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Holt’s Family History Research

Richard Holt: Professional Genealogist

“Richard found documents I could never have dreamed of finding…”

rosie – derbyshire, UK

holtsfamilyhistoryresearch@gmail.com
+44 (0)7983 633023

I am Richard Holt, an experienced professional genealogist and researcher based in the East of England. I am ideally located to research your family history in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and London.

About Me

While I live in Cambridgeshire, I grew up in Buckinghamshire where my family has connections going back hundreds of years. I was always fascinated by my own family history from a young age. I grew up hearing stories about what life was like for my grandparents in the past. I have memories of three of my great grandparents, one of whom shared information and stories about her grandparents with me. When I was growing up, I would visit the local studies library and pursue reel after reel of microfilm and consult maps, documents, and books.

Researching the story of my family has been a passion that has never left me. I will research your family with the same level of dedication and passion as if they were my own. Please visit my Research Services page for more information about how I can help. Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss your requirements.

I aim to blog from time to time so please subscribe by entering your email address at the bottom of this page. I hope you find my content useful and interesting.

“I have recently used Richard’s family history services again to research my paternal grandmother. He is an amazing man, his wealth of knowledge is incredible and where to look, delving into the archives is beyond belief. Richard goes above and beyond to try to resolve an ancestry query. I would most certainly recommend him, every time.”

sue – warwickshire, UK

Research Services

Though I cannot look into their eyes or hear their voices… I will tell their story.

author unknown

If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.

george bernard shaw

Boxes of documents tied up with string… these are a few of my favourite things!

clare kirk

Research Undertaken

I aim to tailor my research to meet your needs. I offer an initial consultation to determine a clear brief for the project and to work out costings.

I can research full family trees or specific individuals/families of interest. I can also use your DNA results to research unknown or ‘brick wall’ ancestors. In addition to desk based research, I am also able to visit a number of archives. I am situated in Cambridgeshire close to the Norfolk boarder. I have good connections to London and I am happy to travel further afield if necessary.

Some of the archives I am able to visit:

  • Cambridgeshire Archives
  • Cambridge University Library
  • Peterborough Archives
  • Norfolk Record Office
  • Kings Lynn Borough Archives
  • Wisbech and Fenland Museum
  • The National Archives
  • London Metropolitan Archives
  • Westminster City Archives
  • The British Library
  • Guildhall Library
  • Buckinghamshire Archives

Although I initially asked for help with a brick wall, he exceeded my expectations and requests and provided me with a beautifully written, detailed and cohesive report that summarised all of his work.

Cristiana, london, UK

Fees

Initial 30 minute consultation (free of charge).

Hourly research rate of £30 that applies to both research and report writing.

Expenses, such as the cost of certificates or probate documents are charged at cost. In most cases, these fees are to be paid for by the client in advance of ordering.

Expenses incurred at archives are charged at cost. This includes fees such as self-service photography and photocopying.

I am always upfront with you about the costs involved in a project and factor these into any quotation. If there is the likelihood of other costs during the course of the project, these are put to you for your consideration.

Payments

Payments are to be made in pounds sterling via bank transfer or cheque. I also use Square, an online payment facilitator where you can pay using a credit or debit card; this also works for international payments.

Quotations below £100 are to be paid in full prior to any research being carried out. For quotations above £100, a 50% deposit is required prior to research with the balance being paid before the work is sent to you.

Recent Blog Posts

  • Wills Petition Response
    The Ministry of Justice responded to the Petition to #SaveOurWills on 1st March 2024. The response contains inaccuracies, which are outlined here in an email sent to the Petitions Committee, which is made up of 11 MPs.
  • Response to the Ministry of Justice’s Consultation
    On 15th December 2023 the Ministry of Justice published a consultation on the storage and retention of original will documents. On the same day a press release appeared online, as well as a video on the MoJ’s social media accounts. This post contains my response to the MoJ’s consultation.
  • #SaveOurWills Flyer
    Here you’ll find a flyer to print and share with others at archives, libraries, heritage sites, etc., to help raise awareness of the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to destroy original wills after digitisation.
  • Justice for Wills and Probate Documents:
    On 15th December 2023, the Ministry of Justice published a consultation, proposing to destroy original wills and probate documents following digitisation and after 25 years. This post includes some of my comments and experiences and tells you what you can do to help #SaveOurWills!
  • Charity Dispute, Local Politics and the Cost of Living Crisis
    Charities and the Cost of Living: The current cost of living crisis will have many households evaluating their finances. While today’s crisis refers to the cost of everyday essentials rising faster than average incomes, for many of our ancestors the cost of living was a constant struggle. The records of parish charities are often underusedContinue reading “Charity Dispute, Local Politics and the Cost of Living Crisis”

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Please feel free to contact me directly, or use the contact form below.

© Richard Holt, Holt’s Family History Research 2022

Unauthorised use of material on this website without written permission is strictly prohibited.

AGRA Member