- Interested in your Irish, English or Scottish family heritage?
- Would you like a social historian – with over a decade of investigative family history experience – help you to discover your family tree?
- Interested in understanding the social history of your ancestors time, that is, their working, living, economic and social conditions and anything else which played a key role in their lives rather than merely receiving a list of birth, marriage and death dates?
- Would you like to purchase a Gift Voucher for 5, 10 or 25 hours of research as the ideal unique gift?
- If so, then please read on…
Click below to see a mock family history research commission!
This sample piece is as close to the real product that I offer and, although they all differ, the sample piece is typical of a 4 – 5 hour commission piece which would cost in the region of £120 – 150.
A Wee Bit About Me
I am a family history researcher with over ten years experience. I am experienced in researching families with roots in Scotland, England and Ireland and am also proficient with transatlantic migrant research. I specialise in researching the Irish who were west of Scotland based from 1790 onwards.
I use accredited software and a variety of subscription and non subscription services when conducting all of my research. I also use primary source archives and materials such as Poor Law records and newspaper archives to further strengthen the research. I am a regular visitor to centres for family and social history research in Scotland, such as the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and the National Records for Scotland in Edinburgh.
I operate on a part time basis and will typically charge by the hour for research services although do see below for specific costings.
Typically speaking, a block of 5 hours is usually enough to provide multiple generations of research within the one family line, assuming at least one generation was born in Scotland/Ireland/England. For example, a paternal family line going back at least 3 generations where one particular focus has been given to a certain generation (e.g. the great grandparent). This is dependent on many variables however and each family search is always that wee bit different from the other.
See below for some examples of the quality of research on offer. The following has been researched by myself and highlights the range of research which I am able to provide.
What You Get
- Dedicated hours of research
- Professional archive retrieval service
- Initial free consultation (30-40mins)
- All research collated in an easy to read digital PDF/Word file
- Additional family/social history research services as requested (see below)
- Signposting to further services should you wish to take research in different direction
- Professional printing of final product carried out by a Glasgow bookbinders with decades of experience in the craft (charged separately)
Rates
£30 per hour*
*(sometimes there may be a small extra charge for certain specialist subscription sites -always charged at cost price)
Gift Vouchers
- The ideal and unique gift for the one in your life who loves history, heritage or has an interest in their family roots
- Purchase from the 3 following options:
- The £100 voucher for 4 hours of family history research (can typically trace back 150-200 years – you receive a 10-15 page digital document complete with some social history input too)
- The £200 voucher for 8 hours of family history research (will go into more depth on each generation and, if possible, go back even further! All information included in a digital document approximately 25pages)
- The £500 voucher for 20 hours of family history research (will go as far back as possible and add in rich social history from local newspapers, poor law records and more. A recorded lecture and one hard copy of the research will also be included as well as a 40-50page digital document)
Payment For Gift Vouchers
https://www.paypal.me/seanmcdon – cash and bank transfer are also available for purchases. Do contact for details.
Ensure to add in the payment note how many hours you wish to book.
Once payment is made you will receive an email from myself confirming your purchase and then you will receive an A5 Gift Voucher in a sealed and weather protected envelope with their name handwritten on both the voucher and envelope – this is what you give to your loved one on the day! Inside, they will find easy to follow instructions to activate their gift voucher and a date is arranged for the research to be carried out.
Testimonials
“Fantastic Sean, it’s coming as a bit of a surprise, all the information about people I never knew existed… it’s surprisingly emotional.”
Peter Mc
“Sean, thank you, I have shared the document with my family. They are all delighted with your research…I will send them the list of the suggested further research tonight and get block 2 commissioned soon”
Eddie B
“Great work, very informative. Thank you very much”
Sean
“It is all extremely interesting…good to hear that you are able to go further back beyond the x3 great grandparent generation too. Had no idea my ancestors had such humble beginnings…”
Mark O
Additional Service and Costings
Any archive retrieval which comes with an administration cost (credits on subscription site, printing, postage, travel expense etc.) is charged at cost price
Additional services below are provided at individual rates – contact for details:
- Provide a recorded lecture detailing the family history research
- Visit and take photographs of any specific landmarks associated with the family research (graves, buildings, places of worship etc)
- Consultation service for DIY family history research
- Newspaper archive search
- Single look up (£10 flat fee)
- Provide comprehensive searches of primary source archives such as Poor Law records, Prison records, Psychiatric Asylum/Institution records etc
- Contact for any other specific request which is not listed here
Services and sites which I use to inform my research
- Mitchell Library, Glasgow City Archives and Family Research Room (level 5)
- National Records of Scotland Reading Rooms
- Findmypast.com
- Roots.ie
- Irishgenealogy.ie (Civil records, partial census returns etc)
- GRONI Online (North of Ireland registrations)
- National Library of Ireland (Roman Catholic parish records)
- British Newspaper Archive
- National Archives (Kew)
- Glasgow Caledonian University Gallagher Memorial Library
- Many, many more…
Contact
seanmcdon18@gmail.com
When contacting do include the number of hours of research you would like to book and include key details such as the names and dates of birth of at least one known generation of your family, if you know it.
It is best to leave a contact telephone number too for a more direct (and free) consultation.
Payment
PayPal is the preferred method of payment however I also accept cash. And receipts of all payment will be provided.
https://www.paypal.me/seanmcdon
It is best to contact before submitting any payment for an order so that the particulars of the research can be discussed.
Sean McDon 