History

I have had a passion for family history since, at the age of ten, my grandmother showed me the gravestone of my great-great-great grandparents.   I started researching my family in my teens, using microfiches and microfilm in the library, original volumes of birth marriage and death records in registrar offices and by joining  Aberdeen & North East Family History Society in 1984.

I graduated in law from Aberdeen University in 1986, and practised as a conveyancing solicitor for several years, with a particular interest in old documents.  In 1999 I graduated in History from the Open University.  Since then I have gained both a Masters degree and a PhD, both of which drew heavily on my experience as a genealogist.

For me, genealogy goes beyond simply tracing lineage.  I am fascinated by the recreation of lives, their social setting, occupations, and historical background. I enjoy delving into old newspapers and church records. I am particularly interested in the often-overlooked women in a family.