The “after-life” of parenting: memory, parentage, and personal identity in Britain c. 1760-1830

Remembering parentage and parents in life writings in Britain c. 1760—1830 served four functions. First, recounting parentage enabled the writer to situate himself or herself in terms of social status, personal value, and worth. Second, memories of parents helped an individual understand and make meaning of the path his or her life had taken. Third, the process was bound up with a range of emotions, which gave parents power after childhood and had repercussions and meaning throughout the writer’s life. Finally, the memories selected and accorded specific significance were often those from times of emotional crisis and disruption and recalling them may have enabled writers to impose some stability upon the insecurities of life. Overall, such memories offer insights into attitudes toward family, indicate the emotional significance of the role that parents played in their offsprings’ lives from childhood to old age, and were important in the formation of personal identities.