Elissa Aldous-Hughes
Genealogical Research & Family Biographies
DISCOVERING YOUR FAMILY STORY
Uncovering your family history can feel like opening a long forgotten chest and starting a magical quest. Walking backwards through time, piecing together your ancestors' lives, it's possible to peer into the past and discover a glimpse not just of who they were, but how they lived and what they experienced too.
Drawing on 16 years of genealogical research experience, an eagle eye for detail, and a specialism in difficult cases, I undertake deep, broad research, consulting a wide range of genealogical sources to discover all possible detail about your relatives' lives. All my research focuses on creating well-evidenced, accurate conclusions that adhere to the gold standard of genealogical proof.
Using my research I write a chronological, narrative biography for each individual or married couple you are interested in. By weaving meticulous research with sensitive storytelling, my biographies look beyond the dry names and dates to tease out a richer, more nuanced picture of your ancestors' lives. Even if you think there is ’no-one special’ in your family tree, you are likely to be surprised by the wealth of interesting and thought-provoking information waiting to be discovered. Often it is the tiny, apparently mundane details, such as a relative's place on the village rugby team, their feud with a problematic neighbour, or a heartfelt bequest in their will, that brings their story most sharply into focus.
My biographies seek to uncover the forgotten human stories and help you get to know, at least in a small way, the relatives whom you may never have met, but whose lives and choices have nevertheless had an indelible impact on where you are today.
What's included in a biography?
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Narrative story tracing a married couple from the cradle to the grave. Providing details of their birth, parents, siblings, early life, marriage, children, occupations, addresses, death and burial, as well as additional information such as school records, military service records, appearances in local newspapers and wills (where available and relevant).
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Copies of all birth, marriage and death certificates used in the research.
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Images & excerpts from relevant documents, such as baptism registers, census returns, or newspaper articles.
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A custom-designed A4-sixed family tree showing your link to the individuals researched.
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Full & extensive reference list, allowing easy expansion of research in the future.
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Printed and posted to you in a presentation folder, or emailed as a digital pdf file. Biographies make a unique and meaningful gift for loved ones to celebrate a special birthday or event.
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Optional extra copies to share with other family members
Other forms of research
In addition to narrative biographies, my research often takes a variety of different shapes, according to my clients' specific interests and requirements. Perhaps you have a stubborn brick wall in your own research that you would like help with; maybe you were adopted and would like to discover more about your birth family; or possibly you would like to dig into the history of your house and its previous inhabitants. Whatever your needs, I am happy to help - please contact me and we can create a project tailored to finding the answers you're looking for.
Here are some examples of how I might be able to help:
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Investigate a particular family mystery or brick wall. I will write a report of my research, detailing what records I've searched, my findings and conclusions, copies of all relevant documents, and suggestions for further research, if appropriate.
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Research and create a family tree. For more information and to see examples of my work please go to Family Tree Design.
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Research the history of your house and discover what stories have taken place within its walls, Research is presented as a chronolocial, narrative biography tracing your house and its inhabitants from the early sources to the present day.
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Advise adoptees on how to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate, and provide assistance in discovering more about their birth families.
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Order copies of birth, marriage and death certificates from the General Register Office, as well as wills from the District Probate Registry.
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Research family links to other countries and help source the required documents to apply for dual citizenship e.g. if you have an Irish grandparent, it is possible to apply for an Irish passport.
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Write a professional, narrative biography based on your own research. If you already have lot of the facts but need help putting it all together I can create an easy-to-read chronological biography of your ancestors' lives, preserving all your hard work and making it easy to share your discoveries with other family members.
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Offer advice and ideas on how to progress your own family research. I can assess your findings, check your conclusions, and make suggestions of further areas to explore.
These are just some ideas – if you have another area you would like help with please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can talk through your specific requirements.
Testimonials
"I have found Elissa's work to be exemplary, thorough and efficient. Her ability to discover family, past and present, is unrivalled, but surpassing all her considerable ability is her understanding, kindness and alacrity. My wife and I cannot speak too highly of our pleasure with all aspects of her work and temperament. A truly prized researcher.”
Iwan H., Wales
"I was amazed at the detail Elissa provided regarding my family - it wasn’t just names and dates, it was a fascinating story. I tell friends it is like reading a Jane Austen novel. I have used Elissa’s services several times since and will continue to do so. I am awed by the quality of her research."
Penny D., Canada
"I asked Elissa to trace my birth family and she did far more than I could have hoped for. As well as providing in-depth information going back a few generations, she also tracked down my half brother and sister with whom I'm now in contact. Elissa has had a profound effect on my life. Thanks to her work I now have a whole new family."
Sue B., Wales
Prices & Timescales
Every project, like every family, is different, so I recommend contacting me for a commitment-free quote. Factors including the surname, location of your family and the time periods involved can all greatly affect the cost. However, the following examples should give a rough indication for an average family:
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A biography tracing one couple from birth to death, including (where available) details of their parents, siblings, school records, marriage, children, occpation, homes, appearances in local newspapers, military service, burials etc: Includes at least five birth/marriage/death certificates: £300
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Help solving a particular research question and breaking down a genealogical brick wall: £30 per hour. Three to four hours is almost always long enough to make good progress either solving the problem or reaching an impassible dead end that reveals further research is not viable.
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Copies of birth/marriage/death certificates (excluding those purchased with biography packages) are charged at cost from the General Register Office, plus a £2 handling fee.
Please note that due to the variable survival of records, mistakes in both the original documents and transcriptions, it is not always possible to find all the desired details or answer all research questions. Costs are for my time spent invesigating, but I cannot guarantee results 100% of the time.
Projects over £200 require a 25% up front payment at the commencement of the project to cover the expense of ordering relevant certificates and documents, with the remainder due on delivery of the completed research.
Completion timelines will be discussed when a project is booked but I often have a six to eight week waiting list. If you need the project for a particular date or intend it as a special gift please let me know your required deadline, so I can ensure the project is ready on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you need to get started?
Not very much! Your name, date, and place of birth, plus preferably the names of your parents, are all I need to start researching. If you know more, such as the names of other family members, dates (or estimates) of birth/marriage/death, locations, addresses, or occupations that would help speed up my research. The more information you can collate - especially any family documents you might have - the better, but it is not a prerequisite.
What countries does your research cover?
The bulk of my work focuses on families living in England, Wales and Scotland, but I also have extensive experience researching families from Ireland, Canada, Australia & the United States, as well as occasional projects which have taken me to the Netherlands, France, Malaysia and Montserrat. Record availability varies from country to country, and this is always discussed with clients before work commences. If you need help tracing your Jewish or Eastern European heritage I can refer you to a trusted colleague who specialises in those areas.
How far back can you go?
For an aerage family in England or Wales it should be possible to trace most lines into the early 1800s, possibly the late 1700s. Depending on the surname and location it's often possible to go further, into the early to mid 1700s, but as original records become less detailed and less complete it can become harder to achieve a high enough level of proof. Many people may claim to have traced their family back to the Norman Conquest, but in my experience such claims are often based on erroneous connections and confirmation bias rather than good research. My focus is always on sticking with verifiable facts and strong evidential links, so if there isn't sufficient evidence I will summarise what can be proven, highlight possible but unproven connections, and recommend focusing research on an alternative branch of your family.
Ready to delve into your family's story?
Please contact me for a free, no-obligation discussion and quote for your project.
Email research@elissaonline.net or use the contact form below: