Family papers
In examining many collections of family papers throughout this series of posts I have been pleasantly surprised about the variety of materials within them. Some have family trees and many of the finding aids for the individual families provide potted biographical and historical information about that family. Land deeds, photographs, diaries and journals as well as letters to friends and family make up the rich resources.
Many filled the long days of their journey southwards to Australia or New Zealand by writing diaries. These often detailed embarkation and departure, reflections about all on board and descriptive passages of ports visited along the way and the final arrival.
It is well worth searching for those surnames on the far branches of your own family tree.
The Upton Family papers 1865 -1930
The Upton family papers which were filmed at the private residence of Mrs Francesca Upton. Shropshire, England are no exception. There is a shipboard diary and early letters back home. There is also an extensive letter collection dealing with family matters and the daily exploits of the children and their educational progress.
Images from this collection
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| 1885 School report http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-944536760 |
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| http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-944537606 Photographs of Corporal Robert H.B. Upton |
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| http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-743398936 Corporal Robert Henry Bramley Upton (1874-1900) died of illness at Johannesburg, South Africa on 13 June 1900 whilst serving in the Second Boer War (1899-1902) with the 3rd Contingent, No. 5 Company, New Zealand Mounted Rifles. |
University collections
Many of these collections hold family papers. Here in the Glasgow University Archives and Business Record Centre there are journals, photographs, diaries of voyages, appointments to positions, business papers, conferences, newspaper cuttings and more.
T.G.B. Osborn includes photographs of his boys in a November 1916 Christmas/ New Year letter
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| https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2757318832/view |
U - Unless one searches or browses these comprehensive collections one may never know the treasures within.
Previous posts in this series
A - About the AJCP | B -Browsing the Board of Trade | C - County Record Offices | D - Downloading Documents | E - Emigration everywhere | F - Finding Aids | G - Genealogical Gems | H - Hulks and the Home Office | I - Irish Records | J - Journals and Jottings | K - Kent Archives | L - Love those Libraries | M - Mining the Records of the Missions | N - Near Neighbour New Zealand | O - Opportunities out there | P - Photographs | Q - Queensland | R -Records of the Royal Societies | S - Searching for females | T - Tracks and Turning pages
U is almost as difficult as Q but U've done a great job with this challenge. I particularly like Unless :) Now there's a call to action !
ReplyDeleteLetters and diaries are like found treasure aren’t they? This year in A to Z I’m trying to give the story of my great grandmother from her family letters. I would not have known her at all if she had not been such a writer. I like your research method. www.shirleyjdietz.com
ReplyDeleteWow, her diaries are very detailed, what a treasure to have.
DeleteI researched some records at the Glasgow Uni Archives some years ago but maybe I’ll have better luck here.
ReplyDeleteI need more than luck to find anything related to my families!
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