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Genealogy

budgie

For as long as I can remember I have had many interests. I think that's often the experience of many Autistic women. I kind of go from one 'favourite interest' to the next.

One of my main interests as an adult and which I have had such passion for is 'Genealogy'. I can still remember the elation which I felt when I started to read my first book on the subject. It was a thin book but packed with information and I just knew this would be a passtime that I would really enjoy.

I started researching my ancestry in the early 90's and at that time it was less expensive to get information from the various record sources. I did such a lot of research before even approaching any of the British record offices and I think that is why I have found so much interesting information. Years later I could corroborate what I have found against the records of births, marriages and deaths in both the Scottish and English records.

One of the most enjoyable things about this hobby for me has been visting various places where my ancestors lived. Many of them lived in the big cities of Scotland and England as well as abroad.

The only thing which isn't so good is when it comes to meeting new found relatives. I find that having Aspergers just makes be so nervous that I don't really want to meet them when it comes to the point. I just imagine they will think I am too strange or that trying to talk to them, whilst remembering information will make me appear really stupid. Two years ago I visited someon relatives in Kent where my Grandmother came from. I had my elderly Auntie with me which was nice as otherwise I doubt I would have met up with the people. They turned out to be lovely and down to earth which I was so pleased about but there was still that feeling of trying to communicate with complete strangers.

In a few weeks I will meet someone else who is related to me and I am very nervous. I just hope my Auntie will be able to come with me but I'm not sure if she will.

I love this hobby and think it as an activity where Autistic people can excel.

Parents

  • Imagine finding two of your ancestor's photographs in a book! Recently my Aunt got hold of a book about Sandwich in Kent with photos from over 100 years ago and a photograph of my Gt Grandfather's garden was in it. Also pictures of people but we aren't too sure who is who.

    It's interesting that you speak about your ancestor maybe having OCD as my mum's great Aunt had OCD. I have been so interested in her line of the family as I'm sure that person had Asperger Syndrome. She was a loner and found it nearly impossible to make good friends. My mum said she made a friend and then that person got really obsessed about a church that she joined and didn't keep up with my Gt Aunt. My Gt Auntie spent her life living at home with her mum and when her mother died she apparently never got over it and was always quite down.I have quite a few photos of my great aunt and she isn't smiling in any of them although everyone else in the pictures is smiling. She has this really strained look about her.

    The person who I got in touch with last year is descended from this side of the family but a slightly different line and her Grandmother who she never met took post natal depression and was too unwell to care for her son so he got sent off to boarding school.I would love to find out more about this lady. Her sister was apparently really highly strung but cheerful lady.

    My mum had depression all her life and I'm positive she also had Aspergers. She was diagnosed Manic Depression which she never felt was right as she was really clever and would have read up all about this illness and figured something didn't fit.

    So this line of the family really fascinates me. I have an ancestor on this side (the mum of my Gt Aunt with OCD) and I can't for the life of me find out much about her. She was born in Manchester but her mother died when she was little and after that she was brought up in Worcestershire somewhere. Then suddenly as a young adult she was living in Gibraltar, but I can't find out who she went with or why.

    I've been trying to find out more about my dad's side of the family which should have been easier as they lived in Scotland or half of the family did but I haven't had too much success. The other half were from Ireland and amazingly I have found out a bit about them. One came from Germany though and as you say it doesn't seem as though there are many records going back there.

    I would rather not meet relatives as I found it really stressful meeting that lady last year. Just trying to remember enough about the family tree and speak to a stranger, drink my coffee etc felt a bit of a nightmare. It was fine when I met other relatives in the south of England as my Aunt is comfortable chatting to folk which meant I could just add bits which was easier.

Reply

  • Imagine finding two of your ancestor's photographs in a book! Recently my Aunt got hold of a book about Sandwich in Kent with photos from over 100 years ago and a photograph of my Gt Grandfather's garden was in it. Also pictures of people but we aren't too sure who is who.

    It's interesting that you speak about your ancestor maybe having OCD as my mum's great Aunt had OCD. I have been so interested in her line of the family as I'm sure that person had Asperger Syndrome. She was a loner and found it nearly impossible to make good friends. My mum said she made a friend and then that person got really obsessed about a church that she joined and didn't keep up with my Gt Aunt. My Gt Auntie spent her life living at home with her mum and when her mother died she apparently never got over it and was always quite down.I have quite a few photos of my great aunt and she isn't smiling in any of them although everyone else in the pictures is smiling. She has this really strained look about her.

    The person who I got in touch with last year is descended from this side of the family but a slightly different line and her Grandmother who she never met took post natal depression and was too unwell to care for her son so he got sent off to boarding school.I would love to find out more about this lady. Her sister was apparently really highly strung but cheerful lady.

    My mum had depression all her life and I'm positive she also had Aspergers. She was diagnosed Manic Depression which she never felt was right as she was really clever and would have read up all about this illness and figured something didn't fit.

    So this line of the family really fascinates me. I have an ancestor on this side (the mum of my Gt Aunt with OCD) and I can't for the life of me find out much about her. She was born in Manchester but her mother died when she was little and after that she was brought up in Worcestershire somewhere. Then suddenly as a young adult she was living in Gibraltar, but I can't find out who she went with or why.

    I've been trying to find out more about my dad's side of the family which should have been easier as they lived in Scotland or half of the family did but I haven't had too much success. The other half were from Ireland and amazingly I have found out a bit about them. One came from Germany though and as you say it doesn't seem as though there are many records going back there.

    I would rather not meet relatives as I found it really stressful meeting that lady last year. Just trying to remember enough about the family tree and speak to a stranger, drink my coffee etc felt a bit of a nightmare. It was fine when I met other relatives in the south of England as my Aunt is comfortable chatting to folk which meant I could just add bits which was easier.

Children
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