Over half of Brits have learned something new about a late relative

A quarter wish they had asked their relatives more when they had the chance (Image: Ancestry.co.uk)Discoveries included tales of their wartime experiences (29 percent), their childhood (28 percent), and where they had travelled (23 percent).Stories were uncovered through speaking to others who knew relatives when they were younger (49 percent), and discussions with the wider family (45 percent).Of those who have discovered something new about their relatives’ lives, 51 percent admitted it left them with more unanswered questions – but a further 45 percent felt closer to their family.The research, commissioned by Ancestry.co.uk, found 43 percent discovered a revelation when clearing out their relative’s home.A quarter of those polled regret not speaking to their relatives more about their wartime stories, in particular, while over a fifth (22 percent) would love to discover an unknown war-related tale within their family history.The family history brand has teamed up with poet Nikita Gill this Remembrance Day to create an emotive new poem, ‘Who You Are’ – recounting some of the untold personal experiences from the First and Second World Wars, found in records on Ancestry.Nikita Gill said: ‘Both my grandfathers were in the Indian Army during the Second World War, so I felt like I had a real connection to the subject matter. One in five don’t know what role their relatives played in the war (Image: Ancestry.co.uk)’I wanted to do justice to the stories of ordinary people who lived during a time of great change and uncertainty.’My experience of using the wealth of UK and Ireland wartime records available on Ancestry as inspiration, demonstrated how even the simplest of records can tell such interesting and poignant stories.’Simon Pearce, military history expert at Ancestry, said: ‘Britain’s wartime history is full of fascinating accounts that shed light on how our ancestors once lived – and yet there are still so many stories to be discovered.’In fact, our research highlights how many people have unearthed a story about their own family’s history after a relative has passed, showcasing the importance of having those discussions now to ensure these stories live on.’The research also found such discoveries left people feeling intrigued (32 percent), shocked (26 percent), and proud (25 percent).Among the top things respondents found from relatives after they passed were photos (28 percent), physical heirlooms (19 percent), and letters (19 percent).Of those polled, two in five (39 percent) also admitted they are not familiar with trench poetry – poems written by soldiers during the First World War to express their experiences. Poet Nikita Gill said both her grandfathers served in the Indian Army (Image: Ancestry.co.uk)But 31 percent feel finding their ancestors’ creative writing would help them feel closer to them.And one in five (21 percent) admitted that, although they know their family member was alive during the war and served, they don’t know what role they played.Other topics Brits wish they’d discussed more with loved ones included the hobbies they had growing up (20 percent), what jobs they had (19 percent), and where they met their partner (19 percent).And when it comes to their ancestors’ experiences of wartime, people would be interested to know how their family members found rationing (18 percent), the role they played (22 percent), and who else they met during that time (17 percent).Three in ten (29 percent) would like to discover a family story related to life on the front line, while a further quarter (25 percent) would enjoy hearing about a wartime love story.And more than 40 percent of those polled, via OnePoll, admitted they don’t really know their family’s history.Ancestry.co.uk is offering free access to billions of UK and Ireland wartime records from November 4th-8th, to help people discover their own family wartime stories.