Category Archives: House History

Your Personal ‘House Through Time’ Experience

If A House Through Time has piqued your curiosity about your own home and its previous residents, why not make this the year to find out more?

I can unveil the mysteries of the history of your house, discover more about those who have also called your home theirs and the events which influenced their lives, all interwoven with tales of their triumphs, alongside sensitive handling of the more challenging times they may have faced.

I will place your home within its local history context, often integral to shaping the stories of those who lived there. Viewing your home through the lens of local, and even national, history will help you see it in an entirely fresh light, giving you a new appreciation of its place in the history of your local community.

Through my meticulous, professional research, drawing upon a wide range of sources including archive-only material, the rich and colourful tapestry of the lives of those who have left their invisible footprints in your home will be once more brought to light. As an experienced researcher, I really can breathe life into the history of your home.

Whatever the house style or era, a professionally researched and written house history is a wonderful talking point amongst family and friends. It is a fabulously unique house-warming gift to treasure. It can also be a real selling point if you do eventually wish to move on.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s the feedback from two of my recent house history clients.

Jane has gone above and beyond in producing a written account of the history of my house. It really was like having my own personal “A House Through Time” researcher. I am amazed at what she discovered, both about the history of the house and those who lived in it. CI, UK


We finally moved in and I gifted the [house history] book to my wife. She loves it. She hasn’t read it all but now she knows the names of all the ghosts she can hear. Thanks again. BK, UK

If you want to discuss the various options about engaging me to write the history of your home, please do get in touch via email at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com.

This includes if you are undertaking your own house history research but live a distance from the West Riding Registry of Deeds, and would like me to undertake look-ups on your behalf there.

Alternatively, you can access me via my Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) profile, which can be found  here.

House history is just one of the research services I offer. I also undertake family and local history research, ranging from individual document look-ups and archive visits, to brick wall busting, and multi-generational family trees or full family histories. I can also be engaged as a speaker, with my list of current talks here. Contact details for all these services are as above.

The Gift of Family or House History

Looking for some last minute Christmas present inspiration? Hate trailing around shops in the wind, wet and cold? Want to get something unique for your loved ones? Something totally bespoke and personal to them?

How about a block of family or house history research?

I regularly undertake gift research commissions. So if you want to buy a Christmas present with a difference – or come to that a birthday, anniversary or house warming gift – do get in touch to discuss your requirements.

I can undertake ‘surprise’ research, with the recipient being presented with the final results in book format; or you can book a block of research time so the recipient can be involved in the process.

I can be contacted via email at pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com

There is also a contact form via my Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) profile, which is found here.

Christmas is Coming….

Yes, I know it’s only June and the Festive Season might seem a million miles away – though the weather might seem drab enough for winter, with summer so far seemingly deciding to give this year a miss. But if you do want to guarantee some family, local or house history research before Christmas, now’s the time to start making those booking enquiries. Because you will find that popular, expert researchers are in great demand, and they do get booked up months in advance.

Whilst I do my best to slot in requests for last-minute pieces of research, I am already taking bookings for work to start in late September. In fact, I’ve already a piece of work scheduled for December completion.

So if you’re wanting to commission a piece of research for a Christmas gift or, come to that, for any upcoming special occasion or ancestral visit, please get in touch as soon as possible to discuss your requirements.

To re-write a well-known nursery rhyme:

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat,
If you want to research 3x great grandad John, now’s the time for that.
Brick wall, house walls, trees – root and branches too,
Get in touch, book it in, to find out what makes you.

Christmas Goose at the Crachits – Illustration from “The Jones Fourth Reader” (https://archive.org/details/the-jones-fourth-reader)
Wikimedia Commons Public Domain Image

My research services and fees can be found here.

And here’s more about my research background.