BRITISH GENEALOGY SERVICES

Ros Bott BA (Hons)

Thanks for visiting Tracing Ancestors in the UK.  I am a professional genealogist with over 30 years of experience in British genealogy, providing comprehensive services for all your genealogical problems and needs.

Alternatively, if you’d rather learn how to do it yourself, see my step-by-step Beginner’s course at Udemy HERE!

Read below or email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com for more details.

I also write novels with a family history theme.  For more details of my books, visit my author site at rosamundebott.com.

MY SERVICES

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Tracing your ancestors has become a popular pastime for many people all over the world, and with more and more records becoming available on the internet, it is much easier for the individual to do much of their own research without the need of a professional genealogist.

HOWEVER, no matter how much time and effort you use, there will always be times when you need some professional help in tracing your family tree, whether it is breaking through a brick wall, accessing documents that are not published on the internet, or help in adding detailed information to your tree, such as background history, written reports or photographs of your ancestors’ places of residence.

I offer many back-up services that will enhance your own searches and make sure that your own family tree is accurate and has all the extra detail that will make your ancestry come to life.  Click on any of the links above for more detailed information about each service, or email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com.

Advantages of Hiring a Professional Genealogist

Although the internet has made it much easier for you to do the work when you are tracing your family tree, there are still many good reasons for hiring a professional genealogist:

  • A professional genealogist is very experienced in understanding genealogical sources and how to use them.
  • Research, particularly for documents created before 1837, sometimes necessitates visiting local archives, and a professional genealogist can do this for you if you are not able to travel to that location.
  • A professional genealogist knows which resources are the best to search at each step.
  • A professional researcher will have a better idea of what documents are available online, and what documents would need a visit to a local archive.
  • A good professional will have a knowledge of British genealogy and history that often assists in research, and contributes to the quality and richness of the information found.
  • A professional genealogist is experienced in reading old handwriting which the amateur may often find difficult.
  • Using a professional genealogy researcher will help you to not fall into the many pitfalls that amateurs often do (e.g. relying on secondary sources, not understanding name spelling variations etc)
  • You will save time, and possibly money, by not acquiring unnecessary documents.
  • Often the client and the professional work together to solve difficult problems and this can greatly increase your chances of breaking through brick walls.

Tracing your ancestors is never quite as easy as it looks on some of the TV programmes – and I will be happy to work with you to try and get through those inevitable brick walls.

66 Responses to BRITISH GENEALOGY SERVICES

  1. Brian Wesson says:

    Hi I am trying to trace family tree have my mothers birth certificate in workington she was Edith Annie Beck and her mother Annie Beck ((formerly Christen)married Robert James Beck. My mother and her mother were from workington area and several years ago I met family but cant remember the names as my mother past away. my mother Edith annie beck had a brother who died young Stanley beck and is berried in workington cemetery. Robert james Beck was a fireman and emigrated to south Africa in around 1923. He also fort in first world war in france shot in knee and was prisoner of war. My mother Edith Annie Beck married in Johannesburg to John Lawrence Wesson.

    There is a connection to fletcher christian mutiny on bounty not sure how and my mothers family were all captains on ships and one got an OBE.

    Birth details
    Edit Annie beck birth in sub district workington country of cumbria, 1921, no pas 19683/70/f3
    3rd day october 1921 address 4 chapel street, workington
    father robert james beck steelworks locomotive fireman born Harrington 11 July 1898
    Mother Annie Beck (previous Christen) born Whitehaven 30 June 1897 England

    What will it cost for some one to track down the family tree in England
    prior to the becks leaving for south Africa

  2. Ros says:

    Hi Brian
    I have sent you an email.
    Ros

  3. Thomas Mann says:

    I am looking for the Mann family history i want to know why my family is form the UK and Germany. there is John Mann is the lord of Mann.

  4. Ros says:

    Hi Thomas. If you are looking for professional help, please email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com. However, please be aware that I am not receiving any new clients until early in 2023.
    Ros

  5. Andy Hosea says:

    Hi Ros

    Keen amateur family tree builder trying but stuck in 1794.
    Trying to find out where my family name ‘Hosea’ originated from, I have history of the name itself but my family line seems to stop in Fetteresso with –
    William Hosea Born 3rd May 1794 , Married 2nd June 1819
    Father to Peter and John.

    Hoping you can help guide me on tracing this line further back .
    Regards
    Andy

  6. Ros says:

    Hi Andy

    I’ll send you an email.
    Ros

  7. Gill Mcnab says:

    Hi ..Looking for some guidance or a steer in the right direction. Relatively new to the genealogy so thanks for allowing me to use your experience. My dad turns 80 next year and has lived a lifetime with little knowledge of any extended family. Born to Joseph Hegarty in the forties. We have tried many routes to try and trace the Hegarty family but sadly my grandad’s four siblings were sent over to Quebec and although we have records of travel we lose them shortly after. My grandad wasnt sent and eventually ended up on a children’s home in Liverpool which is so sad. Working full time with a family, I just haven’t had the time to devote to finding the history of my dads side and if there are any surviving cousins etc. Working backwards Joseph was born to Thomas Hegarty and Catherine Dougherty who lived in Liverpool. Thomas worked on the docks ( Bon jovi ha) and Catherine was a “street hawker”. They originated from Ireland.. Thomas being born to James Hegarty. I think I was picking up hints to Sligo? The four siblings Mary Ann, James, Catherine and Thomas went on different ships from Liverpool- I have some records but their whereabouts after are a bit sketchy. Reference to the boys being sent to a farm. I think there is ref to a fifth sibling William who may have died. Anyway a link to the basics for of our family through ancestry below. Would appreciate any hints to narrow this down before dads birthday in June. Thank you for your time 🙏🏼

    Contribute to Gillian’s family tree on Ancestry.

  8. Ros says:

    Hi Gill – if you are trying to trace the four siblings who went to Canada, then you will really need help from Canadian sources. My expertise is in the UK. I would recommend that you try and find a genealogist who specialises in tracing living relatives in Canada; or at least subscribe to the Canadian section of Ancestry (www.ancestry.ca).
    Best wishes and good luck.
    Ros

  9. Michelle Roy says:

    Good Morning Ros,

    I am actually just looking for information on my maternal grandfather. His name was Harry Charles SR. I have been told that he was born in the UK. I have found some information that states he was born in England but there is also a lot of information saying he was born in the US. According to his Canadian Military record he was born in the UK as well. I am trying to find his birth certificate which I know may be an impossible feat. I am on the Ancestry UK site and I have other papers from my uncle (grandfathers son) but I am at a loss due to so much incorrect information.
    His story is:
    Born in England approximately 1912. The family then moved to the US. His parents passed away and he was adopted by what at first seemed like an American family (turns out they were born in the UK as well) with the last name Middleditch. They all eventually moved to Canada and my grandfather enlisted in the army. He was a Private and unfortunately became a POW. He was returned and treated by medical professionals (his future wife – Rose Shoults – also born in the UK). Prior to returning to Canada they were married in Camberwell (see below). They then moved back to Canada and had 5 children.

    Harry Charles in the
    England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
    Record details
    Name Harry Charles
    Registration Date Jan 1946
    Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar
    Registration district Camberwell
    Inferred County London
    Spouse Rose Shoults
    Volume Number 1d
    Page number 914

  10. Ros says:

    Hi Michelle
    Thanks for this question.
    I notice you have the reference details for Harry’s marriage in England. If you ordered this marriage certificate from the General Register Office (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates) this would give you the name of his father, and his father’s occupation. This would help you to identify him in any baptism records, if they are available. You could also then search for the father in the 1911 census and go from there. You will need to subscribe to the GRO, and the certificate will cost £11 plus shipping. Let me know if you want any professional help to carry this out. You can email me at info@tracingancestors-uk.com. However, I am extremely busy, so I may not be able to do anything until March.
    Hope this helps.
    Ros

  11. Geraldene says:

    Hi Roz,
    I have sent you an email with regards to my late grandfather, I am hoping you can assist me.

  12. Ros says:

    Hi Geraldene – I haven’t received an email from you, but I am sending you an email now.
    Ros

  13. Mike Jones says:

    Hello, I am interested in tracing both sides of my parents family tree.
    Could you please contact me and advise on cost and process / timeline.
    Thanks
    Mike

  14. Ros says:

    Hi Mike – I’m sending you an email.
    Ros

  15. Bob Bowden says:

    Hello,
    I’m looking for help with getting over a brick wall into England. My ancestor sailed from there in 1817 landing in NY but may have been on his way to Canada.
    Am happy to send you the little information I have on that aspect of my research however I’m wondering if there are ship passenger lists available for that time period.
    I have seen records with his name, George Bowden, from that time period but it apparently is a fairly common name.
    Thanks in advance,
    Bob Bowden

  16. Ros says:

    Hi Bob
    Thanks for this. Ship passenger lists are usually more available in the country of arrival – so any existing documents would be more likely to be found on Ancestry.com (rather than Ancestry.co.uk) – but I can search this for you too, if you wish. However, as it is a fairly common name, it would be helpful if you had any further details, including a date of birth, place of origin etc.
    I currently have an 8 week waiting list, but I’m sending you an email with further information if you are OK to wait.
    Best wishes
    Ros

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