10 days Exploring Your English Roots

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Cheryl Gwynn-Haymes, Travel Agent in Marriottsville, MD

Cheryl Gwynn-Haymes

Marriottsville, MD Travel Agent

Cheryl Gwynn-Haymes

Marriottsville, MD · 2 Years of Experience

Mode Travel Agency, a Travel Leaders Network Affiliate Agency
5.0
(4)
100% Recommended
Cheryl was very helpful and informative (provided constant updates by email) thru the planning stages to the end of the trip. Any obstacles that arose... Read More >
COUNTRIES VISITED:England
PLACES VISITED:London
SUGGESTED DURATION:10 Days
This 10-day itinerary is designed to balance archive visits, local history exploration, as well as to allow you time to discover on your own. I can tailor this itinerary to a specific region based on your genealogy. We can also expand it two weeks to include a heritage sightseeing component. Tips for making your genealogy trip a success: • Pre-book all archives and check document availability online. I can help you pre-book archive visits. • Apply for an Archives Card to have access to original documents. • Carry a USB drive, laptop/tablet, and camera (where permitted). • Use Findmypast, Ancestry, FreeBMD, and GENUKI for preliminary work. • Organize your research materials, download maps, and review your research plan. • Bring copies of family trees, Birth-Marriage-Death dates, and parish names—this saves time when consulting archives.
Close All Days
DAY1
London
Close Day
ARRIVAL
Arrive at Heathrow or Gatwick. Enjoy a private transport to your hotel. Settle in and relax at your hotel near central London (Bloomsbury or Westminster are convenient). In the afternoon, visit the Society of Genealogists Library or the Guildhall Library for London-specific family research.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Relax
Library Visit
DAY2
London
Close Day
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, KEW GARDENS
Check out the Parish registers, wills, military records, census data, and civil service files. You can request documents in advance via the The National Archives Discovery catalogue. Then take a walk along the Thames or visit Key Gardens.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Discover wills, military records, census data, and civil service records.
DAY3
London
Close Day
LONDON METROPOLITAN ARCHIVES
Visit the London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) for parish records, poor law, and electoral registers. You may also choose to visit the British Library (especially the Newspaper Archive or India Office Records).
HIGHLIGHTS:
London Metropolitan Archives
British Library
DAY4
England
Close Day
REGIONAL RESEARCH CENTER
Travel by train to your ancestral county (e.g., Yorkshire, Devon, Norfolk, Lancashire, or Kent). Check into local lodging near the county archive. You will have time to explore the town or village where your ancestors lived. Be sure to visit the parish church, cemetery, and local landmarks.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Travel to Ancestral County
Explore on your own
DAY5
England
Close Day
COUNTY RECORD OFFICE
Spend a full day at the County Record Office (e.g., Norfolk Record Office, Devon Heritage Centre, West Yorkshire Archives). You can review the Parish registers and bishop’s transcripts; land deeds, manorial records, and local maps; and quarter sessions and tax lists. REMEMBER - Many archives require an appointment and a CARN reader’s ticket, now referred to as the Archives Card.
HIGHLIGHTS:
County Record Office
DAY6
England
Close Day
LOCAL LIBRARIES AND FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES
Visit the local library’s local studies section. Meet with the local family history society — they often have transcribed indexes and unique local knowledge. Take a trip through the cemeteries, photographing gravestones and memorials.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Local Libraries
Cemeteries
DAY7
England
Close Day
EXPLORE SURROUNDING AREA
Today’s your day to visit nearby villages, churchyards, and museums connected to your ancestors’ trades or industries. Be sure to meet local residents and gather oral histories, if possible. Hearing stories about the area where your ancestors lived brings depth to your research. And if you are stuck or just want some extra help, you can choose to hire a local genealogist or historian for guided research or a heritage tour.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Explore on your own
DAY8
England
Close Day
SECONDARY COUNTY VISIT OR CHURCH RECORD ACCESS
If your ancestors moved between counties this is your time to travel to the next archive. Or you can spend a day in a local parish church, arranging to see old registers (with the vicar’s permission).
HIGHLIGHTS:
Visiting another county
Local parish church visit
DAY9
London
Close Day
RETURN TO LONDON
Return to London by train. Use the afternoon for final research at The National Archives or the British Library. This is the time to purchase archival copies, photos, or digital images for your records.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Finishing touches on your research
DAY10
London
Close Day
WRAP-UP AND DEPARTURE
Organize notes, citations, and digital files before leaving London. You may want to visit the Museum of London or FamilySearch Centre before departure. Fly home or continue to Scotland, Wales, or Ireland for further research.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Review what you accomplished this trip
Plan your next trip
FINAL THOUGHTS
Every family’s story is unique. Let’s sit down and talk about what research goal you want to tackle. I can customize an itinerary to match your family’s journey. If you are just beginning your journey, I can help you figure out where to start.