Past To Present Genealogy: Providing a high-quality family, house and local history research service for every client, with honesty, integrity and professionalism at the heart of each piece of work.
Work Undertaken
I am a professionally qualified family, house and local history researcher based in West Yorkshire.
From tracing individual civil registration certificates, through to researching local history events and producing full family trees, family and local history research requirements are unique to each individual client. I pride myself on providing a high-quality, value-for-money service, tailored to your needs – and I will conduct your research with the same tenacity and diligence that I would my own.
My work includes, but is not limited to:
- Finding and ordering specific civil registration certificates, including from Ireland.
- Tracing a family tree, or the history of a specific individual.
- Irish migration to England, particularly the old West Riding of Yorkshire.
- Tracing an ancestor’s military service.
- First World War Research.
- Undertaking document look-ups.
- Occupation research.
- Northern Union/Rugby League ancestors.
- House history research.
- Providing local history information.
- Cemetery and headstone photography.
- Looking up education records.
- Newspaper searches.
- Brick-wall problem solving.
- Placing ancestors in their local and historical context.
- Reviewing research already conducted.
I also undertake talks for Family and Local History Societies, or indeed any organisations interested in finding out more about this type of research, or local history tales. Details of my current talks can be found here.
Whatever your research commission is, I can guide you through the possible options, tailoring it precisely to your needs. So, if you need any family, local or house history research, do get in touch.
About Me
I am a professional and local history researcher, and an Association of Genealogists and Researcher in Archives (AGRA) Associate, based in West Yorkshire. I have been undertaking professional research for more than two decades.
My fascination for history is lifelong. After leaving school, I studied Modern History at Liverpool University, graduating with a BA (Hons). Besides themes such as Great War history, pre-World War Two foreign policy and international topics, my course included conducting research using a wide range of primary documents which included parish registers, censuses, maps, Royal Commissions looking at employment, and occupational records. My dissertations included child employment in the silk industry, and comparing and contrasting employment and education in a rural and an industrial county using a series of censuses. It provided a perfect family and local history research grounding, and I have been researching my own family history since 2004.
Besides my own hands-on research, I have undertaken formal recognised family history learning qualifications. I keep my skills up-to-date through continuing professional development to ensure I provide a quality research service.
In 2016 I completed the Family History Skills and Strategies (Intermediate) Certificate Course, jointly awarded by Pharos Tutors and the Society of Genealogists, passing with a Distinction. With an average of 90 per cent, I received the highest overall mark of students graduating that year. In 2018 I completed their two-year Family History Skills and Strategies (Advanced) Distance Learning Course, once more achieving a Distinction and finishing with the highest marks for those graduating that year. In January 2017 I ended my civil service career to concentrate full-time on research for others, previously having done it on a part-time basis. In September 2017 I became an AGRA Associate. My AGRA profile can be found here.
Archives and Local Studies Libraries Within my Area
I am based in West Yorkshire, so in addition to desk-based research, I am well-placed for family and local history research around the old West Riding and wider Yorkshire area.
I cover the following repositories:
- West Yorkshire Archives Service (all five sites, including the Registry of Deeds which is a key location for house history research).
- Heritage Quay – University of Huddersfield Archives.
- Leeds University Library Special Collections.
- Bradford Local Studies Library.
- Huddersfield Local Studies Library.
- Leeds Local and Family History Library.
- Libraries within the Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield Local Council areas.
- South Yorkshire Archives, including Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham.
- The Borthwick Institute.
- Regimental Museums in the West Yorkshire area.
This list is not exhaustive, so do ask if you wish me to visit one not included here, including the wider Yorkshire area and beyond. In fact, a significant proportion of my research does cover areas beyond Yorkshire…because ancestors did not necessarily stay put in one location!
Fee Structure Summary
This bullet point overview provides the basics. But for the full details do read my Terms and Conditions.
- I undertake a free initial 30-minute consultation, to establish your exact research requirements.
- My hourly rate for research and report writing is £35.
- For commissions above four hours I generally do not charge for my travel time to and from archives and repositories in Leeds, Wakefield, Halifax, Bradford and Huddersfield, unless repeat visits are required, or because of changes to the agreed commission. Neither do I charge travel time for other repository visits within a five-mile radius of Liversedge. This is a considerable cost saving, as many other researchers do charge for their travel time. Outside these areas I reserve the right to charge for travel time, but I will confirm in advance.
- Travel costs to repositories such as Record Offices, archives, local history libraries etc., as well as cemeteries and wider associated family history locations, are charged at the current H.M.R.C. mileage rate (45p per mile). Parking fees, where applicable, will be charged at cost. If I travel by public transport this will be at cost.
- Expenses, such as General Register Office (GRO) civil registration certificates, marriage bonds, probate documents etc., are charged at cost price. They must be paid for in advance of ordering.
- Where repositories charge fees for visits, photographic passes, or photocopying services etc., these are charged at cost price. It is often not possible to judge in advance of a visit whether photographs or photocopies will be needed. The understanding is that I do have the authority to purchase them if I believe they are necessary, unless you have informed me otherwise.
- Reports, and other ancillary documents, are sent by email. The final report is in PDF format. If you require hard copies, these will be charged at cost, including postage and packaging.
- Stationary, such as printed reports, family tree charts etc., are charged at cost.
- Quotations for work of £100 or below are to be paid in full before research commences. Above £100, a 50 per cent deposit is required. I reserve the right not to undertake work without these advance payments.
- Payments are to be made in pounds sterling via cheque (UK customers only, and cleared before work commences), bank transfer (including any associated fees), or PayPal (including any associated fees).
- Final payment must be received before the report is sent.
At all cost-incurring stages I will consult with you before undertaking work. I will not exceed the number of hours commissioned without agreement. This means that you are in control of the costs and there will be no unwelcome payment surprises.
Reports
At the end of my research, I will produce a full, clear and concise report. This will identify search parameters, outline documents examined (with full source citations), provide an explanation of these sources and documents where necessary, and include a summary of research outcomes and next steps where applicable. This will be issued on receipt of final payment.
Please be aware that family history research is not guaranteed to find that illusive ancestor. But in these cases, the research I have undertaken will rule out documents and lines of enquiry, which in itself can be a positive.
House history reports will be produced in a narrative style, similarly annotated with references to source documents. This type of report can be incorporated into a spring-back binder, making a perfect keepsake for, and possibly talking-point about, your home.
Full Terms and Conditions
As mentioned earlier, please read my full Terms and Conditions.
Testimonials
Here is a selection from my many testimonials.
Thank you so much. Your report is so well described, outlined and detailed – you did an outstanding job! ….. I should be happy if I have another puzzle in your geographic area given your talent. DM – USA
Thank you for the report. Your process of clearly defining a scope of work up front was excellent. The resulting report was excellent too! Neil – Australia
I have read through the report and wanted to thank you for the work that you have done. The extra information/explanations you have included around the information have been very helpful…. I would like to follow up on some of the areas you found new information on or where you mention further work was possible. S – 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
Hi Jane, thank you, thank you so very much, I’m so impressed with how much you’ve managed to do in such a short time. I’m frankly amazed at your detective work! It’s taken me a while to digest and get my head around all the information.
I shared your report with my friend who had also tried to help me find xxx and she was also very impressed, I think she plans to contact you regarding an ancestor…S, UK
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
Congratulations on an excellent piece of research. It all fits perfectly. I will no doubt read and re read your research several times before it all sinks in. There is a lot of other family information in there. I am sure I will come back to you to do more research as all my brick walls are in Yorkshire. Christine, UK
Thank you so much for the fabulous report you have sent! I really am thrilled that you were able to find out so much and it is all presented in such a clear and easy to understand way.
I was up until the early hours reading it (and still haven’t got to the end yet). With so much information it will take time for it all to sink in. I will be reading and re-reading it for a long time to come!
Thank you once again for all your hard work. I am so glad that I found your website and decided to contact you! L, UK
I cannot believe my luck that I met Jane of Past to Present Genealogy. My sisters in law and I had been aimlessly trying for years to even think about how to start tracing my mother in law’s best friend ……Jane managed to trace the family and indeed my mother in law’s friend. They are both eighty-eight now so we feel very lucky that that they are both still in good health and have time to pick up their friendship where they left off 50 years ago. They’ve already written to each other and now they’ve spoken to each other and are arranging to meet! We could not have believed all this would be possible and indeed it wouldn’t have been without Jane and Past to Present Genealogy. I would strongly recommend Jane to everyone and to anyone who has been wanting to get in touch with someone for themselves or someone they know and love get in contact now as it really can be a reality. She’s granted my mother-in-law a miracle and we are so very grateful and she is really so lovely to work with. THANK YOU JANE. Helen, UK
I just wanted to say thank you so much for the fascinating and very detailed research you did into my grandfather’s family. You have answered almost all the questions I had and you have managed to break through all the brick walls that I had encountered. Great value for money! Pam
Hi Jane, or should I say Wonder Woman!
How you have managed to sort our xxxx out I will never know. You have been amazing.
I feel so sad that my Mum and Grandma never knew what happened to xxxx but my two Granddaughters …. are really interested, which I find wonderful! DB, UK
Thank you so much. I cannot believe the amount of information you have discovered…. I have just skimmed through the report and am thrilled. I am sure X will be delighted to read it all. D, UK
Thank you so much for your work. We were really impressed with the amount of research you did in such a short time…..If you are happy to continue on research I would like that. Martin, Australia
Contact Details
For more information about me see my About page.
I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com
I believe every family or home has a story to tell. Let me help you discover your family or house history story.
Jane Roberts, BA (Hons) History
Page updated 01 November 2025
Past To Present Genealogy 