About Me
Jonathan Lodge, MSc (Distinction), QG
RESURGAM Genealogy
My family moved to a village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in the 1980s, and as soon as I was old enough to pay attention to it, I became interested in the history of the village. My primary school assemblies were held in the Victorian school hall, we were invited to tea parties at the old rectory, and members of my family were baptised, married and buried at the ancient church. I know firsthand how uncovering the history of a place and the people who lived there can build a sense of belonging and connection.
For more than a decade, I have been researching my own family history. In 2022, I embarked on the MSc course in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies at the University of Strathclyde. The rigorous training I received has built on my prior experience, developed my research skills and increased my knowledge immeasurably. My dissertation focused on the landed gentry of Norfolk and Suffolk in the nineteenth century, which is an area of special interest to me. The course also introduced me to heraldic funerary hatchments - distinctive diamond-shaped memorials that often adorn church walls, commonly bearing the Latin phrase Resurgam. The phrase means, "I shall rise again" - an apt metaphor for genealogical and historical research!
My career in teaching required excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to relate information to my students based on my own research. I use the acting techniques I learned at GSA Conservatoire to empathise with the people I discover through my research and bring their experiences into focus for my clients.
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I approach each new research commission with enthusiasm and a commitment to achieving the highest standards of accuracy and client satisfaction. I aim always to improve my clients’ understanding of the people and places of interest to them, hoping to develop their sense of connection to the past and preserve this knowledge for future generations.
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I am a member of the Register of Qualified Genealogists - see my profile.
Education
2022 - 2024
University of Strathclyde
MSc (Distinction) in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies. Dissertation focused on landed gentry families of Norfolk and Suffolk in the nineteenth century. RQG Student Prize Winner 2024.
2007 - 2008
University of Warwick
PGCE in Drama with English.
Qualified Teacher Status.
My career in teaching has developed excellent presentation and communication skills.
2003 - 2006
GSA Conservatoire
(University of Surrey)
BA (Hons) Theatre, First Class.
I use the acting techniques I learned in my first degree to empathise with people from the past, in order to bring their experiences into focus for my clients.