Recently, I had cause to investigate ways to preserve our family research,
after we go to join that great majority.
When visiting a former colleague's family after his untimely death,
I discovered they had thrown away almost 40 years of his
research when cleaning out his home.
After leaving, I sat in my car and wept,
as I'm sure he would have too. All those priceless photographs and documents - gone!

What you need to do is attach a form, like the following, to your
Last Will and Testament,as a codicil with the heading
Personal Requests.
It is not a legal document unless processed with your Will.
(Many funeral directors provide such forms or perhaps you can find one online.)
........................................................................................
IN THE EVENT OF MY DEATH PLEASE PASS ON
MY FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH TO:
Interested family members provide name &
address. OR donate to the following institute (name).
Provide location of material & make sure material
is clearly marked & kept together,
preferably tied and boxed.
.........................................................................................

PLEASE GIVE MY HISTORICAL
FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS TO:
Interested family members
provide name and address. OR
donate to the following institute.
Again provide location of material
and make sure it is clearly marked
and kept together.
.........................................................................................

All family trees online
show the location, username and passwords,
or where possible download them onto a Gedcom
file and include them with your research.
..........................................................................................

So as to make it all just so much easier for our
future family history researchers;
attach to your Will this personal information form which gives a
bit more than the usual information seen on a death certificate.
Also Death Certificate informants, you may have noticed
do not always provide the correct information :

SURNAME
CHRISTIAN NAMES
USUAL RESIDENCE
DATE OF BIRTH
PLACE OF BIRTH
FATHER'S NAME
FATHER'S BIRTH DATE
WHERE BORN
FATHER'S DEATH DATE
WHERE DIED
MOTHER'S NAME
MOTHER'S BIRTH DATE
WHERE BORN
MOTHER'S DEATH DATE
WHERE DIED
YOUR MARITAL STATUS
DETAILS OF MARRIAGE
DATE OF MARRIAGE
WHERE MARRIED
AGE WHEN MARRIED
FULL NAME OF SPOUSE OR SPOUSES
DETAILS OF CHILDREN (NAMES AND BIRTHDATES)
BANK ACCOUNTS
INSURANCE POLICIES
LOCATION OF TITLE DEEDS
FUNERAL PREFERENCES
LIST OF PERSONS, SOCIETIES AND CLUBS
TO BE NOTIFIED OF YOUR DEATH.
AND YOUR SECRET BANK ACCOUNTS IF ANY or
directions as to where the loot is stashed

Looking after your family Archive