Over 100 volumes are now available in Pen & Sword’s family history series, which makes it one of the largest and most influential published in Britain. Since the first books appeared over ten years ago, the range of topics has grown to the point where almost every aspect of the subject is covered.
There are volumes on the most important types of records for family historians and guides to the family history of the British regions and principal cities. Also included are introductions to the armed services and the world wars, to types of work, and to the major industries and professions.
Each book offers an accessible introduction to the subject and detailed advice on the historical and genealogical sources family historians can use to find out about the lives and times of their ancestors. The series is essential reading for newcomers who are beginning to explore this fascinating subject and a valuable resource for experienced researchers.
[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars
Despite its county-specific title, the book is of much wider value: it won’t be difficult to work out where to look for information in other English counties. It’s a pity I don’t have the time these days to go chasing the higher branches of my family tree. If I did I think I would be able to find much more than the basic information which I already have. I was unaware of the wealth of available information and how much it could add to an understanding, not just of one’s own family, but of wider social history in the local area.
NetGalley, Jennifer Young
[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars
Despite its county-specific title, the book is of much wider value: it won’t be difficult to work out where to look for information in other English counties. It’s a pity I don’t have the time these days to go chasing the higher branches of my family tree. If I did I think I would be able to find much more than the basic information which I already have. I was unaware of the wealth of available information and how much it could add to an understanding, not just of one’s own family, but of wider social history in the local area.
NetGalley, Jennifer Young
"Even if your forebears don't fall into this category, the book is worth reading to understand how those who governed the island of Ireland treated the vulnerable, poor and marginalised over several centuries."
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine - July 2025
"Even if your forebears don't fall into this category, the book is worth reading to understand how those who governed the island of Ireland treated the vulnerable, poor and marginalised over several centuries."
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine - July 2025
I enjoyed reading this book and found the information to be informative. The addition of the author’s genealogy and newspaper research examples provided greater insight about the deceased person being studied. I had not previously thought about the information that could be learned by studying tombstones but can see how useful it could be to genealogists.
NetGalley, Jennifer Littlefield
I enjoyed reading this book and found the information to be informative. The addition of the author’s genealogy and newspaper research examples provided greater insight about the deceased person being studied. I had not previously thought about the information that could be learned by studying tombstones but can see how useful it could be to genealogists.
NetGalley, Jennifer Littlefield
"...I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Yorkshire genealogy. There are many websites here to get even experienced Yorkshire researchers on their computer."
Who Do You Think You Are? - Issue 224, December 2024
"...I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Yorkshire genealogy. There are many websites here to get even experienced Yorkshire researchers on their computer."
Who Do You Think You Are? - Issue 224, December 2024
As featured
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine - October 2024
As featured
Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine - October 2024
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Tracing Your Merchant Navy Ancestors
What was a merchant seaman's life like in the past, what experiences would he have had, what were the ships like that he sailed in, and what risks did he run? Was he shipwrecked, rewarded for bravery, or punished? And how can you find out about an ancestor who was a member of the long British maritime tradition? Simon Wills's concise and informative… Read more...
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Tracing Your Lancashire Ancestors
If you want to find out about Lancashire's history, and particularly if you have family links to the area and your ancestors lived or worked in the county, then this is the ideal book for you. As well as helping you to trace when and where your ancestors were born, married and died, it gives you an insight into the world they knew and a chance to explore… Read more...
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Tracing Your Coalmining Ancestors
In the 1920s there were over a million coalminers working in over 3000 collieries across Great Britain, and the industry was one of the most important and powerful in British history. It dominated the lives of generations of individuals, their families and communities, and its legacy is still with us today – many of us have a coalmining ancestor.… Read more...
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Tracing Your Ancestors
This accessible, well-organized, easy-to-use beginners' guide to the world of family history is essential reading for anyone who wants to find their way into this fascinating subject. In a series of short, practical chapters Simon Fowler takes readers through all the first steps that will reveal the lives of their ancestors and the world they lived… Read more...
Do you believe you are descended from the aristocracy, or even from royalty? Or do you have a line of descent from a blue-blooded family, but want to know more? How far back do noble and royal lines go? How do coats of arms work, and how can heraldic records tell you more? How can genetics help you find your aristocratic origins? In Tracing Your Aristocratic… Read more...
Just who did the British think they were? For much of the last 1,500 years, when the British looked back to their origins they saw the looming mythological figure of Brutus of Troy. A great-great-grandson of the love goddess Aphrodite through her Trojan son Aeneas (the hero of Virgil's Aeneid), Brutus accidentally killed his father and was exiled to… Read more...