Professional genealogist
for the East Midlands.
Fully done-for-you family history investigation.
Gary Skerritt investigates family histories across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Rutland. Specialist knowledge of local archives, home visits available throughout the region, and 20 years of investigative experience.
Your East Midlands family
has more history than you know.
The East Midlands has a rich and complicated past. Its towns grew rapidly during the industrial revolution, drawing families from across Britain and Ireland. Miners came to the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coalfields. Framework knitters and lacemakers settled in Nottingham, Leicester, and the villages between them. Agricultural labourers moved through Lincolnshire's flat landscape for centuries before the census ever recorded them. Many families have Irish roots that arrived with the nineteenth century migrations.
All of that movement, generation after generation, left records. Parish registers, census returns, trade directories, court documents, land records, military papers, probate files. Most of those records are not online. Many are in archive offices that most people never visit. Some require specialist knowledge of which collections survive and where they are held.
This is the kind of investigation that benefits from having someone who knows the region well. Gary Skerritt is based in Nottingham and has spent over 20 years working through exactly these records for his own family and for clients across the region.
Research and home visits across the East Midlands
Meet Your Past is based in Nottingham and serves clients across all five East Midlands counties. Home visits are available throughout the region. Remote consultations and research are available anywhere in the UK and Ireland.
Base county. Specialist knowledge of Nottinghamshire Archives, lace and hosiery records, and the city's Irish community.
Strong industrial heritage records, including coal mining communities, the Derbyshire lead industry, and Peak District agricultural parishes.
Hosiery and boot trade records, Midlands rural parishes, and a well-documented county archive holding material from the sixteenth century onwards.
Agricultural and fenland communities, Lincolnshire Archives, and one of the largest surviving sets of pre-1837 parish registers in England.
Research crosses county lines. Most East Midlands families moved between counties throughout their history. An investigation that starts in Nottinghamshire will often lead to Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, or beyond. The research follows the evidence wherever it goes, including into Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The records that tell East Midlands family stories
Much of the most useful material for East Midlands research is not available through online subscription services. Knowing which archives hold what, and how to access them, is a significant part of what specialist local knowledge provides.
Civil Registration
GRO birth, marriage, and death certificates from 1837 onwards, including the full text of paper certificates ordered direct from the GRO. Often more informative than the index entries alone.
Census Records
The 1841 to 1921 censuses provide a picture of every household in England and Wales at ten-year intervals. The 1921 census, released in 2022, contains particularly detailed occupational and birthplace information.
Parish Registers
Anglican baptism, marriage, and burial registers for Nottinghamshire parishes date back to the 1530s. Nonconformist chapel records, particularly for Methodist and Baptist congregations, are extensive across the East Midlands.
Trade and Occupational Records
Lace and hosiery industry records, framework knitters guild documents, coal mining employment registers, Midlands railway company records, and Derbyshire lead industry archives. These are largely unavailable online and require archive access.
Probate and Land Records
Wills, administrations, and property records from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, local ecclesiastical courts, and manorial records. Land documents can place a family in a specific parish centuries before civil registration.
DNA Investigation
Genetic genealogy used alongside documentary research to confirm family connections, break through brick walls, and identify previously unknown relatives. Particularly effective for tracing Irish origins when documentary records are limited.
Key East Midlands archives. The principal repositories for this region are Nottinghamshire Archives (Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham), Derbyshire Record Office (Matlock), Leicestershire and Rutland Record Office (Leicester), and Lincolnshire Archives (Lincoln). The Nottingham Local Studies Library holds a substantial collection of local newspapers, directories, and photographs not available elsewhere. Many important records are also held at The National Archives in Kew.
What an East Midlands investigation can involve
Each investigation is built around what the client already knows and what they are hoping to find. The services below are the most common starting points, though most cases draw on several of them as the research develops.
Family History Research
A full investigation into one or more lines of your family, tracing ancestors through civil registration, census, parish, and archive records. Delivered as a written report with copies of all key documents found.
Irish Ancestry Research
Investigation into Irish family origins using Griffith's Valuation, the Tithe Applotment Books, Catholic parish registers, and DNA. Gary has personal Irish heritage and direct knowledge of the surviving Irish archives, including records lost in 1922 that can be reconstructed from other sources.
DNA Investigation
Interpretation and investigation using an existing DNA test result. Used to confirm or challenge documentary findings, identify unknown relatives, and trace origins when written records no longer exist. Particularly effective for breaking through pre-1800 walls.
Military Ancestor Research
Service records, medal rolls, pension files, and war diaries used to reconstruct a military ancestor's career. Covers both World Wars and earlier conflicts. Records held at The National Archives and specialist military repositories.
Unknown Parent Investigation
A discreet and thorough investigation for anyone searching for a biological parent or close relative. Documentary research combined with DNA analysis, carried out sensitively and without judgement.
Family History as a Gift
A fully investigated family history presented as a written report and document collection. An unusual and lasting gift for a parent, grandparent, or spouse, delivered in time for a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion.
Evening Telegraph, Tuesday 24 October 1939, Derby, Derbyshire.
A genealogist who knows
this region from the inside.
Meet Your Past was founded by Gary Skerritt, who is based in Nottingham. Gary has been investigating family histories for over 20 years, beginning with his own family and taking on client work once his methods and the depth of what was achievable had become clear.
His father's side of the family is Irish, which means the experience of tracing lines through surviving Irish records is not academic. He has done it for his own family. He knows which archives hold what, how to work around the records destroyed in 1922, and what to do when the standard Irish sources run out. Many East Midlands families have Irish roots, particularly those who arrived in the nineteenth century to work in the lace, hosiery, and mining industries. If that applies to your family, that part of the investigation is informed by genuine personal knowledge.
His wife's family has roots in Liverpool, which has given him detailed working knowledge of Lancashire records and the Irish migration routes that brought families from the west coast ports inland into the Midlands across several generations.
The business is currently building its client base across the East Midlands. Gary is not yet in a position to share client testimonials, but the research is the same quality he applies to his own family history. The free consultation is the right opportunity to form your own view of whether the approach is the right fit.
Read more about GaryFrom first call to final report
There are no hourly rates and no uncertainty about cost. Every investigation begins with a free conversation, and all work is quoted and agreed before research starts.
Free consultation
A 30-minute call to discuss what you already have, what you would like to find, and whether professional research is the right step. No preparation needed.
Fixed-price quote
A clear proposal setting out what the research will cover and exactly what it will cost. No hourly billing, no surprises, and no work begins until you are happy to proceed.
Investigation
Gary works through the archives and records relevant to your family, following the evidence wherever it leads. You receive updates as significant discoveries are made.
Written report
A full written narrative of everything found, with copies of all key documents discovered. Delivered digitally, with a printed version available on request.
Find a genealogist in your city
Meet Your Past covers the whole East Midlands. If you would like more detail about research in a specific city, each page sets out the local archives, record collections, and particular strengths relevant to that area.
Base city. Specialist knowledge of Nottinghamshire Archives, lace and hosiery records, and the city's Irish community.
Genealogist Nottingham Derbyshire DerbyCoal mining communities, the Derbyshire lead industry, railway records, and Peak District agricultural parishes.
Genealogist Derby Leicestershire LeicesterHosiery and boot trade records, Midlands rural parishes, and a well-documented county archive holding material from the sixteenth century.
Genealogist Leicester Lincolnshire LincolnAgricultural and fenland communities, Lincolnshire Archives, and one of the largest surviving sets of pre-1837 parish registers in England.
Genealogist LincolnFrequently asked questions
Meet Your Past covers the whole of the East Midlands, including Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Rutland. Home visits are available across all of these counties. Research is conducted remotely across the UK and Ireland regardless of location.
The key archives include Nottinghamshire Archives, Derbyshire Record Office, Leicestershire and Rutland Record Office, and Lincolnshire Archives. Record sets include GRO civil registration, Anglican parish registers, the 1841 to 1921 censuses, nonconformist chapel records, lace and hosiery industry documents, and probate archives. Many of the most useful records are not available online.
Yes. A significant number of East Midlands families have Irish roots, particularly those who arrived in the nineteenth century to work in the textile, mining, and railway industries. Gary has personal Irish heritage and detailed knowledge of Irish genealogical records including Griffith's Valuation, the Tithe Applotment Books, and Catholic parish registers. DNA investigation is also available for those with unresolved Irish connections.
Yes. Home visits are available across the East Midlands. Many clients find a home visit at the start of the process the most productive way to begin, as it allows family documents, photographs, and memorabilia to be reviewed together in person. It often reveals starting points that would never emerge from an online consultation alone.
Fixed-price packages start from £199 for a single-surname investigation. All work is quoted in advance and there are no hourly rates or unexpected costs. You will know exactly what the research covers and what the price is before any work begins.
Not at all. Most investigations begin with very little. A grandparent's name, a county that was mentioned once, an old photograph with no names on the back. The free call is the right place to discuss what you have and what the research might realistically achieve from that starting point.
Tell me where you are,
and we will go from there.
Most investigations begin with almost nothing. A grandparent's name. A date that does not add up. A story that was never quite explained. That has always been enough to start.
Book a free 30-minute call and we will talk through what might be possible for your East Midlands family. No preparation needed. No obligation. Just a conversation about what is there to find.