What to do with your research when you have passed away.

Hi All

I know this is a morbid question but here goes.

It was brought to my attention the other day and now has me thinking.

I was asked the following question:- What are or what happens to all that research, that you have done over the last 30 odd years, when you have passed away?
I did not have an answer!

My children or Grand childern have no interest in the information I have collected over the years, I am sure they would just put it in the bin.

So my question to the forum is:- What have others planned for their work / research when they have passed this world?

I don't think it a morbid question, when put in the context of morbidity...
were all going one day, not of our choosing either, i do have some bits
and bob's, i have always envisioned that my bit's would be put in a
local militaria auction and then let the hammer fall where it may!.. i
would not like my thing's to become a burden on my family so i am very
relaxed about the demise of my collection, it is the natural order of
thing's.. and as i have said i would not put my family through the ordeal
of having to check the price's as they will currently stand at the time.. to
see the dealer's ' cherry pick ' the item's their interested in leaving the
bulk behind, i don't give a toss about any money, the notion that i have
had a real lifelong passion for a subject that has sustained me as no other
has for over forty year's make's me feel very lucky and satisfied. where
it all go's after i'm gone.. well i don't give a toss. sound's to me Andy
that you need to find a young researcher who will continue your fine work.

xhosa2000 wrote:

sound's to me Andy
that you need to find a young researcher who will continue your fine work.

Hi Les

That is the issue I have, The information I have collected over the years has no monetary value. A museums are only interested in their own regiments, so that is a no go.

As you say Les, find a young researcher, That would be great but as we all know they are very hard to find.

I still have many years left in me yet and I might just find some young researcher willing to continue my work.

Andy

In Ron Lock's case, his wife, Brenda and myself have agreed to keep his collection. At least for the time being. As I have developed quite an interest in the subject myself, I am finding it a very helpful resource towards furthering my own interests in this subject.

The nicest, to me, is if one can inspire someone else to have, or develop, an interest. However, my opinion may be biased as well as being an uneducated one.

I think that is an appropriate question, and one of the reasons all my research is written, firstly as an ebook and then into a blog. In the future people will expect an answer, and not be prepared to invest time and money towards finding an alternative solution or the true facts Then so many mistakes will be made even more than today. . Granddaughter recently spouted about Brunel. Great engineer, both of them, and didn't believe he was her g.uncle. Her interest piqued, history is more relevant if the person becomes "real". Estate planning is a necessity, people avoid it.

Two ways you might preserve the tree parts of your research would be to place your tree online at FamilySearch, findmypast or Ancestry. The tree will survive you.
Another way is to find a society which might accept your work and place it on file for the benefit of future reearchers. Many people have used the Society of Genealogists for this purpose.
I'm rather fortunate in that my research has primarily been into my surname and ancestors and I am a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies. The Guild provides several means of preserving members' work, including now over 200 websites at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Check out my own site at margetson.one-name.net. It will remain on the Guild website long after my own demise.

Mines going with me so I can show Chelmsford the Legacy he left.

I completely understand why people want to preserve their work but I take a slightly contrary view. My real pleasure has been doing the research, making the discoveries and, sometimes, helping others along a little bit. Everything I have discovered is equally available to be found by others who are so inclined. Indeed it is now hugely more accessible than ever it was when I began. Anyone who started their family history by going to Somerset House and manhandling enormous ledgers will know what I mean. So why would I want to deprive future enthusiasts of the real pleasure of the hunt and discovering things for themselves?

Steve

PS. Frank you know where your going then!

Its all arranged Steve...……………..

For a large fee, you can put your research on here. I'll even post a photograph of the researcher on the anaversary of his/her death. If you sign all copy rights to me, I'll post two photographs.

90th you can be the first to sign-up.

Hmmm.. on a slightly different tack, if any of you have any
items relating to the AZW the 1st Boer war or the 1906 poll
tax rebellion and you want to move them on then please
contact me.. and to all those i have bought from in the past
again i say thank you and let's do some more business. all
item's considered.

I'll take care of John Youngs and Isandula's collection. If it helps.

Hi Frank
I'm sure LC will be pleased to see you initially , he may not be so pleased once you inform him of his Legacy !
Hi Les
That's what we like... keep that collecting spirit alive and well ! .
Hi Pete
Yeah , I'll drop you a line ! HAHAHAHAHAHA .
To John and Isandula
If you have anything you may be thinking of moving on , feel free to contact me !
90th

Les I picked up a couple of booklets by SB Bourquin, Gilbert Torlage and Steve Watt. One on Colenso and one on Valkraans
ISBN 0 86975 500 5 and 0 86975 517X
Not expensive and pretty interesting. I paid R40 for the two, around GBP 2.20 and at the same market stall 'Slogging over Arica' by Michael Barthorp  ISBN 0 304 36293 X for GBP 4.
Not in my field but couldn't resist buying. Happy to pass along if they are of interest, and of course you don't have them already ?

As to all my collection and more particular the files and copies of documents I have, they will all be heading to the Talana Museum in Dundee.

And that leads to the thought that it would be really exciting that the abortion being built at iSandlwana was turned into an accredited well run research centre. Rather than the usual collection of dusty old shields and pollitically correct banners and posters a genuine research area that donations and bequests could be made to. hummmmmm

Frank,

On the point of that building at iSandlwana, I did make a suggestion to the person concerned that it be established as a research centre. In order to kick that off, on behalf of his family, I donated the Zulu War book collection of my late friend, Peter Renny.

I also suggested to her, that the interpretation centre follows to two routes and the visitor can initially choose whether to follow the British or the Zulu path. It is a conception that seems to work well at the Culledon Battlefield and the Apartheid Museum, whether my suggestion fell on deaf ears only time will tell.

If someone’s legacy needs to be examined, personally I think it should be that of Garnet Wolseley. The ramifications of his divide and conquer tactics echoes down the ages to this day.

JY

The possibilities are endless John, we could even teach Guggs who the Induna at iSandlwana were!

Frank,

Now you are asking for a tad too much...

JY

All my research on Mr Gardner (and there are still bits trickling in generated by the book being published) is being passed back to the family  and will be passed down to future generations so will not be lost.
I fear my large book collection, artifacts  and general research will be broken up and put back into the system for, as Steve put it, others to find and marvel at.

As for what happens next ..
After a long old chin wag with the Gardner's, followed by a light lunch with F.B. Russell, I would  want a word with that Clery fellow and find out what the hell he was thinking sending all those spiteful letters.

Kate

Ah Clery, the poor mans David Frost !

Something else to think about Frank but probably like you, I have hundreds (possibly thousands)of photographs of the various battlefields.
With constantly changing landscape and with sites such as Isandlwana being encroached upon, such collections could be very useful for future researchers. Especially as so much is now stored on computers which can so easily be lost or made inaccessible by the obsolescence of technology.

All my photos are in albums with dates and descriptions but what will happen to them when I go.
Books have a value, artifacts more so but what of one persons photo albums?
Kate

Kate your so right. My photos date back to 1968 and taken sparingly because of the development costs. But over the last few years with the advent of digital then thousands have been taken. My back up hard drive has close to 15000 from all over Zulu land. Its why I have in the past tried to post as many as possible to the forum to try and share with everyone.
Im sure you have exactly the same feelings of nostalgia when browsing through though. If IK hadn't written Then and Now I would be very tempted to do it. I got close to it when I developed the app on iSandlwana, now that was fun.
Frank

15000 !!!!
'Cameras ... very wonderful things these sir aren't they.'
A fantastic effort Frank
Now that is an archive that definitely needs saving.

Kate

Even got a couple of the RB demise area.

Frank Allewell wrote:

Even got a couple of the RB demise area.

Whichever Notch, notch, incline or defile it was........

I would be grateful if anybody could tell me why the exact location
of the RB's contact is such an issue?. whether it was there! or a few
metre's to the left or a bit further up the notch.. who is this person
or person's who can definitively say this is the spot!. and go
on to explain why it matter's even one jot. we know the area that
the RB came to grief and the event's that were unfolding as the
battle progressed... i believe that nobody could say one hundred per
cent that the RB was overwhelmed ' HERE we only have the
primary sources that are available and they more or less say the same,
so evidence for a definitive site must be backed up with fact and not
with conjecture or supposition..

Les a few posts back I offered you some Boer war publications, have a look.
As you say a couple of metres here and there with the RB makes no difference but the more accurate in placing its demise becomes really important when combined with a few other issues that affected the over all battle.
Sorry to be enigmatic but there are reasons that will some time in the future be clear.
Let me know about the books.

Cheers

Simon that was chucked in very tongue in cheek.

Rocket Battery??? What Rocket battery?
Is it a bit like a Duracell Battery but found in salads?
(First used successfully, I hasten to add, during the Crusades against Saladin. Hence the name.)

I'll see if I can Russell up some research to find out anything about it and will let you know.
Must dash as I need to hale a cab. Now were did I leave my mules?

 

Very funny Kate. Thank's for your kind offer Frank, i have the
Barthorpe, i have never got into the 2nd Boer war it just makes
me so very angry to think about it!. i look forward very much to
your new offering's in due course, i'm sure they will garner much
interest. but again thank's mate.

Hello to the forum,

I am one of the 'silent' members of the forum as I am the Director of Military History Research Centre (Aust.), a private company based in Canberra. I note the question asked by Les (10th July) regarding the succession of an individuals’ research before departing this mortal coil. 'What do you do with your research'... I hear that question asked by just about every private collector I have spoken to over several decades. Finding a successor is no easy task when children are no interested, and the work is specific.

One of our concerns, for many years, has been the final destiny of the hard work and expenses incurred by private collectors and researchers after we can no longer carry on our work. One of the services offered by the Research Centre is that of procurement of such collections where the owner wishes to maintain the integrity of his/her works, not only to add to our work, but, to ensure the individuals work 'in perpetuity'.

We have recently acquired further private collections, one from the USA, one from France and one from Australia, each one credited to the former owner. Should you consider the disposal of your work at some point in the future, please don't dispose of it in a manner where care and maintenance may not be a priority. I would like to make it known on the forum that there is answer to the question, but I hesitated because of our private sector profile. The advantage lies in the fact that the MHRC consists of fellow directors and shareholder, thus is supported with a succession plan and offers perpetuity.

I look forward to your comments

Grahame Kingston (history194-18)
Military History Research Centre (Aust)
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