Be a Personal Historian – Record Family History
Start a History Box Today for Family Memorabilia and Family Heritage
Jun 7, 2009
Any one of the millions of people around the globe busily pursuing their family history will know that, beyond the present generation, family details are, at best, sketchy and quite often restricted to a rather meaningless family tree of names and dates. The lives of these people can only be guessed at.
Tomorrow’s History Starts Today
This widespread fascination with the genealogical research should create millions of people determined not to let future generations face the same problems and same disappointment. Yes, tomorrow’s history starts here. How many family historian are eagerly rummaging through the dusty records of the past, but are busily ignoring the family history they are creating every day and leaving a head-scratching disarray for their great-great-grandchildren to ponder over?
Hoarding and clutter have becomes new-age demons and hundreds of clutter-exorcism books are on the market – and indeed add to the clutter on bookshelves in many homes. Nevertheless, this article proposes a little judicious hoarding. The family historian is also often a social historian by default. The items and documents preserved by an ordinary, non-auspicious family are also a record of an era.
Examples of Preserved Social History from the Author’s Family History Goodies
Simply because a family member (sometimes himself!) wouldn’t part with it for sentimental reasons, the following historical items are now in the hands of the author.
A letter written by the author’s great-grandfather in 1879. It’s just a burbling letter to his wife back home when he moved ahead of the family to take up a post as constable at the sea side suburb of Manly in Sydney, Australia. It starts “I have no doubt but what you will be looking out for this letter”, and is full of family ephemera. Nevertheless, it offers such historical details as a description of Sydney, pay scales for young constables, living conditions in the 19th century and the price of a new suit.
The author’s first pay slip as a fledgling library assistant, dated February 1965, and showing the pay rate as some 12 pounds per week – pounds, shillings and pence pre-dating dollars and cents introduced in 1966. That weekly rate is less than the hourly rate today.
An official white card from the Australian Government telling the author, then 19 years old, that his name had not been drawn in the conscription ballot that would have sent him to fight (and possibly die) alongside US troops in the Vietnam War.
Start a History Box Time Capsule Today
Start some judicious hoarding. Allocate a solid, water, vermin and dust proof box to the task, label it clearly, and label every item in the box or include a detailed contents list. The collecting of photographs and documents deserves a separate article (see it here), but they should feature in the history box.
Family Treasures
Two items that have traditionally been preserved in the past are baby’s booties and wedding dresses. Indeed, Grandma’s wedding dress has often been a source of wonder in many families (especially when they compare it with Grandma’s present waistline) and has sometimes been proudly worn by later generations.
This author suggests that representative personal items that capture all members of the family should be included. Again, it’s impossible, silly and counter-productive to try to store everything. However, Grandpa’s favourite pipe, Mum’s sewing box, toy fads, Sarah’s favourite doll, can all find a place.
Most importantly, the importance of the item needs to be identified and a story told about it. The present generation might know it well, but future generations won’t have a clue what this smelly old pipe or moth-eaten old doll represents. As well, a photo of the item with its owner is very useful and pertinent.
In particular, learn to identify clothing or fashion trends that will one day be curiosities like Grandma’s hotpants and Mom’s tongue stud and Grandad’s diamond earring.
Social History in the Making
Many people in their 60s see toys and games displayed in museums and collectibles shops and realize they owned similar ones as children. When they see the price tag, they wish they still had one in the attic! We need to develop an eye for what is likely to be a museum item one day soon.
The cigarette lighter may eventually be as redundant as the snuff box. Certainly, when a household changes to energy-saving mini fluorescent bulbs, one old incandescent bulb should go in the History Box, because some great-grandchild will be quite intrigued to handle it. Remember, too, to keep tickets and programs from concerts that feature the great artists of the day. Already, there are museum exhibitions of artists such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles and the Supremes. One day, a grandchild may be turning that saved item over in their hands, saying: “Wow! You actually saw her on stage!”
A Final Word of Caution about Storing Family Memorabilia
Too many hoards are found hundreds of years after being tucked away; art masterpieces are still discovered in dusty attics. If you have grown children or grandchildren, try this sobering exercise. Ask one of them do they know where you keep your little treasures or the old family photos.
For that matter, do you know? So often boxes get moved, packed away, hidden under junk, even thrown away by mistake. The History Box should be clearly labeled, stored where it is accessible and as many family members as possible acquainted with where it is.
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