Family History Journey in England

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Scroll down to find the answer to your question about Family History Guided Tours

I am planning a vacation in Europe/to visit England and Scotland next year, and I want to see where my ancestors lived. Can you help?

Yes, we can arrange a tour of your ancestor/s home town or village, and your accommodation and transport in the area. You can book as many tours as you wish in as many places in the UK as you want. If you book a tour, you are escorted by a local historian, an expert in the history of the area/s, who will help you to understand exactly where and how your ancestor/s would have lived and worked. The tour can last for as long as you want it to, and you can, if you want, stay in the area for as long as you want. If you subsequently want to do your own research, we can arrange for you to stay in the area where the records are mostly available. You can rejoin or resume your vacation elsewhere whenever you like.

Who are the local historians? What will I see on a guided walking tour or a guided vehicular tour?

Local historians are experts in the history of an area, town or village in England. They have studied and researched the area from the point of view of all historical eras, and are passionate about their speciality. You can benefit from their deep knowledge and experience of your ancestor/s home town or village. If a particular area has been redeveloped to meet the needs of the modern world for contemporary residents, a local historian will show you how it would have looked when your ancestor/s lived there.

I want to visit my ancestor/s home town, but I don't know where my ancestors lived. Can you help?

Yes, we can! Simply say that you don't know and tick the box to say that further research is needed and we will combine the two together and give you a single price for this full service.

Thanks to Family History Journey, I now know that some of my ancestors lived in the north of England and others lived in the south west. Can you organize tours in both places? How do I get from place to the other?

We can organize guided tours in as many places in the UK (England, Scotland or Wales) as you wish to go. Simply tell us all the places you want to visit, and we will arrange for an expert in each area to show you around each place. It will be very exciting! We can arrange transport and accommodation for every place where you book a tour, and to get from one place to the other. We will advise you on all the forms of transport available and you can choose which suits you best. You may prefer, for example, not to drive yourself in England if you are uncomfortable with shift stick and/or driving on the other side of the road, in which case we can arrange for you to be driven or to travel by train - maybe with a taxi at each end. All the help you need is available to you.

Can you book hotels or other accommodation for me?

If you book a guided tour, we can arrange for any type of accommodation you want in that place to suit your budget. We can book budget hotels or luxury hotels, or any hotel inbetween. We can even see if it is possible to stay in an historic inn or tavern, or perhaps the manor house, or an historic cottage in the area - probably a place where your ancestor/s would have visited too.

What time, and where, do the tours start? And how long do they last?

A half day tour will usually last 3-4 hours, and a full day tour will usually last 7-8 hours. When it begins may depend on the availability of your local historian, and driver, but overall it can begin and end at your convenience. We can advise on the best time of day - or week, or month, or season - for any particular buildings or sites in your ancestor/s home town or village. The tour can begin and end at the place you are staying, or at any other prominent place - whichever will suit you and the place best. You are in charge of your own tour!

How many people can be on a tour?

To gain the most of all tours, they are limited to 1-12 people - adults and children if you wish. It is your tour and for your party only, there will be no additional participants. If you want to organize a tour for more people, for a bigger party, please let us know.

How much notice is needed to book a tour?

For the very best arranged tour, 3-4 months notice is best. Because your tour is tailored to your requirements, the minimum notice we need is 21 days. We cannot guarantee the quality of a tour at less notice than that, though if you ask we can see what we can do. There is no maximum notice: if you want to arrange your tour a year in advance, that is fine.

What vehicles do you provide? Are they insured?

For vehicular tours, MPVs (Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles) or mini-buses (mini-vans) are used. MPVs will carry 1-6 people, plus a local historian, comfortably, and mini-buses will carred 7-12 participants and your local historian. Whichever sized vehicle is used, they are driven by professional drivers who are fully licensed and insured as "public carriers".

I use a wheelchair, can I still take part?

Yes, but bear in mind that historic buildings will not be adapted so even going through the front door can be a problem. Modern buildings promising public access are required by law to provide access, and most historic buildings are required to adapt entrance ways. Some historic buildings may however be exempt from this requirement if adaptations will interfere with its structure or historic integrity. Let us know, and we can advise according to the place you want to visit.

What happens if I need to cancel a tour?

If you need to cancel a tour, for whatever reason, please let us know straight away. Deposits are, as a rule, non-refundable. If you cancel 21 days or more in advance, then you will only loose the deposit; if it is cancelled between 10 and 20 days in advance, then 50% of the full price (usually the deposit) is refundable, but if it is less than 10 days then there is no refund. You are strongly advised to take out insurance against having to cancel (for example, if you or a member of your party is ill.)

How do I book a tour of where my ancestors lived?

Simply click on this request button >

Do not attempt to pay anything before you have heard from us! We will first of all advise you on what you can expect to see and do in your ancestor/s home town or village, and when the best time to visit will be. Once you have decided on the best tour/s for you, we will send you an email accepting your booking and confirming your itinerary and the price. You will then need to pay the deposit (usually 50% of the price), and all the local bookings will be made for you . You pay the balance at least 21 days before the tour.