Jacquie’s Story

My father was fascinated by the stories of his friend, Kitty Barnwell, whose life almost spanned two centuries. In the early 1980s he spent hours and hours over cups of tea tape-recording Kitty’s stories. He and my mother then painstakingly transcribed them on one of the earliest word-processors and produced a keepsake booklet called “Kitty” for her family.

“Kitty” inspired me to create My Life Story Writer because it captures stories of a remarkable woman, born in 1902, her involvement in the suffragette movement and her memories of the First and Second World Wars.  If it weren’t for Mum and Dad, Kitty’s great great grandchildren wouldn’t have her stories today.

My mother-in-law’s incredible steel-trap memory was my second source of inspiration.  Gwyn was a treasure trove of stories. Like my father before me with Kitty, I gathered up Gwyn’s stories into a booklet for the family. “Gwyn’s Stories” brings history to life, recounting her uncles’ stories from the frontline of WWI, her memories of the Depression and Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation.

The world is changing at a rocketing pace and my work transports us back to the days when we could spend countless hours, sitting around having a good yarn.  With me, the product of those yarns is a book of life stories, photos and memorabilia that will be preserved forever.

I rake through to the gold and capture your great stories and images. I retain the way you speak and stick to your turn-of-phrase so your family will actually hear your voice as they read.

Your future generations will get strength from your stories of resilience, funny memories (after all humour’s our lifeblood) and gems of wisdom for years to come.

Jacquie Whitefield, BA (Hons), History
Personal Historian