Grampa’s 1950s Time Capsule #1

Scanning 35 mm slides needs the same self-motivation as getting out the Christmas decorations from storage.

I’ve had this multi-media article in my thoughts for three months and finally I’m starting it. I’ve been using the 5 step knowledge process for my family mementos for 2 years now, and I’m in control of all the documents that we’ve inherited. So now I’m able to turn my attention to these 35mm slide boxes belonging to my Dad’s Family Birth Group (GBlaTho1923). I’ve treated these 1950s slides like a special morsel that’s been left till last – the one that has to be savoured.

Grampa’s slides have been preserved and catalogued in these powdered coated metal grey-red boxes. Lifting a lid makes feel like I’m a time traveller that’s dialed up family life for Australia in the 1950s. Grampa had taken the time to write on the index printed under the metal lids and write on each slide. One thing I noticed that despite his good journal skills the slides aren’t in the right compartments; no doubt they’ve been mixed up from the time friends had come over for dinner, a chat and a slide show night.

These 35 mm slides are a vivid glimpse of life sixty-six years ago,  and when scanned and stored digitally they are as rich in color and feeling as any instant image shared on Instagram or Facebook.

So I present to you post #1 in a series of posts entitled: Grampa’s 1950s Time Capsule. I’ll showing you, even if you have only a subset of family keepsakes, that by using the Family Knowledge Process you can capture valuable family knowledge.

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To get myself into the 1950s time zone I’ve used this informative and fun web-site:

http://fiftiesweb.com/