What about you – leaving a trail for your descendants?

I would like to think that I have left a trail for future generations.

In my family history programme I have recorded where I was, what my occupation was and my age for each of the census’ since my birth. That includes the one census that I was in fact in another Country.

A couple of years after my return I got married in another foreign country so actually there will be a genealogical puzzle for future historians unless they access my papers. In 1991 I was in Australia, in 1994 I got married in Kenya and took my husband’s surname. Therefore it will simply be that I am to be found in the 1981 Census, missing from the 1991 UK Census and then appear on the 2001 Census with my married name. Will historian be able to find me in the future if they don’t have access to my files etc?  Sadly I will never know!

I have kept a diary & journal/notebook since I was about 12. I always have a planner which records appointments and my to do list each day. I keep a journal/notebook to plan blog posts, notes on research and other thoughts etc. Each page is numbered and I always date the page. I still have all those diaries, notebooks and journals.

It started when I was at senior school when we were given a week on a page diary which was meant for our homework etc. Overtime I added notes and my to do list to each page. When I went off to university I made the change to a diary and a separate journal/notebook.  I tend to use Moleskine because they have that useful little pocket at the back and my other favourite is Leuchtturm 1917. Some of the supermarkets here in the UK do produce similar notebooks with the pocket at the back and I have a few of those.

I have other memorabilia from my maternal Grandfather during his military time during the second world war, when he embroidered his place and date into a piece of fabric. I have the piece professionally cleaned and framed and it now hangs in my office where I see it each day. His medals too are in a matching frame, which shows his name and military number.

You can the read the discussion at the Facebook Family Tree Academy group and on Twitter using the #FHWeek