As an Isle of Wight-based genealogist, I’m often commissioned to research ancestral lines here on the Island. Unfortunately, at the present time no digital images of original Isle of Wight parish records are available online via any of the subscription websites; yet before the advent of Civil Registration and the decennial Census in 1837-1841, it is the entries in these baptism, marriage and burial registers that are the main tools we need to build the skeleton of our ancestral lines. 

In the absence of such online resources, the only way to access digital images of the original records is to visit the Isle of Wight County Record Office (IOW CRO). This fact, combined with the time, inconvenience and cost of travelling to the Island, can make hiring a professional genealogist a useful option. However, there is much more at the local Record Office than just the parish registers. Depending on the location of your ancestors we may be able to build not only a reliable family tree but also draw upon records from manors, boroughs, courts, wider parish records, tithes and other historic maps and a whole range of other record sets to really get to know your family and the lives they had.

Depending on your needs, I can:

• take on the full project, as agreed with you
• provide a second look at work you’ve already done, suggesting additional ways to verify and expand your research
• examine and photograph specific documents identified by you
• take on the Isle of Wight part of your client’s brief
• I also provide a House History Research service for the Isle of Wight.

All that said, there are some special features about Isle of Wight genealogical research that must be borne in mind.

Rather than the powerful search engines provided by commercial genealogy websites that we as genealogists are now familiar with, at the IOW CRO research commences with a huge hand-written card index including all entries on the parish registers and certain other local records.  The cards are arranged by surname (including variations) and then by Baptisms, Marriages, Burials and Miscellaneous.  Within these sections, individual index cards are arranged chronologically.  Images of the actual records must then be located on microfilm. Alongside this, there are catalogues relating to different parts of the Island or different ‘themes’ or topics, from which records can be identified and requested. The system is effective and straightforward. However, if you’re used to online index searches returning many records at the click of a button, please bear in mind that this stage can be very time consuming, particularly since some of the microfilm reels are old and delicate and must be wound on slow speed.

Please note

• For parish records, the document format available to me is generally microfiche images (black on white) of the original documents. For all other records I work with the original documents.
• The IOW CRO, or the body on behalf of which they hold individual record sets, retains the copyright of all documents. They must be further published beyond my report without the specific consent of the CRO.
• Should photographs of any documents be required (they usually are) there is a £5 charge for a daily photography permit.

My fee is £35 per hour
This includes time spent carrying out the research and writing up the report.
A maximum number of hours will be agreed at the initial consultation stage, with an option to agree further hours if a conclusion has not been reached, or if you would like further work beyond your original objective.
Any certificates purchased will be charged extra, at cost. Any paper certificates purchased will belong to you and will be posted to you at the end of the research.