Family tree and family history.
Gather it today, for those who come after you.
The village your great-grandfather left, your aunt’s nickname, the recipe nobody ever wrote down. These are stories that live in the memory of just a few people. Gathering your family history today is the greatest gift for those who come after you: here’s how to start, no expertise needed.
People first, then archives
Your most precious sources are your grandparents, aunts, uncles and older cousins: they remember names, places and stories that aren’t written down anywhere. One chat a week, with a phone recording on the table, is worth more than months of research.
Stories live in the memory of just a few people. Gather them now.
- Great-grandparents
Where did they come from? What work did they do? What does the family say about them?
- Grandparents
Where did they grow up, how did they meet, what changed in their lives?
- Parents
The houses they lived in, their travels, the big decisions.
- You and your children
The story you’re writing now, which one day someone will want to know.
Questions to ask your grandparents
Record the answers: a voice tells you what words alone can’t.
Documents that tell a story
- Records and certificatesBirths, marriages, changes of address. You can ask register offices and local archives for them.
- Letters and postcardsThey often say more than any official document.
- Photos with dates on the backA date and a name written in pencil are a treasure. Copy them before they fade.
- ObjectsA watch, a tool, a book: photograph them and write down who they belonged to.
A simple family tree
You don’t need complicated software. Start with yourself and go back one generation at a time: for each person, write their name, key dates and places, and one line that tells their story.
Arthur, great-grandad
Born in 1921 in Whitby. He was a baker and sang in the parish choir.
On Sundays he took the grandchildren to the beach and bought everyone a scoop of ice cream, always hazelnut.
Fifty years from now, that line will be the most read part.
Your family’s archive, safe
Audio interviews, photos, documents and your tree, all in one place.
Gather everything in one place
Create an Instructions capsule with interviews, photos, documents and the tree.
Keep it to yourself for as long as you like
An Instructions capsule can stay a personal archive, with no delivery.
Share it whenever you like
Choose who will receive it and when: a birthday, a family get-together, the birth of a grandchild.
Family tree and family history: common questions
Any other questions? Write to us via Help.
Other words, for other moments
Family stories
deserve to stay.
Start with a question and a recorder running.