About ME

After successfully researching my own family, I began researching family trees for other people in 1995. It has been a pleasure and privalege to work with such wonderful people during the last 13 years. Many of whom have become close friends (no matter how many miles and oceans divide us).

Over the years, together we have experienced trials and tribulations, tears of joy and sadness but ultimately, great pride and satisfaction in our forebears whether they were rogues or saints. They are our flesh and blood and we have to accept them warts and all.

So by choosing me to trace your family, you are becoming part of a team. We have to work together to get as much from the experience as possible. I am not a number cruncher and don't wish to churn out dates and names back to Domesday. As a social historian, I like to put meat on the bones of our ancestors. Find out who they were, how they thought and what made them tick.

I have taught Local History at nightschool and have a deep interest in social history. I was born in Birmingham and as most of my ancestors are from Birmingham and the surrounding counties, I consider myself to have a very good grasp of the geography and history of the area. For family history, this is the key to success.

My most recent long term project has been to trace the life of Francis William Aston. A noted scientist who came from Harborne in Birmingham. Our ultimate aim was to have a blue plaque erected as close to the birthplace of Aston as possible and this was achieved in the 130th anniversary year of his birth. 2007.

You can visit this link at the BBC website to see Aston's plaque ceremony and my interview.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6970000/newsid_6977000?redirect=6977030.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&asb=1