Specialist area: the local records of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, England
eXpertGenealogy
Genealogical and historical researcher, and lecturer.
Over 30 years experience of research. Specialist area: the local
records of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, England.
Family history;local history; transcription of wills and other
documents into modern English.
Also,lectures, talks and courses.
Locations for research
Dorset: most original records are held in the Dorset County Record
office in Dorchester. Only a small number of Dorset parish registers
are available online; the total number of parishes in the county is
over 270. Most of the wills proved within the county are also in the
Dorset Record Office; some are in the Diocesan Record Office in
Wiltshire; wills for Dorset people proved in the PCC are held in the
PRO in London, and can be accessed online. Many other local records
can only be accessed by visiting the Dorset Record Office. These
include:overseers papers; estate papers; property deeds; court
records. Further records are held in the Dorchester Local Studies
Library. These include many newspaper archives, as well as collections
of particular interest to the area.
Somerset: most original records for Somerset are held in the Somerset
County Record Office in Taunton. They are similar in type to those
described above for Dorset. There is a further collection of material
in the Somerset Studies Library,which houses newspaper archives and
other collections of particular interest in the area.
Wiltshire: The Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office in Trowbridge is
where most
of the original records are kept for the county of Wiltshire. It is
also the Diocesan Record Office, so it is home to a large collection
of original wills proved within the Salisbury Diocese.
Genealogy Vacations
If you are traveling to England on the trail of your ancestors you
want to make the best possible use of time. I live and work in the
south west so I can help you plan your trip to the area.
I can assess the evidence you have and advise you what records you
need and where to find them.
I can advise you on travel and places to stay.
If you want you can hire me to accompany you. We can search the
records together and visit the places your ancestors knew. You will hav