Memory, memorial and historical distance -An interesting perspective

I attended a very informative lecture at the RGS this week. It was about the albums of Naval Surgeon J Litton Palmer, who was travelling in the 19th Century. The lecturer made some interesting comments regarding memory, memorial and historical perspective with reference to recording information contemporaneously, recording it after the event and the use we make of that information now. which made me think differently about how I might approach my biography in terms of creating my critical distance, and and how I should use my subjects own writings