Plus, they may be at a point in their lives that they're not interested now .... but it's surprising the number of people I know who hit a certain age and get interested in their 'roots' .... family history, heirlooms .... another 50 years and even quite normal stuff to us will seem incomprehensibly odd and quirky to them .... biggest problem is the mobility and lack of storage in the lives of most younger people makes the practicalities difficult.
K
I agree with you. I've just taken stewardship of my Dad's family archives from my Aunt, a retired history teacher who has just moved to a dramatically smaller house. It comprises about two filing cabinets of documents, photographs and so on, going back about 150 years. I've had a little trawl through it. It's so fascinating, and easy to get sidetracked once one starts reading things.
My plan is to start by scanning it all. It will give me a good idea of what's there, and will then make an accessible record for any other family members who in the years to come take an interested in family history. I need to get on while my Dad and Aunt are still around and lucid, so that they can answer any questions I come up with.
