How I Work
How long will my report take?
In terms of the time the research will take - it really does depend on what you are looking for and how accessible the required records are. For guidance, I aim to complete smaller projects within 8 - 12 weeks of receiving written approval of a Client Brief. I will stay in contact with you regularly throughout the process and flag if additional time is required.
How does the process work?
Depending on your location we will either meet in person or online and I will ask you a series of questions, allowing me to create a clear Client Brief for you. This 2 page document allows us to agree what you are aiming to discover, the research process I intend to follow, the sources I plan to consult and what format I will deliver the information to you in.
When I have concluded the research, I will provide an attractive hard copy report, including family trees of your ancestors which will demonstrate how the members are related. The report will include copies of any documents you have paid to access. The package you have chosen will determine the detail of the narrative included.
In the case of House Histories, the report will take the form of a fully referenced, printed report which will include images of documents where possible under copyright laws.
Some of the sources I may consult in researching your report are likely to include birth, marriage and death records, census, electoral rolls, newspaper reports, wills, military, employment records, taxation and land records.
All the research I deliver is fully referenced to a professional level and evidence based so that it can be continued in the future. Where I cannot prove a fact with evidence, I will flag this to you within the report. Negative lines of research will also be noted in the report so that they need not be repeated, along with suggestions of how you could take the story further.
How do you know how long you are spending on my project?
I use a time tracking app to record all the time I am researching and reporting to ensure I stay on track.