Need this as a last minute gift? We can send you a digital voucher and guide. Just tell us in your order notes.

Research Day (Revised) Genealogy Experience

Please be aware the gift recipient may not be able to work on their own family tree during this experience.

This is because it is often impractical to do so, instead they learn skills which they will remember forever and can transfer to their own research.

However,

We will chat with the gift recipient on the day to find out about their family, and if practical we will adapt the experience to work with them on their tree. Usually, the day becomes a hybrid of working on the gift recipient's tree and a fun puzzle to help them with their research.

Read Why can’t the gift recipient always work on their own family tree during this genealogy experience?

Quick Facts:

• Join a professional genealogist for a special one-to-one genealogy experience. No groups!
• Starts with a 45 minutes advice session about their own family
• Includes working on their tree plus fun genealogy puzzles.
• Workshop style fun genealogy day with six pre-designed genealogy puzzles (from easy to advanced) to try out new types of records featuring various families.
• This genealogy experience has something for everyone, from the less experienced to  intermediate level genealogists. 
• Gift recipient can try out and practice with records before they use them on their own family!
• Then transfer their new skills to their own research. 

Join us in London for a 45 Minute Family Tree Advice Session...
During a 45 minute advice session with your own genealogist, you will be able to discuss your family research and any problems you may have with your quest.

Along with the genealogist's advice, you can decide which records you would like to practice with or if feasible work on some parts of your family tree.

Once you have made your decision, you will be guided by the genealogist and will work on pre-prepared genealogical puzzles, looking up record locations, and developing your skills with copies of original documents.

You will learn to make better use of Ancestry.co.uk, Find My Past, FamilySearch and so on!

Improve your family tree skills and learn about records and techniques you can use with your own genealogical research:

Records and Resources - which ones are available?
After your advice session has finished, you can choose from ONE of the following practicals:

• Research Techniques for researching families between 1837-1900.
• Poor Law Records: Settlement, Illegitimacy, and Apprenticeships (C17th to early 19th).
• Reading Old Handwriting: using Wills and Land Records with your research (C17th to 18th).
• Manorial Records and Wills: use manorial court and wills effectively (C18th to 19th).
• Church and Civil Court: Finding ancestors in the 'Bawdy' and 'Chancery Courts' (C17th to early 19th).

It is worth noting that even though our court and land records practical explicitly includes reading old handwriting, many of the other practicals will also cover this area because it is a necessary skill for research prior to 1800.

Also if you're after pre-1800 research skills, these are included in all apart from Research Techniques 1837-1900.

Which countries are covered by this genealogy experience?
All the records above are English or Welsh records. So to use the above records for your research you need to be searching for ancestors in England and Wales.

At present this experience does not cover Scotland or Ireland, though we envisage both countries will eventually be included.

Who is it for? (Entry level)
Intermediate level. Committed family historians - not for the casual genealogist!
This person knows a little about researching, but wants to learn more; they may want some advice and may need to use records they have not used before in order to advance their family tree.

If the gift recipient is an absolute beginner (i.e. those who have never undertaken any research whatsoever), we recommend our Getting Started With Your Family Tree genealogy experience.

Details of day
Day starts at 10:30 am and finishes at 3:00 pm. (Meeting points are subject to change).

• The experiences take place in CENTRAL LONDON and can be booked Mon-Friday.
• Because we use several venues across London and they are subject to availability, the exact meeting point will be sent to the gift recipient ONE WEEK before the genealogy experience.

Itinerary:
Morning: one-to-one advice session and chat over a drink and a snack.
Lunch.
Afternoon: practical sessions.

Inclusions:
One-to-one with a genealogist,
Morning Coffee and cake,
Venue/archive entrance fees.

Exclusions:
Travel expenses,
Hotel fees,
Lunch and dinner.

Maximum Number of People:

• This day is designed for one person. If you wish for someone to keep you company, choose Optional Second Person (£30) from the Options above. 
• Please note due to limited space at the some venues, it may not be possible for the Optional Second Person to stay with you at all times. If the experience takes place at an archive, there are other floors within the buildings for the Optional Second Person to visit should over-crowding in the research area be an issue. 
• Where no Optional Second Person has been purchased, anyone travelling with the gift recipient will be required to leave them at the meeting point.  No more than two people at a time.
• Not for individuals under 16.

What to bring:

• You may need to bring lunch, we will let you know when we confirm the meeting point.
• Pencils, not pens in case we visit an archive for your experience.
• Blank paper/pad.
• Details of your family for the advice session. 

Do not bring:

• Valuables.
• Large bags, suitcases or rucksacks over the size of 50cm x 50cm x 31cm.
• Pens.
• Laptops or tablets without prior permission. Inform us in advance if you wish to bring one and we will check with venue.

Phones:

• You may bring a phone, but please have it on silent.
• Phone calls must be taken in the lobby, please do not take them into the reading room or library if these venues are used for your experience.
•  

COVID - We are currently offering our genealogy experience gift vouchers with a 15 month expiry date to allow enough time in which to take this genealogy experience.

Availability

Please avoid October, November, and December – these are our busiest times. Our genealogy experiences are subject to availability, so if you have had the voucher for 11 months and then try to book, but cannot because we are fully booked, your voucher cannot be extended and you will lose your genealogy experience. We recommend you book as early as possible. Currently, the quietest months are May, June, July, August, and September and these are therefore the best time for bookings.

Also, due to the limited opening hours at some venues, you or the gift recipient will need to be flexible. This genealogy experience therefore might be unsuitable for some people.

If Genealogy Experience is at an Archive - Guidelines for entering Record Offices.

 Most record offices have rules. If we have booked an archive to host the genealogy experience - please respect its rules:

• No food and drink in the library only in the eating area.
• Keep noise to a minimum.
• No pens only pencils allowed in the library.
• Bags are not allowed in the library and must be placed in a locker.

IMPORTANT -
You and optional accompanying friend or family member will need to bring the following:
A photo ID
Proof of address.

Once gift recipient has booked, we will inform them in an email if this is necessary. It is only necessary when entering an archive.

Making Your Payment
To order, pay by credit/debit card using the following options:
a. Direct from our site. We do not capture or keep any of your card details on our servers.

b. By PayPal. Please note it is not necessary to be a member of PayPal to use it. Please select PayPal as your payment option, complete the Checkout process, and enter your credit/debit card details on the PayPal payment page.

What happens after you place an order
We will send you a Genealogy Voucher Pack with a 15 month voucher. This is usually sent out within 72 hours (excluding weekends and bank holidays). You must book and complete your genealogy experience before the expiry date on the 15 month voucher.

Booking the day
After you have placed your order, you can book the day online by visiting Book Your Genealogy Experience. 

Genealogy Voucher Terms and Conditions
Our contract is with you the buyer and not with the attendee if you are buying for someone else. The Genealogy Voucher for this experience is valid for 15 months (unless stated differently above) after the purchase. Genealogy Experiences must be booked and completed before the expiry date.

We will not fulfil the Genealogy Experience after the voucher has expired under any circumstances.

If buying for a gift recipient, the buyer is responsible for making sure the gift recipient is aware of:

• The Expire Date printed on the voucher and that the genealogy experience expires on the expiry date.
• That Family History Gifts is not legally obliged to provide the genealogy experience once the voucher has expired.
• That they will need to be flexible about days available due to venue opening hours .
• That you will be agreeing to Terms & Conditions on their behalf and they must abide by them. (We recommend you print the T&C for them).

Refunds and Cancellations of Genealogy Experiences
If you wish to cancel an order for a Genealogy Experience you are required to do so within 14 days of purchase. To cancel within the 14 day period simply inform us in writing. Please allow 7 days for us to process your refund. We cannot cancel or refund orders after 14 days or if you have booked a date for the gift experience within the 14 day period. 

Rescheduling Your Booking
If you wish to reschedule your Genealogy Experience, you will need to inform us more than 21 days before the date you booked. If less than 21 days you will be required to pay a £30 rescheduling fee.

Cancellations by us
In the unfortunate event of illness or unforeseen circumstances, we reserve the right to reschedule any gift experience. Family History Gifts is unable to reimburse any expenses you may have occurred in relation to the cancelled event.