Questions for Interviewing Family Members

Tracing Your Roots > Jewish > Pulling It Together

Has anyone in your family produced a family tree? If so who?
If your relative came from abroad, how did he/she travel to England?
What was the town you came from like?
Did your grandparents live in the same place?
What was your occupation/positions held?
How did you meet your spouse?
Tell me about your parents?
Tell me about your siblings?
What was your life like as a child (including the sweets you enjoyed; the games you played; your friends; clubs and organisations you belonged to etc.)?
What were your hobbies? Did you belong to the Guides, Scouts or Jewish Lads Brigade?
At what age did you leave school? Which school?
Describe your mother's kitchen when you were a child.
Was your father in the forces? Do you have his regimental details or army record?
Was he on active service? If yes, where?
Do you have any interesting stories he told you about his time in the forces?
Do you own a family bible?
Do you have any old photo albums?
Do you have copies of any birth, marriage/ ketubot or death certificates?
Do you have any family stories or specific family phrases, which have been passed down to you?
What would you change if you could live your life again?
What diseases or conditions, if any, have affected your family e.g. colour blindness, heart disease, diabetes etc?
Did you have holidays as a child/adult? Where did you go?
Was your family religious?
What Synagogue did you belong to? Get married in?
Do you have any family recipes, which have been handed down to you?
What are your happiest/unhappiest memories?
Have you kept any memorabilia? For example, valentine, birthday, anniversary cards; wedding, barmitzvah party invitations; certificates; menus; membership cards etc.
What did you do during the War? Were you in the forces, land, army, ARP or other)? Where were you stationed?
Were you evacuated? If so, what was it like? Where were you sent? What was the family you stayed with like? What school did you attend?
Don't forget to record full details of the person being interviewed as well as the date and circumstances of the session
This section is reproduced by courtesy of Rosemary Wenzerul

Creators: Dr Saul Issroff

Has anyone in your family produced a family tree? If so who?
If your relative came from abroad, how did he/she travel to England?
What was the town you came from like?
Did your grandparents live in the same place?
What was your occupation/positions held?
How did you meet your spouse?
Tell me about your parents?
Tell me about your siblings?
What was your life like as a child (including the sweets you enjoyed; the games you played; your friends; clubs and organisations you belonged to etc.)?
What were your hobbies? Did you belong to the Guides, Scouts or Jewish Lads Brigade?
At what age did you leave school? Which school?
Describe your mother's kitchen when you were a child.
Was your father in the forces? Do you have his regimental details or army record?
Was he on active service? If yes, where?
Do you have any interesting stories he told you about his time in the forces?
Do you own a family bible?
Do you have any old photo albums?
Do you have copies of any birth, marriage/ ketubot or death certificates?
Do you have any family stories or specific family phrases, which have been passed down to you?
What would you change if you could live your life again?
What diseases or conditions, if any, have affected your family e.g. colour blindness, heart disease, diabetes etc?
Did you have holidays as a child/adult? Where did you go?
Was your family religious?
What Synagogue did you belong to? Get married in?
Do you have any family recipes, which have been handed down to you?
What are your happiest/unhappiest memories?
Have you kept any memorabilia? For example, valentine, birthday, anniversary cards; wedding, barmitzvah party invitations; certificates; menus; membership cards etc.
What did you do during the War? Were you in the forces, land, army, ARP or other)? Where were you stationed?
Were you evacuated? If so, what was it like? Where were you sent? What was the family you stayed with like? What school did you attend?
Don't forget to record full details of the person being interviewed as well as the date and circumstances of the session


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