Here is a fact sheet you might find useful for interviewing elders. Please send me any
and all additions you would make. (Thanks to valentine on Gen-Newbie for the
"bones" of the survey.)
REMINISCE (TALK A BIT ABOUT THESE TWO PEOPLE)
Your name/date: ___________________________________
Mr _________________________________________
born:_____________________________ at: __________ in city/prov: ___________________
and his parents were: __________________________________________________
and he married:
Miss _____________________________________________
born:_____________________________ at: __________ in city/prov: ___________________
and her parents were: __________________________________________________
Per folklore how did they meet:
Did she have siblings? Y N names:
Did he have siblings? Y N names:
What type of work did SHE do for a living or for pay if any:
His/Her livelihood: Position:
Company:
She died ______________at ______years old in city:________________ of:_______________
and is buried at: ______________________________
HE died ______________at ______years old in city:________________ of:_______________
and is buried at: ______________________________
Could SHE play an instrument? what
Could HE play an instrument? what
Was he in the service (the armed forces)? Branch, rank, which war
HIS hobbies Her Hobbies
Did she have collections
DId he have collections
Did he/she own a car
Did he DRIVE a car Did SHE drive a car
Did he travel within the country? elsewhere in the world?
Did she travel within the country? elsewhere in the world?
(If unmarried) DID she a suitor and what is known of him?
(If unmarried) Did he have a girlfriend and what is known of her?
He smoke? Y N pipe cigar, store cigarettes, rolled cigarettes, chew, snuf....
She smoke? Y N pipe cigar, store cigarettes, rolled cigarettes, chew, snuf....
Did he wear a hat most of the time? Y N a certain style?
Did she wear a hat or bonnet most of the time? Y N certain style?
Did she can at home? Y N Did she have a big garden to feed the family? Y N
Did he/she have a flower garden? Y N what kinds of flowers?
Grow farm animals for food Y N
have family pets? Y N dog? (breed, colours?)named cat? (breed, colours?)
named
make two columns for this:
HIS
HERS
Tall (5'7+) or short (5'5-) Tall
(5'5"+) or short (5'4"-)
Speak a language other than English?
Accent/brogue
Emigrated to country when?
Faith (Baptized?)
Highest level of education
Where was school?
Hair colour
Eye colour
Glasses/monocle/hearing aid
Cane/Wheelchair
Light/Heavy/Normal Weight
Tattoos What and where?
MAN WOMAN
Beard long, short, medium Hair long, short? Style?
Balding
Mustached
Physical Losses - like fingers
Hobbies: Hobbies: homecrafts like knitting, sewing, crocheting, tatting or
atypical Fisherman/hunter/watcher of most women of her time
Baseball/football/soccer/bowling
Strong/weak person
Good humour/practical joker?/NO humor
Strict/Lenient
Lazy/workacholic/average
Drinker - light medium heavy
Favourite saying:
Major Habit
Tell a story or two about HER on another page.
Tell a story or two about HIM on another page.
Namaste,
Laurie in Ontario, Canada
IBSSG, RAOGK Volunteer
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but
the silence of our friends. --Martin Luther King Jr.