I’m a qualified and experienced professional genealogist and family historian. I specialise in English ancestry, but sometimes this extends to researching related family members in other parts of the world. Much of this work can be done using records available online via commercial genealogy websites. Other research can be done only in local archives.
I hold the Pharos Family History Skills & Strategies intermediate qualification, achieved with Distinction, and the Pharos / Society of Genealogists , also achieved with Distinction.
I’m also a Member of AGRA – the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives. As such I operate fully according to the professional standards set down by the AGRA Code of Practice, and I offer clients the peace of mind of the AGRA Complaints Procedure.
You’ll find more information about me [here].
A genealogy service tailored to your needs
The range of genealogy services I offer is set out below, with lots of links to other pages on my website where you can find out more. However, it’s intended only as a starting point, to give you an idea about what’s possible. Please do get in touch if what you’d like doesn’t seem to be covered
Custom research about whatever you need
Most of the research I’m asked to do falls into this category, which could involve any of the options in the bullet points below, and often anywhere in the country. By agreeing finite chunks of work at any time, the cost can be spread. Click here to find out more.
- Investigating a story that was handed down in your family, or a significant event
- Researching the life of a specific ancestor
- Help with brick walls; one-to-one help
- Verifying work done to date and/or offering ways to enhance your evidence and variety of documentation used.
Researching a particular ancestral line
Click here to find out more about researching a specified line of your family tree, including: different options; what’s involved; what I’ll need from you; what you can expect; and the likely costs. Generally, if the research aims to take a line back to around 1800, this can be done for any location(s) in England, and possibly beyond.
Isle of Wight based research at the Isle of Wight Record Office
Research on the Isle of Wight includes all of the options outlined above, whether that be specified lines, entire family trees or researching specific people or questions. However, with easy access to the local county archives I can delve much deeper into your ancestors’ lives, perhaps even as far back as the sixteenth century. In addition I can do:
- Archive look-ups for experienced or professional researchers who just need information from specific, identified records.
- Isle of Wight based House Histories.
Click here to find out more about my Isle of Wight based research service.
Talks to family history, local history or general interest groups
Click here to find out more about using me for your group’s event.
Archives or online?
Often, research can be carried out entirely online, using digital images of original documents. This is particularly true of the family tree ‘packages’ back to around 1800 and also, often, ‘brick walls’. If you contact me with a query or a proposal for research I will advise if the work can be done online or if a genealogist local to your area of interest would be more suited to the work.
That said, I am based on the Isle of Wight, and much of the work I’m asked to do is here, drawing upon records lodged with the County Record Office. This is particularly important for Isle of Wight research, since so far there are very few records online; and often a visit to the archives is the only way to access the original records. If you’d like to learn more about the kinds of resources available on the Island – including of course, the ones I use – you’ll find lots of information and links here.
Archives I visit
In addition to the Isle of Wight County Records Office, I can also visit the following:
- Hampshire County Record Office, at Winchester. The Anglican Winchester Diocese holdings and part of the Portsmouth Diocese are also lodged here.
- Portsmouth Archives. Part of the Portsmouth Diocese holdings are lodged here.
- Southampton Archives
- West Sussex County Records Office, at Chichester
and occasionally: - West Yorkshire Archives, at Leeds, Bradford or Wakefield (I visit regularly because this is my personal primary area of interest)
- The National Archives at Kew
If an in-progress research project extends to other archives not included in the above list a visit may still be possible.
Caveat
Please bear in mind that no genealogist can guarantee to be able to provide you with the answers you’re looking for. Sometimes the records are simply not there, and sometimes ‘clues’ left by an ancestor are false – they didn’t want to be ‘found’. In such cases all we can reach about a particular individual is a likely hypothesis or, sadly, a ‘brick wall’.
That said, I undertake to research thoroughly and methodically. My report will set out clearly everything I have done to move you towards your research goal, including negative search results and my analysis of conflicting evidence, with an explanation of any reasons for not being able to answer your research question. Please note, therefore, that:
- Charges agreed for custom projects will be payable in full, even if nothing is found;
- Charges agreed for ‘family tree’ packages will be adjusted if lack of evidence means the agreed number of generations cannot be researched.
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English Ancestors 