Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I get started?

I've managed to break my services down into some Standard Packages based on the most common projects I work on. These can be booked online with other services and Free Consultations. Online Booking enables me to plan my time in advance so I can still carry out effective search assignments that my clients want and love no matter what time zone I'm in.

Can you just start me off?

A starter tree can be set up online for you to access, with just one or two generations. Most commonly I enter three or four generations of one or two branches of the family, then do an online tour of the tree. Pricing depends on how much information has already been researched by the client, and therefore how much time I spend on the search or data entry. The service – Without Research means you have the data and sources that you wish to be entered as they are, without verification from me.

Will You Show Me How?

If needed I can show you the basics of how to use an online program or software that you have chosen and then switch to your sole use. It’s an additional service for Coaching and does carry an extra cost. You can always set up a time for a call to see if this is a fit for your requirements and whether we are on the same page so to speak prior to your booking.

What’s your cheapest service?

I have a budget option where you can purchase blocks of my time from 1 hour upwards. This is available to anyone that has already purchased a starter package from me. You can see the pricing and details of the services on my booking page. If you don't see what you are looking for here, please feel free to ask, you can email me by clicking "Contact".

What Are Location Services?

As I travel frequently across the Atlantic, I am able to complete research at record locations like repositories when and where needed. I also visit Parishes, Archives, Towns, and Villages on behalf of my clients. I take photographs of remaining buildings like Houses, and Churches that are relevant to your search. I can also recite graveside prayers and lay flowers at a grave site for you if requested. Images of gravestones are taken and the engravings transcribed.

Can You Put My Written Records on A Computer?

Some of my assignments include sifting and sorting through the records already researched before computers and online access was available. Typically, these clients are seniors or close relatives to them who do not want to see their hard work wasted now that they are in their later years. Putting the records onto the computer, or into printed reports means that more than one person can have a record. It can be a fantastic gift that triggers memories and a sense of accomplishment for the original researcher who is credited with this achievement in print.

This is listed in my bespoke services in more detail, but as each assignment is unique you may prefer to discuss the project and cover any questions you might have.

What’s different about your services compared to another Genealogist?

The short answer is I don’t know. I don’t know whom you are comparing me or my services to. I don’t know if I am a good fit for your search or not.

I work for myself and have a good set of principles and ethics which means that I don’t work with everyone that contacts me. My time is limited and sometimes I don’t see a mutual goal that is attainable.

If I know another professional who is more suitable, like a specialist in your field of interest and I may offer a referral instead.

I’m Adopted. Can you still trace my tree?

There is no standard answer to this question as each case differs slightly. It will depend on when and where your adoption was and whether you already have your adoption records. I understand that this can be frustrating, so email me with the details or book a free consultation and let’s see if I can help.

What’s the difference between Gifts & Tributes?

A gift is an item that you can give to another for a celebration or for no reason at all. Gifts are not specifically aimed at one individual in the tree, they refer to the family as a whole. For example Mug sets with your family crest.

Tributes are customized Memorial Trees for special birthdays or events that celebrate the life and achievements of an individual in your tree. These are often used at Funeral Services and wakes to show the connections that can never be lost. Commemorative Gifts capture the significance of the life of your loved one, living or deceased.

What if I don’t want reports?

This is a common and a frequently asked question. Even if you do not want reports on your family tree there is a report that denotes the scope of the actual search and it explains what work has been undertaken on your behalf. You do not need to take any action on the information provided unless you wish to.

This report is important as it relates to costs and is therefore mandatory.

I don’t know who my father is can you find him?

I am not a private investigator and do not undertake searches to track down living members of your family. I do sometimes come across living descendants of a mutual ancestor. If this is the case the source of the information will be detailed in your reports so that you may decide whether to contact them independently.

What’s A Narrative version of an individual’s timeline?

A narrative version of an individual’s timeline is a written piece that adds elements of fiction, historical events and human emotion to the bare details from official records. It allows the reader to see this individual as a real person as opposed to a name who was born and died on specific dates. This is an original one-off piece written by me from the point of view of your ancestor. These are subject to copyright and are not for you to publish without my knowledge or consent. I do not publish my client’s ancestral story without their permission, and it's natural that I expect the same courtesy.

Why Have You Suspended Your Services After I have Paid You?

If you have received an email from me saying that I have suspended my services, the same message should also detail why. Here are the common reasons:

A. Your payment could not be processed- maybe you have a new debit card and need to update your payment method.

B. I am awaiting instruction from you about how you wish your search to proceed.

C. I have uncovered a family connection to my own tree. In this case, you will be invited to receive the whole of my tree at no additional cost to you. This is worth thousands of hours of research, so I need to confirm our connections first. Please bear with me.

Why Don’t You Display Your Phone Number?

We've removed the phone number from the website due to a considerable amount of telemarketing calls that disturb our search plans for client trees.

We are happy to arrange a call with you at a convenient time, please use the booking page for a free consultation or send us an email by clicking "Contact Us" on the home page.

Why is there a picture of my ancestor’s grave on your website or social media?

I share only pictures which I photographed independently, purchased a license for, or I have written permission from the client for whom this was taken. It may have been included in a blog or a post.

It's exciting though, because you may be related some way to another client or even to me! Click "contact us" with a note about the post, photo or blog and let's compare notes.

When will my family tree be complete?

Tree packages that I offer are scheduled for me to work on as soon as I have availability. If your tree will not be ready within 10 days I will contact you with an updated completion date.

If you have a Monthly Plan your tree is updated every 30 days. If you need to suspend your monthly plan for a short period just email me with a 30-day notice if possible, due to billing cycles. I'll finish up any notes etc. You can always pick it up again at a later date if you desire.

If you’re asking when you will have everything there is to know about your family history, that’s a different answer.

Family History means the search is never over because there is always more to know or consider. It's just up to you as to how inquisitive you are about your ancestors, where they were born and died is the tip of the iceberg. Where they lived, how they lived and what events they lived through tells you who they were as people.

Consider the migration of families, economic factors, religious changes, conflicts, industry collapses, famine, disease. Many of these things affected our families of the past. Just as they would affect our living family members today.

My bespoke genealogy services can include things you might not have considered before in Historical records outside the scope of the General Records Offices. There's Maps, Gazettes, Survey Maps, Voting Records, Passenger Lists, Wills, Court Rolls, Workhouses, Prisons, Ecclesiastical and Land Registers as examples.

Contact me to find out which options are best for your search, whether you're just starting, slogging away when you can find the time, or stuck and going round in circles. Believe me, I've been there!