by Wayne Thomas
As a means of researching family trees,
interviewing relatives can be a really enjoyable
experience for both parties. But, there are some
important rules. As with anything worthwhile,
genealogy does have guidelines that must be
followed if you are at all
serious about family history.
5 Simple Rules
* Contact them first - DON’T just turn up on
their doorstep, cassette recorder in hand. Get
their permission to do the interview and be
honest about why
you would like to speak to them.
* Be careful not to offend them by asking
questions that maybe too personal or of a very
sensitive nature. Some people will answer any
question you throw at them
whereas others will be more guarded. Obviously if
you already have a close relationship with Uncle
George, he
will be quite relaxed in talking to you. Aunty
Madge, however, who you wouldn’t know if you fell
over her, is
not as likely to be so forthcoming in laying out
the laundry, clean or otherwise, of the family!
* It’s important to have a list of questions
ready. You may not ask them all or you may need
to alter the focus of some during the interview,
but you should have a list of core questions
ready. Why? Because this will
ensure that you don’t forget anything important
and secondly it gives the impression that you
actually know
what you are doing. Dithering and looking up at
the
ceiling every 5 minutes trying to remember what
to ask next does not inspire confidence and will
likely make the interviewee uncomfortable.
* DON’T outstay your welcome. You are the only
one that can judge when that might be.
* Show your appreciation for their time by either
presenting them with a small gift or simply
saying those magic words, "thank you".
Verify Or Else
Family interviews are a fantastic way to fill in
the gaps in your family trees, and will provide
far more information than you could ever glean
from a marriage
certificate. The quality and detail can be
extraordinary and enlightening, BUT don’t accept
everything Uncle George says as being entirely
accurate. His "true story" may not be true at all.
THE FIRST RULE IN GENEALOGY IS VERIFY -
wherever possible. The truth can be stretched,
twisted, bent and made to disappear altogether.
That doesn’t mean Uncle George is
lying, he may just be repeating what he was told
by someone else or may have forgotten the details
over time.
My Story
Here is an example of just such a point from my
own family history. It is very illustrative of
the need, when researching family trees, for
accurate information.
My great-grandfather George BURLS came out from
England and settled in rural Victoria, Australia.
My grandmother, his youngest daughter, always
insisted that he
was a detective and that he solved a murder
investigation in a nearby town. Well, that was
all I had to go on. Firstly, if there was a
murder the local
newspaper was the place to start. I knew I would
have to go back to the early 1900’s because my
great-grandfather died in 1919 aged 70.
Back at about that time a water reservoir called
the Waranga Basin was being excavated and so
there was a great influx of workers around the
area. Two of the
workers living in the tent city that sprung up
were James Edwards and William Skinner. They were
friends but Skinner got drunk one night and
attacked Edwards
with a shovel. He defended himself with a nearby
axe and killed Skinner. Fearing the police would
not believe it was self-defence, Edwards
proceeded to cut up the body, placed the parts in
hessian bags and threw them into the basin. They
were later found and an investigation ensued. All
these details I got from a
newspaper, The Rushworth Chronicle of 1905.
George BURLS and his son Alfred were rabbit
trapping, which was their occupation, when they
were approached by the culprit, Edwards, who they
both knew from another job site where they had
previously worked
together. Edwards denied ever knowing them and
said he wanted to buy some tobacco. He did so
then left. They were both called to give evidence
at the subsequent
trial. End of story!
The above are the facts of the case. My
grandmothers version was somewhat more elaborate,
granting my great-grandfather, who by the way
only had one eye, with the tracking down and
apprehension of Edwards. But
again, she may have just been repeating what she
had been told.
Handy Interviewing Questions
Okay, so here are some sample questions to get
your family trees talking. These are in addition
to the mandatory ones such as names, dates of
birth, marriage
death etc.
1. Describe your childhood - relationship with
parents, siblings.
2. The greatest joy of your childhood was .......?
3. As a child, what was your worst fear?
4. What was your father’s occupation and what was
the quality of your life like as a child?
5. How would you describe your parents and or
grandparents - physical characteristics and
qualities?
6. What is the most pleasant memory you have of
your parents and or grandparents?
7. What was the dumbest thing you ever did as a
child?
8. What was your most memorable holiday?
9. What was one thing that attracted you to your
spouse? Why?
10. What was the most difficult moment for you as
a parent?
11. What one thing would you change in your role
as a parent?
12. What would you like your children to most
remember about you?
13. What was your greatest fear as a parent?
14. What activities do you enjoy?
15. What do you find really annoying in other
peoples actions or characteristics?
Play with the questions. Add to them if you wish.
They are just to get you thinking.
Good hunting!
Wayne Thomas has been involved in genealogy for
over 25 years. His website has loads of resources
for the beginner and beyond, plus a free ebook.
Visit at www.new2-geaneology
Article Source: ArticleRich.com
