Genealogy Chat

If I needed to hire one to visit some far-flung records office, does anyone know how much would I be expected to pay? So far the lovely people on here have been able to help me but I imagine one day I'll just have to grit my teeth so wondered how much it would cost. Thanks!

try giving the library a call for the area you want the records for. many libraries have researchers. I think most charge by the hour.

I have no idea about costs, but professional researchers have to live, like the rest of us, so you pay regardless of whether they find anything. To ensure there is no bad feeling, you have to make sure that any request is really specific. B

Do tread carefully! I have just seen some research, done by a supposedly "Professional Researcher" (and the Fees were certainly professional!). Included with the research was a translation of Latin words found in an old Parish Register. Even I, with my 'O' level Latin, knew that these very common latin words had been wrongly translated, making an absolute nonsense of the information. Perhaps only issue one search at a time until you see if they are any good? Good luck Marjorie.

Would the RO staff be able to look up something specific? They usually charge for any searches longer than 30 miniues.

Helen I think most records offices do research for you but charge - again by the hour. I've had some do research without charging, but I only wanted quite straightforward stuff - and I did offer to pay. You can find out roughly what they charge and what they do on the various websites. nell

As an example of charges Somerset RO has a profesional search service for which it charges £22 an hour including postage and VAT, minimum charge £6 Contact the record office first, many of them will find a single piece of info for just the cost of copying and postage. For anything more complicated , if they don't do searches themselves they may have a list of local researchers. Be very specific about what you want, and make sure they know what you have found out already so they don't end up charging for something you already know. Good luck Judith

Thank-you to everyone who has helped me out! Cheers. Helen

Durham Records Office have researchers who will research the records for you if you can't get there in person. The charge is £20 for 1 hour and then £10 for every extra 1/2 hour. They are not freelance but this might give you a bit of a guide. Cheryl

That's great, thank-you.

The Family History group of most areas offer to look-up/research - some charge, some are free - always worth googling.

I have to say in defence of professional researchers that I have used the services of a lady in Australia who has been brilliant. I cannot remember how I came across her, but from the start she has seemed to have a personal interest in my family. Her charges have been very reasonable, and she has searched things I would have had no access to. She has also helped me to find how to access insanity files and medical records in Australia---how on earth would I do this otherwise? I have just sent her my final payment [more than she asked for!] and feel sad that our correspondence is at an end. She has found all she can about my lost great aunt--there is no more to tell---but now great aunt Bertha is no longer just "gone missing in Australia". I have sent her my "write up" of Bertha, because I know she will be interested---that is how close she has become to the search. If anyone wants any research in Oz, get in touch and I will put you in touch with her. But bear in mind she is a busy woman---I have often waited several months for a response--but when it comes it is worthwhile. She found a bigamous marriage of which I was totally unaware, for example. Wendy Looking at the previous replies I think I have been lucky! Judy in Australia certainly charged less than this. I tended to send her something like £20 at a time, and she would then tell me if I owed more---my final bill was £5 for her final report yesterday---I sent her £10!! I have probably spent something like £60 with her over the last 2 years? Maybe a little more, but not much. And what she has found is priceless.

Hi Helen, I worked for many years as a professional genealogist and I used to advertise in Family Tree Magazine, in the small ads. Like myself, most other researchers I knew carried out research locally and their rates on the whole were very reasonable. I started off charging a humble £5 per hour, which included travel expenses. By the time I moved into another field of research, which was 4 years ago, I was still only charging £7ph all inclusive. I doubt you would have to pay very much more than this now - but you'll need to check of course. The record offices do charge very high rates in comparison, and are often restricted to the type of research they can carry out, and the number of hours they can offer you. Many larger firms also charge very high rates. I got a lot of regular work through firms who charged their clients a helluva lot more for the work I'd done, than what they'd paid me! The advantage of using a local researcher is that the person you employ will be the person conducting the research and you can build up a very good relationship with them. Also they know their area extremely well, know what to look for and where. They can make excellent suggestions on what else to try and can also put you in touch with fellow researchers if the research goes out of their area. The way independent reseachers generally work is geared to how much you can afford and you call the shots. They will only do what is asked of them, working within the timescale you set, and many will become as involved in your family as you are! I still keep in touch with a number of long standing clients I had, and like to hear how they are getting on. I remember an elderly client I had who was such a lovely man and we used to chat on the phone each week about his family history. I'd become as engrossed as he was, and often did far more work on his tree than he'd paid for, but he had one of those families that you couldn't fail to become interested in, and I just couldn't help myself, though I'm sure he'd have been quite cross with me if he'd known I'd undercharged him! It was a very sad day indeed when I found out he had passed away. So, you may get a lot more for your money than you expected to. Being independent and self-employed, they have every good reason to make sure you are fully satisfied with their work and so hopefully will come back for more of the same! My advice would be to contact at least 2 reseachers in the area(s) you are interested in, for a comparison on fees etc., and go with your gut feeling. Sometimes you can tell from the replies you get which one is right for you. Carole

If you contact the local family history society they usually have members who do searches.

Lots of really good suggestions - I think I'll make a few phone calls first. Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply!