Every case is a unique story that we piece together and deliver back to its rightful owners.
When I first started, I didn’t think my background in English Literature and Creative Writing was going to be all that useful at Treethorpe…it is important to acknowledge when you’re wrong.
Some of it I expected, the methods learned through my years of literature research were predictably useful in genealogical research too, and my passion for stories obviously had me immediately smitten by the job. But others were a complete surprise, who could imagine that writing workshops would be great training for reading old, handwritten certificates? Or that all those Victorian novels would help me empathise with the families I work on?
There has also been a lot that is completely new, and exciting! The financial and legal aspects of the job, in particular is something I had to learn from scratch; a task that was made way less daunting by the wonderful guidance I have received from my managers and colleagues. Everyone I’ve met, both in Cambridge and London, has been helpful, friendly, and just generally lovely — I could not be more grateful for having found an office that truly feels like home.
Being a forensic genealogist is a very particular job, the wide range of tasks required for each case (genealogy, financials, legal, administration) ensures that no day ever gets uninteresting; although I have to admit I am one of those weird people that find filling forms to be quite relaxing. It is also extremely rewarding to be able to follow my own cases from start to finish, as that allows both the beneficiaries and I to form a good relationship from the outset and work smoothly together.
I truly am happy and grateful for this new adventure, I get to know all kinds of different people (from the most formal and polite person to people who start their phone calls with “oi mate, you sent me a letter”), and I get to investigate a myriad of precious stories — stories of lives lived to the fullest or cut short too soon, they weave into beautiful trees that chronicle the histories of entire families and bring us closer to memories and people that would have otherwise been forgotten. Had I been asked a few years ago, I would not even have believed this was a real job, but now I think I found my calling.
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