Keeping Memories Alive: Tuesday's Tip

How often, as family historians,  do we say,  "If only I had talked more to my father,  mother and grandparents". Or perhaps not so much talked as listened. 

I was reminded of this firstly by an article in last Saturday's "Daily Mail", by the writer Bel Monney,   who described a new venture set up by a former BBC journalist.  Called "Live on Record", it conducts in-depth interviews with a loved one  turning their reminiscences  into a professional 80 min. recording  to  provide a piece of living history, interspersed with a  choice of  favourite music - a bit like your very own "Desert Island Discs".   (For overeas readers,  this is a long running popular radio programme where someone famous is interviewed about their life and selects 8 records to take on a desert island)  

My father John Weston (1912-2003) would have loved this, as he was happy to talk about his childhood, leisure time, first jobs, first car, meeting my mother and his war experiences which were a life-defining time for him.    Fortunately he had an amateur interest in journalism, and he typed these memories down in "My Early Life" and "My War", which I am proud to have.  He also would have had no difficulty in coming up with favourite music, ranging from hymns and catherdral choirs (he was a choirboy from the age of 7), military bands, Gilbert & Sullivan operettas and Vera Lynn, Burl Ives and Peter Dawson. I just wish I had encouraged my mother and aunt to do something similar.

A professional recording does not come cheap, but by coincidence I enjoyed reading this week's  blog posting on a same theme  by Joan at http://www.luxegen.ca/, where she talks about family oral memories and how we can help capture these for future generations. Do have a look at her suggestions.

Food for thought - so don't leave it too late - keep talking, listening and recording, by whatever means,  to keep such memories alive!