Professional genealogist
based in Nottingham.
Fully done-for-you family history investigation.
Gary Skerritt investigates family histories across Nottinghamshire, the East Midlands, and Ireland. Specialist knowledge of local records, home visits available, and over 20 years of investigative experience.
Family history research in Nottingham
done entirely for you.
Most people reach a point where the research stalls. The obvious records have been found, the online hints have been followed, and the branches that looked straightforward have turned out to be anything but. That is usually where the most interesting history is waiting.
Meet Your Past is a professional family history investigation service based in Nottingham. Every piece of research is carried out by Gary Skerritt, personally and from start to finish. There are no outsourced researchers, no automated searches, and no template reports.
Nottinghamshire has a particularly rich archive. The county's industrial history, its lace and textile trades, the Luddite disturbances of the early nineteenth century, and the generations of working families who lived through them are all documented in collections that most people never find. If your family has roots in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire, there is more to discover than the census and a few birth certificates.
The records that tell
Nottinghamshire stories
Nottinghamshire's history is stored in archives, collections, and registers that span nearly five centuries. Understanding which records exist, what survives, and where to find them is the foundation of any serious local investigation.
Parish Registers
Anglican registers for Nottinghamshire parishes survive from as early as 1538. St Mary's Nottingham, St Peter's, and hundreds of county parishes hold baptism, marriage, and burial records that extend centuries before civil registration began in 1837.
Civil Registration
Birth, marriage, and death records from 1837 onward, held at the General Register Office and the Nottingham Registration District. Physical GRO certificates can be ordered and reveal details not visible in index searches alone, including mother's maiden name, witnesses, and registered addresses.
Census Records
The censuses of 1841 through to 1921 provide a ten-year snapshot of every Nottinghamshire household. Lace workers, framework knitters, coal miners, and agricultural labourers appear alongside their families, occupations, and birthplaces, making census research one of the most productive starting points.
Nottinghamshire Archives
The county archive in Castle Meadow Road holds probate records, quarter sessions, land tax assessments, poor law records, and the papers of major Nottinghamshire families and estates. Much of this material is not available online and requires direct archive access.
Trades and Industry
Nottingham's lace and textile industries generated detailed employment records, trade directories, and union documents. Framework knitters' records, hosiery trade registers, and the records of major employers such as Boots and Raleigh are valuable sources for families in the city and across the county.
Nonconformist Records
Nottinghamshire had a strong nonconformist tradition. Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, and Quaker chapel registers cover families who never appear in Anglican parish records. These collections are held partly at The National Archives and partly in local repositories.
Nottingham and across
the whole county
Meet Your Past serves clients across the whole of Nottinghamshire. Home visits are available throughout the county, and research is conducted remotely for clients anywhere in the UK or further afield with Nottinghamshire roots.
Choose the investigation
that fits your situation
All research is fixed-price, fully done-for-you, and delivered with a written report. You will know exactly what the research covers before any work begins.
Family History Research
Full investigation into your family tree. Births, marriages, deaths, census records, occupations, migration, and the stories that the documents reveal. Delivered as a written narrative report with copies of all key documents found.
DNA Investigation
DNA results interpreted and integrated with documentary research. Unknown matches identified, ethnicity estimates placed in context, and genetic evidence used to break through brick walls that records alone cannot resolve.
Unknown Parent Investigation
For adoptees, donor-conceived individuals, and anyone who grew up without knowing one or both biological parents. DNA evidence and documentary research combined, with all findings handled carefully and without judgement.
Irish Ancestry Research
Investigation into Irish family origins using surviving records including Griffith's Valuation, the Tithe Applotment Books, Catholic parish registers, and DNA. Informed by Gary's personal Irish heritage and direct knowledge of Irish archives.
Military Ancestor Research
Service records, medal rolls, pension files, and war diaries used to reconstruct a military ancestor's career. Covers both World Wars, earlier conflicts, and the records held at The National Archives and specialist military repositories.
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.
St Mary's Nottingham parish register, 1625. Nottinghamshire Archives.
A genealogist who has
done this work for himself.
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, and he has traced those lines through the records that survived the 1922 destruction of the Public Record Office. That experience is not academic. He knows exactly which archives hold what, and what to do when the standard sources run out. If your Nottingham family has Irish roots, that part of the investigation is informed by the same personal research he has conducted for his own family.
His wife's family has roots in Liverpool, which has given him detailed working knowledge of Lancashire records, the port of Liverpool, and the Irish migration routes that brought so many families to the North West before they moved further inland.
The business is new, and Gary is currently building his client base in Nottingham and across the East Midlands. He is not yet in a position to share client testimonials, but the research itself is the same quality he applies to his own family history. The free consultation is the opportunity to form your own view of whether the approach is right for you.
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 conducts the research personally, across archives, databases, and original documents. For Nottinghamshire clients, this can include a home visit to review family documents and photographs at the outset.
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
Meet Your Past is based in Nottingham and serves clients across the whole of Nottinghamshire including West Bridgford, Arnold, Carlton, Hucknall, Beeston, Stapleford, Eastwood, Newark, Mansfield, and Retford. Home visits are available throughout the county.
The core sources for Nottinghamshire research are Nottinghamshire Archives, the Nottingham Local Studies Library, GRO civil registration records, Anglican parish registers from the 1530s, the 1841 to 1921 censuses, nonconformist chapel records, lace and textile trade records, and probate documents. Much of the most valuable material is not available online.
Yes. Many Nottingham families arrived from Ireland during the nineteenth century. Gary has personal Irish heritage and detailed knowledge of Irish genealogical records including Griffith's Valuation, the Tithe Applotment Books, Catholic parish registers, and DNA-based investigation. Irish research is handled with the same depth as English research.
Yes. Home visits are available across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Many clients prefer a home visit at the start of the process so that family documents, photographs, and memorabilia can be reviewed together. 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.
That is perfectly normal. Many investigations begin with very little. A grandparent's name, a place that was mentioned once, an old photograph. 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 about what might be possible. No preparation needed. No obligation. Just a conversation about your Nottinghamshire family and what it might take to find their story.