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Tailor-made Searches

These searches are for those who have either got stuck in their own research or just want to know one particular thing within their ancestry. Examples of such searches would be:

-Finding an elusive ancestor in census returns
-Locating a civil registration certificate
-Overcoming a brickwall in your family history research

In this case I would prepare a specific quote for your search request based on my hourly rate of £15.

How much does it cost?

If you are interested in tracing your ancestry on one line or all of your ancestry it is best to proceed with a round of research so that possibilities for continuation can be assessed at each stage. This also allows you to keep in control of the cost of research. See futher details on the right-hand side.

One-off searches, Kent Archive searches and problem-solving see the left-hand side of the page.

Family Tree Research Packages

The cost of our family history packages are tailored to suit your budget. They are therefore available at different levels as follows:

To investigate up to 4-6 generations on one line - £150
To investigate up to 2-3 generations on one line - £75
To investigate up to 2-3 generations on two lines (e.g. paternal line and maternal line) - £150

Otherwise £15 an hour for research work undertaken online, £20 an hour for research within East Sussex Archives or £20 an hour for research in the National Archives or London Archives.

These prices do not include expenses but these will cost no more than £30. Other expenses are, for example, civil registration certificates which cost £9.25. If it was necessary to exceed £30 in order to trace the line you would be contacted for authorization.
The images here are an example of what sort of records you will receive.

What Will I Receive?

You will receive a full written report of the result of all searches, whether these have a positive or negative result. All copies of census returns will be included and any civil registration certificates or copies of parish register entries The package is presented in a folder so further pages can be added at any time.

What information do you need to begin?

All I need to get started is as much information as you know. This may be your grandfather's date and place of birth or it may just be the name of your grandfather. Contact me with the details of the ancestral line or lines you want traced and I can e-mail you back with a plan of research.

However you may find it more convenient to put pen to paper so alternatively contact me with your postal address details and I can then send you a chart to fill in with the information that you know.

How do I pay?

Payment accepted via cheque, made payable to Search Your Past, or by credit/debit card through the secure site PayPal.

Instructions for paying using the PayPal website

1. Click the following link to visit the PayPal website: https://www.paypal.com
2. Login using your email address and password (you may register here if necessary)
3. Click on the 'Send Money' tab at the top of the page
4. Enter the email address 'searchyourpast@hotmail.com' into the 'To' field
5. Enter the amount to be paid (as agreed between you and Search Your Past) into the 'Amount' Field
6. Select the 'For Goods' option
7. Click the 'Send Money' button to complete the transaction

Of course, every family is different, and it may not be possible to trace so far back within one round. It also depends on what time period research begins. This target is, of course, much more achievable in the nineteenth century when there is so much genealogical material to examine as opposed to earlier centuries. Or there may be numerous reasons why a family line can be harder to trace than others. Every family is unique which is what makes family history so interesting!

Example One-Off Searches
British Army Service Papers with a written report for men pensioned out between 1760-1913 = £30
For officers or those who died in service 1760-1913 = min. £50- max. £75
World War One Service Papers = min. £12- max £30
UK& Ireland Birth, Marriage & Death Search with Certificate (post 1837, Scotland post 1855, Ireland post 1864) = £16
Census Look-up = £2-£5
Research Advice or Problem-Solving for those with ‘brickwalls’ = From £7.50 per half-hour