Branchlines - an Introduction
Frances and Malcolm Daniels, who are partners in the company Branchlines, have had a personal involvement in Family History research and Genealogical Records since 1991. Our company, Branchlines, was formed in 1994 and we have since then offered a Ancestor Research Service to the public.
The Mission of Branchlines is to help our clients by furthering the knowledge of their Ancestors or 'Roots' by giving a caring, reliable and affordable service. We keep clients in control of their expenditure and provide the results of research in regular updates either by post, telephone or email according to the wishes of the client. We always use original records and verifiable data. We do not, unless specifically asked to do so, farm our research out as many companies do to researchers, many of whom they have not even met. Branchlines gives our clients a personal family history service, carried out by researchers who were born and brought up in the area and who have extensive local knowledge.
Many records are housed at local record repositories including Somerset Heritage Centre, Bath Record Office, Bristol Record Office and the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Many of the repositories that we visit are detailed by clicking here.
Some of the records that we can access to help with Ancestors, Family History and Genealogy are:
Parish Registers, some of which may go back as far as 1538
Census Records which go back to 1841 for each Country of the Uk, from 1851 to 1916 for Canada and 1850 to 1930 for USA
Tithe Awards from the 1830s, 1840s or 50s, the date depending on the individual parish.
Trade Directories
Personal papers from Manor and Family Estates including indentures, leases etc.
Wills before 1858 – for Wiltshire and Bristol extensive – for Somerset many destroyed in WW2
Birth Marriage and Death Certificates for the whole of the UK and British Citizens abroad
Criminal Registers and local Prison Records
Passage of emigrants to and immigrants from USA, Canada and Australia with others to India, New Zealand and South Africa
Convict Transportation Records
Records concerning Military Personnel killed in the World Wars and some other wars
WW1 Army records including Medals and Pensions
WW2 Prisoners of War records
Irish Land Registers
Irish Catholic Parish Registers
We also offer advice to Visitors to the UK in tracing their Family Ancestors, sometimes referred to as Roots.