close relative, to help construct a family tree or life story, they may be reluctant to open up to you. How do you handle this? With a parent or close family member, they may wonder why you you want to learn more about them. It's important to reassure them that there are some stories you’d like to hear again. You can also explain that while you know a lot about them already, there are some things you don't know about. Maybe, things you were told years ago and you don't remember well. You can also give a couple of examples of things you have always been curious about – but know nothing about. A good tip when researching your family tree on the internet is to keep a list of which sites you've been to. It's all too easy to forget where you've been and keep on going back to the same sites - trust me, I know! Also it's worth noting where you got certain information from, just in case you want to go back and add some more. Obituaries are a good place to look and you can research them on the net. As family trees work their way back in time from the present, looking for information on recently deceased relatives can sometimes be a treasure chest of information on family units, people and spouses plus date of birth, death and place of burial. This could even help you to find living relatives who could offer more information on your family tree. 'Ethical Wills' are a Jewish tradition and the Hebrew Bible first described them 3,000 years ago (Genesis Ch.49). Ethical Wills, which are not legal documents, can be either the life story of the person who is nearing death, the lessons they've learnt and wish to pass on or even their dreams and wishes for their family members. They can also be written at times of transition in someone's life. Have you written an Ethical Will? If not, the benefits are huge. It could be the most meaningful gift you could leave to your family. This is one very special lady who I spent yesterday afternoon with, presenting her with her book of her life story, 'Follow Your Heart'. She was utterly delighted with it and said, "it is above all expectations. You fed me properly into the right channels and the floodgate opened and wouldn't stop." And she added, "The way you presented it tied everything together so well." Anzac Day was such a special time to deliver her book to her in person as she survived the worst prisoner-of-war camp in Indonesia during World War 11. Instead of harboring anger and bitterness she somehow found positives in the dreadful experience - and this trait has enhanced her life and nurtured her amazing spirit. I am looking forward to starting the Life Story book of a man who is soon to turn 70. His daughters are compiling as much information and images as they can and then we are going to talk to his 90-year-old father for his memories...This is going to be a surprise gift for a man who has everything he needs. It will be a real tribute to him, compiled with love and making sure his life and experiences live on into the future... I agree with American author, Susan Cheever who says, “I believe that the memoir is the novel of the 21st century; it’s an amazing form that we haven’t even begun to tap…we’re just getting started figuring out what the rules are.” Memoir, in my mind at least, is an area of one's life that evokes intense feeling - childhood, for me is a very good example. I love how old photos like this take me right back to that very moment and conjures up so many happy feelings... Anzac Day on April 25 in Australia and New Zealand honours the members of the Australian and NZ Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in World War I. Each year I remember a very special friend, pictured left, one of the last Diggers, the darling Eric Abraham, who fought at Amiens, the Hindenburg Line, Polygon Wood and the Battle of the Somme. He volunteered to be the 'bugle boy' in the Snowball March in Queensland and said that playing the bugle saved his life several times during the war. He died at the age of 105. At one of his birthdays, when in his 100s, a friend of his managed to find his bugle which had gone missing many many years before - miraculously at a market stall in Queensland, harder to locate than a needle in a haystack, and presented it to him at his birthday gathering. I will never forget that magic moment...What stories do you have about Anzac Day that you can share here? My mum is in the centre but I don't know who the other people are or where the picture was taken. Anyone have any ideas? I'd love to know... I so wish I had written down my parents' stories before they died...because so much history disappears when they do. I would love to have learnt more of what their lives were like before I came into the world. It's only now I realise what I 've lost...and what little I have to hand on to my daughter... If you know these people, do leave a post here - thank you!
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AuthorRebecca Skinner has been a journalist and editor for more than 30 years working in newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. Her caring nature enables her to put people quickly at ease to help prompt their memories. As a writer she can weave anyone's story into a professionally written and produced book that makes compelling reading. Archives
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