Thanks, Grandma, for Writing on the Backs (and Fronts) of Photos

A simple way to preserve family history by labeling and identifying people in old photographs

Meet Jewel (a.k.a. Momoo)

My paternal grandmother’s name was Jewel, and she had a few quirks that really bugged my mother—her daughter-in-law—who was the only child of a military officer father and a strict, proper German mother. When my older brother was 3 or so, he started calling Grandma Jewel “Momoo,” a variation of the ever-popular “Meemaw.” My mother was irritated that Momoo occasionally gave me birthday cards that said something like “For a dear daughter” and then wrote the word “grand” in cursive before “daughter.” Even as a child, I thought it was amusing and wasn’t bothered by it. Momoo and Popoo lived in a small town in Texas, and maybe the card selection at the TG&Y was limited—or she just happened to like the “daughter” card better.

Running Commentary

Another pet peeve, according to my mother, was when Momoo would send family photos with names written on the backs—and sometimes on the fronts—to identify people. She’d write something like, “I look like I’m about to sneeze,” or “My eyes are closed, so I must have been napping while standing.” I thought her comments were funny. Mom was not amused.

Three Lifetimes of Stuff

After my mother died in 2019, I inherited both sets of grandparents' belongings in addition to all my parents' stuff. My parents were only children, and I have an older brother who didn't want the furnishings and mementos. So that makes three married couples' lifetime accumulations of stuff I've been going through. Yes, that's another story for another day.

Momoo wrote "His first long trousers" on the back of this photo of my father.

A Gift I Didn’t Recognize at the Time

I am eternally grateful to Momoo whenever I come across her handwriting on an image, like "Cousin Jack in Duncan, OK, 1936, with Wilma and baby Jo." I can cross-check on Ancestry or other sites for records. Sure enough, I've matched the ancestors with the photo. I use image editing software to remove the handwriting after identifying the people in the images she wrote across. Each one of these is a gift. It took her just a few minutes to ID everyone in the photos, which shows foresight and faith that a descendant would care about those who came before.

Look Through Photos with Relatives

Take time to sit down with relatives—old or anyone who's "game"—and go through photos to see if they can identify people you don't recognize. Even if your relative shows signs of dementia, long-term memory is usually the last to go. You might be surprised how quickly and confidently your relative can recall people in photos. Write the names, ask questions, and research or ask other relatives about those you aren't as familiar with. It's also an excellent way to spend time with someone.

Do This for the Next Generation

As for those boxes of your own family photos, write on the backs with a fine-point Sharpie or lightly with a pencil, noting the date, occasion, and people from left to right. Or print it on a label and attach it to the back of the photo. Then, scan the images at about 300 dpi and upload them to cloud storage. Check out the University of Michigan Library's tips for scanning images. Your children or nieces and nephews will be grateful, just like I am for Momoo and her back-of-photo remarks, like, "Ruby and I look sweaty and tuckered out after that heatwave. The modeling agency won't be calling us this week. Ha."

Thanks for your wit and foresight, Momoo.