Make & keep
Build an interview timeline around a photo strip
Separate remembered events from dates printed on the object and family documents.
An interview can add context to a strip, but memory, object markings and later documents may disagree. Create a timeline that keeps each source visible instead of forcing every detail into one date.
Prepare the prompts
Ask what the interviewee remembers seeing, where they kept the strip and who else might know the story. Avoid leading with a proposed date or relationship. Record permission and preferred attribution before recording or taking notes.
Mark each source
Use one column for the interview, another for inscriptions or envelopes, and a third for later documents. Write the speaker’s words as a quotation only when you have a reliable record; otherwise label the note as a summary and date the interview.
Keep disagreement visible
If a date conflicts with another source, list both and explain the basis for each. Ask whether the interviewee wants a follow-up or correction. Store the notes with the strip identifier so future readers can revisit the evidence without treating one recollection as definitive.