[Uncle Mick]

I started doing my family tree because my uncle kept mentioning cousin this and auntie that and I hadn`t a clue who these people were and how we were related. As my uncle was housebound following a stroke, I would arrive every week with new discoveries and questions and he would rack his brains and entertain me with his stories.
Six months after starting my quest my uncle died but because of him I knew who to contact and how they were related. I visited these new relations and they added to his stories; one cousin produced photos I`d never seen before of my grandfather and grandmother, who died before I was born and of an uncle with a disturbingly striking resemblance to myself.
The point is that family history brings history to life and makes it personal. Both my parents died when I was in my early twenties and as you`re growing up you don`t think to ask about their lives... if I knew then what I know now
One of the oddest things is that my best friend from primary school and through secondary school is distantly related to me I`ve discovered, which may not be a good thing as he`s a nutcase!