Famiy Record Sheets My Way

Over the years I have used several Family Record Sheets that I have downloaded to use when I am researching - these are what I use to scribble notes and record new data, and take with me when I am researching.  These sheets, however, never quite did just what I wanted, so a few years ago I decided to try creating my own.

After some trial and error, I finally created a Family Group Sheet I liked.  It was done using Microsoft Word, and I quickly realised that this meant I could easily type new data onto the sheets, save and print them, and this was MUCH easier than trying to read my own scribbled handwriting, especially after several corrections and additions.

My original sheets had the standard information - for both parents there was space for name, occupation, birth, marriage and death, their parents names and any other spouse(s).  Below there was space to record up to 10 children - birth, death, marriage and spouse's name - but unusually I included space to record birth and death for each spouse.  

Family Group Sheet example

 
The reverse side of each sheet was for notes - details of certificates and printouts held such as BMD certificates and extracts, census records, military files, wills, baptism or burial information, newspaper articles, stories and so on - all those little details that flesh out the names and dates.

I also discovered that using Word meant I could add a little color to my notes - printing male names in blue and female names in red, dates and places in purple and leaving all my headings black.  Later I added space to include baptism and burial information for both parents on the main page.  The resulting document can be downloaded here, and I am happy for anyone out there to save a master copy and use it if they wish.