Speaking and Writing
As a genealogist, I enjoy sharing my work through speaking engagements and in print. You can see samples of my work below.
Get in touch if you'd like me to speak to your organisation.
The Hatchments in Eye Church
Peter Summers's Hatchments in Britain 2 records three funerary hatchments in the Church of Ss Peter & Paul, Eye. In 2023, Fr Guy Sumpter was kind enough to show them to me, along with two other heraldic panels. Mounted high up on a tower wall, the hatchments once enjoyed a more prominent position, representative of the significance of the families for whom they were made: the Sayers, Deyes and Cunninghams. These families were part of Eye's eighteenth-century gentry, which has been overshadowed by the prominence of the Kerrisons and Tacons in more recent times. A report on my research is available to read here.
Who's Who (and Who's Not) in Burke's Landed Gentry
Drawn from my research into Norfolk and Suffolk landed gentry families of the C19th, this 10-minute talk considers the pros and cons of using Burke's Landed Gentry, along with tips for workarounds.
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This talk will be delivered online as part of All About That Place 2024.
Grandmothers' Secrets
This talk uses case studies from my own family history research to demonstrate approaches to tackling 'brick wall' problems.
Eye Cemetery
In 2023, I supported Heritage Open Days by researching the history of Eye Cemetery.​ My research was displayed at the cemetery. I also wrote a short article on the history of the cemetery, which was published in the September 2023 issue of Eye Magazine.
A version of the article is available to read here.
The Victorian Rectors of Barningham and Coney Weston and their Rectory
Coming Soon!
This composite biography of five Victorian rectors of a small Suffolk parish is the result of more than two years of research. The rectors themselves are fascinating individuals, with many similarities and differences. Their story is a picture of changing Victorian society in microcosm. The book also charts the story of the rectory house itself, which is embedded in developments in church legal practices and the changing relationship between Anglican clergy and their parishioners.
