Genealogist
in Lincoln
Professional family history investigation for Lincoln and Lincolnshire families
Lincolnshire holds one of England's richest agricultural and cathedral city records. Whether your family farmed the Fens, worked the wolds, or settled in Lincoln over generations, the evidence is there to be found. Meet Your Past investigates it for you, thoroughly and personally.
Your Lincoln family deserves more than a database search
Lincolnshire is a county of contrasts. Cathedral city, fenland parishes, coastal communities, and farming estates that shaped families for generations. The records that document this history are scattered across archives, parish chests, estate papers, and diocesan collections, many of which are not searchable online.
Meet Your Past is not a subscription platform. It is a fully done-for-you investigation service run personally by Gary Skerritt, a professional researcher with 20 years of experience in UK and Irish genealogy. Gary conducts every investigation himself, from first conversation to final report.
If your family has roots in Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Boston, Spalding, or anywhere across Lincolnshire, Gary can investigate those roots with the depth and care they deserve.
See how we investigateThe records that unlock Lincolnshire families
Lincolnshire has an unusually complete archival heritage. The combination of strong Anglican parish records, well-preserved estate papers, and one of England's finest county archives makes it possible to trace families here with considerable depth. Much of the most valuable material requires physical access and specialist knowledge to use effectively.
Lincolnshire Archives
Held at the Lincolnshire History and Heritage centre in Lincoln, the county archive covers parish registers, quarter sessions records, estate and manorial papers, school admission books, and an extensive collection of maps and tithe records. It is one of the most comprehensive county collections in England.
Anglican parish registers
Lincolnshire's parish registers are among the oldest surviving in England, with some dating to the 1530s. The Diocese of Lincoln was historically one of the largest in the country, covering a vast geographic area. Baptism, marriage, and burial records for hundreds of Lincolnshire parishes are held at the county archive and at Lincoln Cathedral.
GRO civil registration
Births, marriages, and deaths recorded from 1837 form the backbone of most investigations from the Victorian period onwards. Combined with the census returns from 1841 to 1921, these records allow families to be traced across generations with a high degree of accuracy.
Agricultural and estate records
Lincolnshire was one of England's most productive agricultural counties. Estate papers, farm tenancy records, and labourers' wages books survive in considerable quantity and can identify families on specific holdings across many generations. Landed families such as the Welby, Heneage, and Pelham estates left particularly rich archives.
Nonconformist records
Methodism had a particularly strong hold in Lincolnshire. John Wesley himself conducted missions here, and the county has a dense network of Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels, many of which maintained their own registers from the late eighteenth century onwards. These are essential for families who did not attend the Church of England.
Military and service records
The Lincolnshire Regiment, the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, and its predecessors have records spanning the eighteenth century onwards. Medal rolls, campaign records, pension files, and service papers held at The National Archives can document Lincolnshire men who served in every major British conflict from the Napoleonic Wars to the Second World War.
Not everything is online
A significant proportion of Lincolnshire's most valuable genealogical records remain entirely offline. Estate papers, probate inventories, chapel registers, and quarter sessions documents that have never been indexed or digitised can only be accessed by someone who knows where to look and how to read them. This is precisely the kind of material that separates a professional investigation from a self-service database search.
What we investigate for Lincoln families
Every investigation is conducted personally by Gary. There are no junior researchers, no outsourced work, and no automated reports. The service is fully done for you, from the first call to the final written narrative.
Family History Research
A thorough investigation of your family across generations, working through civil registration, census, parish, and archival records to build the fullest possible picture of who your ancestors were and how they lived.
From £199
Find out moreDNA Investigation
For families where questions cannot be answered through documentary records alone. Gary uses DNA evidence alongside traditional research to investigate unknown parentage, break through brick walls, and confirm or challenge family stories.
From £299
Find out moreIrish Ancestry Research
For Lincolnshire families with Irish origins. Gary has personal Irish heritage and deep specialist knowledge of Irish records, including Griffith's Valuation, Catholic parish registers, and the surviving records held at the National Library of Ireland.
From £249
Find out moreUnknown Parent Investigation
When adoption, family separation, or undisclosed parentage has left questions that have never been answered. Gary handles these investigations with care and sensitivity, using DNA evidence and archival research together.
From £349
Find out moreMilitary Ancestor Research
Tracing Lincolnshire soldiers, sailors, and airmen through service records, campaign papers, medal rolls, and pension files. The Lincolnshire Regiment and Royal Lincolnshire Regiment left substantial archival records that Gary knows how to navigate.
From £199
Find out moreFamily History Gift
A family history investigation makes a meaningful and lasting gift for a birthday, anniversary, or retirement. Gary will investigate and present the research as a written narrative the whole family can keep and share.
From £199
Find out more
Foston, Lincolnshire, pre-1911. Wheeler's Series.
Gary Skerritt conducts every investigation himself
Meet Your Past is a one-person specialist service. When you instruct Gary, he is the person who reads the records, visits the archives, follows the leads, and writes the final report. There is no team of junior researchers, no automated software, and no outsourcing.
Gary has spent 20 years researching his own family history, developing the skills, patience, and local knowledge that effective genealogical investigation demands. That personal investment means he approaches every client's family with the same curiosity and care he brings to his own.
"I became a professional genealogist because family history investigation changed how I understood my own family. I wanted to offer that same experience to others, but properly. Not a PDF generated by a subscription service. A real investigation."
Gary has personal Irish heritage and has spent many years working with Irish genealogical records, including Griffith's Valuation, the Tithe Applotment Books, surviving Catholic parish registers, and the collections held at the National Library of Ireland and IrishGenealogy.ie. For Lincolnshire families with Irish roots, this is a specialism that very few regional researchers can offer.
He also brings 18 years of experience photographing churches and parishes across Nottinghamshire and the wider East Midlands, a practice that has given him direct familiarity with monumental inscriptions, parish chest materials, and local historical context that supplements the formal archival record considerably.
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 conducts the research personally, working through archives, online records, and specialist collections relevant to your Lincolnshire family. You will be kept informed of significant findings as they emerge.
Written report
A full written narrative of what was found, with copies of all key documents discovered during the investigation. Delivered digitally, with a printed version available on request.
Frequently asked questions
Where in Lincolnshire do you work?
Meet Your Past serves clients across Lincoln city and the whole of Lincolnshire, including Grantham, Stamford, Boston, Spalding, Gainsborough, Skegness, Louth, Horncastle, Sleaford, and Market Rasen. Home visits are available throughout the county. Research is conducted remotely across the UK and Ireland.
What Lincolnshire records do you use?
The core sources for Lincolnshire research are Lincolnshire Archives in Lincoln, the Lincoln Central Library Local Studies collection, GRO civil registration records from 1837, Anglican parish registers, the 1841 to 1921 censuses, nonconformist chapel records, estate and manorial papers, and quarter sessions records. Much of the most useful material is not available online and requires direct archival access.
Can you trace Lincolnshire families with Irish roots?
Yes. A significant number of Irish agricultural workers settled in Lincolnshire during the nineteenth century, particularly in the Fens and in Lincoln itself. Gary has personal Irish heritage and detailed knowledge of Irish genealogical records, including Griffith's Valuation, the Tithe Applotment Books, surviving Catholic parish registers, and DNA-based investigation. Irish research is handled with the same depth as English research.
Do you visit clients at home in Lincoln?
Yes. Home visits are available across Lincoln and Lincolnshire. Many clients prefer to begin with a home visit so that family documents, photographs, and memorabilia can be reviewed in person. It often reveals starting points that would never emerge from an online consultation alone, particularly when a family has kept papers, letters, or objects that have never been properly examined.
How much does family history research in Lincoln cost?
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.
What if I only have a little information to start with?
That is perfectly normal. Many investigations begin with very little. A grandparent's name, a Lincolnshire village mentioned once, an old photograph with nothing written 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. You do not need to prepare anything in advance.
Tell me where you are,
and we will go from there.
Most investigations begin with almost nothing. A grandparent's name. A Lincolnshire village mentioned in passing. A story that was never quite explained. That has always been enough to start.
Book a free 30-minute call and we will talk about what might be possible. No preparation needed. No obligation. Just a conversation about your Lincolnshire family and what it might take to find their story.