Great questions both! Let me give an explanation of the process of engaging a professional genealogist, undertaking research and delivering the information to you.
You make an enquiry
You can contact me using the form on the front page or email me at enquiries@mypastfamily.co.uk or even ring me, though writing is better as I’ll need details written down at some stage.
Tell me the outline of what you’re hoping to find out. The six pages describing the services I offer may help. You don’t have to give me all the details at this point, though I will need enough information to know whether I can help you.
I will respond to you
I will contact you in response to your enquiry. I will acknowledge your request and may ask for more information. In some cases I will do some brief preliminary research to establish whether I am able to help. If I can’t I will let you know and endeavour to point you to someone who can.
If I can help you then I will get back to you, in writing, stating my understanding of your enquiry and outlining what steps I might take to fulfill your request.
We will define the action to be taken
In consultation we will establish the scope of the research. We will decide, perhaps, how far back in time to go; how many generations will we trace? We will decide how ‘wide’ the research will be; am I solely researching one person’s history or do we encompass their siblings and partners? Many of these decisions will be made for us by the nature of your enquiry. I will also take this opportunity to give you a guide to the cost of the research. In all cases you will be in charge so that there are no unexpected costs.
I will perform the research
Following our agreement and an initial payment I will begin. I will be making many notes of my findings along the way and these will direct my further research and will form the report at the end. I won’t be contacting you with every discovery I make as that would be a waste of our time. However, as stated above, if there’s a piece of information that is very significant and could, perhaps, take the research in an unexpected direction then I will contact you so that we can discuss the next steps.
I will create a report
While the research forms the bulk of the work I will undertake for you, the report is the actual product. This is the tangible item that I pass to you containing the findings of the research. I will also, where relevant, create family tree diagrams and supply other documents that tell the tale, e.g. certificates.
I will deliver the findings
Upon settlement of your account I will deliver the findings to you. This may be by email, post or in person. It is likely that there will be further questions though I anticipate that these will come some time later though I will ordinarily include suggested ‘next steps’ at the end of my report.
Disclaimer
All research undertaken is based upon information supplied by the client. If the information supplied is not sufficient or incorrect then I can make no guarantees to find further information to build their story. Furthermore I am unable to guarantee that records pertaining to their family are 100% accurate or even exist!
Where necessary I will undertake a short initial search and if nothing is found I will contact the client in the first instance. If they have paid for a number of hours in advance then I will refund any unused hours.