The family history revolution

To some of us, post-1945 seems like yesterday – but if you are a younger researcher, this era could encompass several generations of your ancestors. More recent research is an important part of everyo

I have just read Diane Lindsay’s piece (FT June) about decluttering. That did ring a large bell. I have been doing family history for something like 65 years. I have managed to file a lot of the infor

If you’ve been researching family history for a while, you’ve already lived through one revolution, the shift from physical to remote research. Not so long ago, being a family historian meant spending

The first series of WDYTYA? aired in 2004, and I started working on the programme two years later. My first episodes were broadcast in 2007 and featured rower Matthew Pinsent and actor John Hurt, and

DNA is a wonderful resource and I am so glad I decided to take a test way back in 2017 – but little did I know where it would lead me and the things I would discover. Some of the outcomes have been wo

Content warning: Be aware before you start revisiting your own family history from this new perspective it can bring up unsettling feelings and emotions. If you know you are a sensitive person or you