Blast From The Past, Great Memories

[Deleted member 1258]

When my Mum died in 1989 I was given a box of old photo's, most of them black and white, some of them very small, about two and a half inch square, some very tatty and some very fragile. Most of them were from the 1950's and 1960's, some were from the 1940's, a few from the early 1970's and I had one from the 1930's. At the time I got some photo corners put them in a scrap book and wrote down any information that was on the back of the photo's. Just before Xmas my sister gave me three more photo's, with two of them I knew the locations and people and one I didn't, I got down the scrap book and managed to identify the people from there. Then I thought while I've got it down I'll scan the Photo's into the computer. Its taken me about three evenings to scan all 105 photo's in, but It's been amazing how well they have scanned in and how much extra detail that the computer brings out. It also has brought back some amazing childhood memories, and some things I had completely forgotten about .

 

[snorri]

I wonder how many of our present digital photo collections will be lost at a house clearance following the death of the occupant? It is unlikely surviving family members would go to the bother of extracting photo files from a pc at a time of stress due to bereavement, whereas a box of 'snaps' can be taken away for storage until the mood is right to keep or dispose of individual prints.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I wonder how many of our present digital photo collections will be lost at a house clearance following the death of the occupant? It is unlikely surviving family members would go to the bother of extracting photo files from a pc at a time of stress due to bereavement, whereas a box of 'snaps' can be taken away for storage until the mood is right to keep or dispose of individual prints.

I'm sure a lot of ordinary photos get lost like that, but its a good point, If the user account has a pass word they don't know or they can't use a computer they could be lost. And of course it only takes a hard drive failure, or a theft, and no back up and they are gone. at some point I am going to try and create a a DVD slide show with these photo's so its easy to share them with family members.

 

[ttony002]

Just like to second that .
I have been scanning in my parents old photos and its a real amazing how much more detail you can see.
I have seen these photos many times before but did not realise what i had missed. They too have refreshed my memory on some of the details i had forgotten. It has been most enjoyable .

 

[661-Pete]

You guys are lucky! I have literally thousands and thousands of family snapshots, some B&W, some colour, going back to the 1940s. I also have the negatives, but they are deteriorating (old filmstock gets attacked by mould ). I tried scanning in the negatives several years ago, but was daunted by the enormity of the project. Something for my retirement, maybe, if I am spared.

At least I 'rescued' all the 8mm home movies. They're now on DVD, though the quality is poor.

Oh, and a point regarding loss of digital photos when someone dies. I think it's a good idea to lodge any passwords, etc., at the same place as you keep your will, if you've made one (e.g. at the solicitors?). And periodically copy the image files to an external hard drive, and clearly label what's on it...

 

[vernon]

I wonder how many of our present digital photo collections will be lost at a house clearance following the death of the occupant? It is unlikely surviving family members would go to the bother of extracting photo files from a pc at a time of stress due to bereavement, whereas a box of 'snaps' can be taken away for storage until the mood is right to keep or dispose of individual prints.

It's a major concern to historians that a lot images and written communications will be lost forever due to them disappearing along with the storage medium when computers, memory cards and cameras are disposed of. There's further complications with formats and media changing over time.


How many folk can still access the taped video recordings of their kids' nativity plays and birthday parties - it's just dawned on me that I can't as we no longer have a working camera or video player.

 

[661-Pete]

It's a major concern to historians that a lot images and written communications will be lost forever due to them disappearing along with the storage medium when computers, memory cards and cameras are disposed of. There's further complications with formats and media changing over time.


How many folk can still access the taped video recordings of their kids' nativity plays and birthday parties - it's just dawned on me that I can't as we no longer have a working camera or video player.

I can still transcribe VHS to DVD. I'm hanging on to my dual recorder that does that, like grim death! PM me if you'd like any help.

For the 8mm, I could think of nothing better than projecting onto a screen (I still have the old 8mm projector) and filming the screen with a camcorder. There are companies that will do the transcription professionally, but they're very expensive!

 

[661-Pete]

We have one photo in our collection, that dates from about 1850, and, according to my late mother, was of my great great grandparents (or was it "great great great"?) at the time of their engagement. Certainly the oldest family piccy to my knowledge.

On my wife's side, a far more recent photo of a family grouping dating from about 1914, which includes my wife's grandfather, in military uniform. He was later killed on the Somme - this is the only known photo of him. We have a professionally enlarged print from the photo hanging on our living room wall. It's of very good quality.

 

[summerdays]

I have taken copies of some of the photos my aunts have in their possession and also taped the conversation that went along with viewing it at the same time.... however some details were lost and I will have to repeat the process. I'm making it up into one of those photobooks and then going to give it to my Mum and aunt's if they want.

But I do worry that the information I collect may disappear with me... I started becoming interested in my family history as a bored teenager staying at my gran's, none of my children or siblings are interested and just say things like ... you are doing that for us but then aren't interested in what I find out.

I love looking at old photos whether I know the people or not.... and I have a few that date from the 1920's or earlier including one of a great uncle who died in the war and my great-grandparents.

 

[Campfire]

We have one photo in our collection, that dates from about 1850, and, according to my late mother, was of my great great grandparents (or was it "great great great"?) at the time of their engagement. Certainly the oldest family piccy to my knowledge.

On my wife's side, a far more recent photo of a family grouping dating from about 1914, which includes my wife's grandfather, in military uniform. He was later killed on the Somme - this is the only known photo of him. We have a professionally enlarged print from the photo hanging on our living room wall. It's of very good quality.

I also have a couple of such old photos - a double family wedding, all in their stiff suits, tight bodices and leg o' mutton sleeves, or whatever. If it were cycling related I would scan and post on here but I doubt if anyone would be interested.

I do however have pages and pages of cuttings and photos from the 1920s and maybe just before, of old Tour de France winners, Oppenheim and others I can't just remember. The cutting book was started by my Grandfather, Harry Barker (Harry Barker Memorial 50m TT) and it was made out of old card, with all time trial results, club members wins and many of them featuring my Dad who was an 'up and coming' and 'local star' rider in his day, and a couple of my Mum who also raced. There are pictures showing some of the tour riders with tubulars crossed around their shoulders. I really don't know what I can do with it as it is a mammoth task.

Maybe I will scan a few of the pictures showing men with centre partings, standing proudly by their track bikes.