Most families have a memory-keeper, someone who decides to write up their family’s stories. This type of research often entails many hours, even years, of work sifting through old photographs and family documents. Over time, the project can snowball into an overwhelming, unmanageable amount of data.

Family history research is a very broad subject that encompasses far more than the traditional approach of compiling a family tree that spans centuries. A good starting point is to focus on your immediate family, your parents and your grand parents, and then to consider your own preferences.

Some people may enjoy interviewing older family members about old neighbourhoods or childhood memories. Others may prefer playing detective to determine the story behind a favourite family heirloom. Some memory-keepers may want to focus on a pivotal event in a family’s history, such as migration or experiencing a natural disaster. Others may decide to focus on ordinary lived experiences such as being a teenager in the 1970s or dating in an era before mobile phones.

My background in journalism can help memory-keepers to identify milestone events and contextualise personal experience against regional, national and global events or technological developments. This layered approach of combining archival research and personal interviews can become a meaningful journey of self-discovery and a compelling gift for an older adult.

I have practical experience in conducting

• My own family’s history research
• Genealogical research for heritage projects
• Oral history research
• Working with archival documents
• Sourcing genealogical material