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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

  • That's great being able to hear first hand from the lady in her 90's. My dad is in his 90's now and although he doesn't remember much about being young, if I find out a little bit he remembers and adds to it. I read a book about life in the early 1900's in Britain and about what people's kitchens were like in the old flats. I was asking him about the kitchen range and coal bunker in the kitchen and he started talking about the coal man coming up the stairs and pouring it in. Over the years (when he was a bit younger) I found out such a lot from the little bits and pieces he gradually remembered. I managed to find out the name of a place in Ireland where he would visit relatives and it turned out it was that place his ancestors were from. It is called Culleybackey. I want to go there some day. He remembered a cottage at the end of a small street and an old man in the house who was blind. I thought that was interesting as my dad's father lost his sight too eventually.

Reply

  • That's great being able to hear first hand from the lady in her 90's. My dad is in his 90's now and although he doesn't remember much about being young, if I find out a little bit he remembers and adds to it. I read a book about life in the early 1900's in Britain and about what people's kitchens were like in the old flats. I was asking him about the kitchen range and coal bunker in the kitchen and he started talking about the coal man coming up the stairs and pouring it in. Over the years (when he was a bit younger) I found out such a lot from the little bits and pieces he gradually remembered. I managed to find out the name of a place in Ireland where he would visit relatives and it turned out it was that place his ancestors were from. It is called Culleybackey. I want to go there some day. He remembered a cottage at the end of a small street and an old man in the house who was blind. I thought that was interesting as my dad's father lost his sight too eventually.

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