‘We were delighted with all the research Ellen carried out. The work was thorough and Ellen was so helpful in answering questions and explaining complicated relationships.’
Heather from Machynlleth, May 2020
“I can’t thank Ellen enough for her dedicated assistance and expertise in finding the missing piece to my family history. Ellen worked transparently and efficiently, keeping me up to date with her research methods and how it was going. Most importantly, Ellen was approachable and delivered a friendly and personal service. Work to the highest standard and I recommend Ellen to anyone who needs help with their research.”
Kaleigh, Sept 2019
“I do love the way you have presented the facts, questions and musings in a way that all my siblings can read and understand without the background that I have from knowing my family tree. Thank you very much for all your work.”
Janet H, Canada, August 2019
“I am delighted to recommend Ellen to anyone wanting to research their family history. With very little information to go on she found everything that I needed to know from many different sources. She found many things that I would never have been able to find alone.”
Jackie B, July 2019
“I’d like to thank you for your insights and expertise in sorting out the more difficult parts of my family tree. I have and will continue to follow up the suggestions in your excellent reports for further research. If I come across any more brick walls, please be assured that I’ll be in contact again.”
Mike D, Hampshire, June 2019
“Thank you for my Family History book, it is a thorough plan of my family tree, most pleased.”
M. Mcclean, Liverpool, 2019
“What an amazing 90th birthday my father celebrated! He was so overwhelmed with the family history package that you did for him. He told my mother that it was the best present ever. Once again many thanks for all your hard work.”
Ann-Marie, Lancashire, April 2018
“Thank you so much for all your help and guidance during my search for my Irish grandparents. I have no hesitation in recommending your services to anyone.”
Michael L, Kent, November 2017
“Just to say that the certificate arrived yesterday. I am so thrilled – thank you for everything.”
Charlotte D, June 2017
“I received fantastic personalised support from Ellen in my quest to uncover more information on my mother’s family history. After my initial enquiry, Ellen put forward a well-tailored plan and demonstrated great expertise and experience in this field….I could never have unearthed so much information so quickly and efficiently. I would highly recommend Ellen Collier to anyone wishing to research their family histories”.
David O, Ceredigion, Wales, February 2017
“I have wanted to trace my family tree for ages and did start doing so myself but it takes an awful lot of time so decided to try Ellen Collier. I had looked online and found she was local and I liked her website.
We got in touch and I told her what I had learned and left the rest to her. She started on my paternal line and found some interesting things which I did not know. She also traced my mother’s family and that was most interesting. Ellen looked back at old newspapers of the time and she found some articles which related to my family, it was so exciting.
I would highly recommend Ellen to anyone who wished to trace their family tree.”
Linda B, Cambridgeshire, October 2016.
“Where to begin……I have wanted to trace my family tree for so long and I researched quite a few different people. I was drawn to Ellen’s website because it was clear to read and so I contacted her. Within a very short space of time Ellen replied with all the information I needed and so we began………
Ellen has remained professional and friendly (and patient) with me through the whole process. The information that she has found out about my family is priceless. I have spent months talking to the last few relatives I have about our family and they have been brought to tears reading what Ellen has produced. Things that none of us knew or had simply forgotten. Now it’s presented in a beautiful blue book for generations to come. Ellen has gone beyond what I expected and I can’t stop smiling. I truly am so thankful to her, she’s become part of my family. Sincere thanks, Lyn.”
Lyn L, Cambridgeshire, August 2016
“Having tried unsuccessfully to find some information relating to my grandmother’s family I decided to look for a professional genealogist to help me with my search. I found Ellen via an internet search and after having a few conversations with her I felt confident that Ellen could help me.
I really appreciated the professional and punctual approach Ellen applies to her work and all the findings were sent to me in a concise and very well presented way. Ellen always kept me up to speed with any developments and it was quite exciting when receiving new nuggets of information.
I cannot rate Ellen highly enough and would definitely use her services again and wholeheartedly recommend her to anybody looking to trace their family.”
Mark B, May 2016
“If you feel a need to research your ancestry then I would most definitely recommend you ask a professional genealogist, and if that someone is Ellen then you’re in extremely capable hands and you should be ready for the journey of your life. I found Ellen not only to be professional, but easy to speak to. She draws out of you what it is you are looking for, even if you are unsure yourself; her research is methodical and thorough and she keeps you up to date regularly with progress. I found her to be creative and humorous and her love of the journey she takes you on is obvious.
I had always wanted to find out more about my family and some surprises were in store for me. I didn’t even know my paternal great-grandmother’s name but soon found out she (Minnie) had a rich and colourful life – she was born in a workhouse, her mother died of typhoid and she was then brought up by her grandparents (her grandfather worked in the tin mines), she married three times, had seven children, lived in New York and Arizona before coming back to Cornwall to bring up her children on her own. She was quite a remarkable woman! The paternal side of my family was also extremely interesting and delving into their backgrounds brought it home just how tough life was, especially for women.
If you are at all interested in finding out more about your ancestors then I would most definitely say don’t hesitate, just take that first step and call Ellen!”
Kate T, Cornwall, April 2016
“This is the second family history Ellen has researched for my family, the first one was a gift from my daughters for a significant birthday, they knew I had always been intrigued by my father’s history.
From that family history came the revelation that my mother’s mother and father lived just round corner from my father’s family, information I would have struggled to find out without Ellen’s expertise. I knew my mother’s family had a connection in the same village but didn’t know that my Grandma was actually born there.
It has been quite a rollercoaster!!!! In the future I will be using her services to research my paternal grandmother’s history, something I was first interested in over 30 years ago but I’ve never had the time to look into.
I love the way Ellen uses photos to bring to life our family’s history, I thoroughly recommend her services to anyone interested in their ancestry, and the finished book makes such a great gift.”
Lesley U, Luton, Bedfordshire, February 2016
“After searching the internet for prospective genealogists to research my family tree I came across Ellen’s website. She seemed to have a more personable approach. We spoke on the telephone and she was hired.
Originally the tree was to be a present for my sister, however, it soon became a fantastic journey for ME!
My mother always told me that gypsies left me on the doorstep as I had no similarities to my parents (except looks). Without going into details I was (am) a bit of a wild one. With Ellen’s expertise I now know where I got this from.
A truly fantastic journey that I never expected.
If it’s there, she will find it!”
– Paul G, The Netherlands, January 2016
“Thank you for all your time and interest in researching our family tree. We were all delighted and surprised to discover things about Bill’s wife and the true identity of Grace. That our forefathers come from Devon was also great to know as Devon is somewhere we went on holiday each summer as a young family and enjoy to this day, no doubt it is in our blood. We really appreciate all you’ve done to bring our history to life.”
– Matthew S, Hertfordshire, November 2015
“I was very pleased with the family history research that Ellen did for us. Her reports were clear and full of detailed explanations. You can tell from her work that Ellen is very diligent and precise in her work. Living in the USA, it was such a gift to find such a qualified professional. We were able to visit the small town in England that my ancestors made their home. Ellen met us there and our time with her was the highlight of our trip.”
– Jim Semick, Santa Barbara, California, September 2014
“As a result of Ellen’s research to find out what happened to my half-sisters, I have been lucky enough to meet up with my nephew and niece. They didn’t know I existed! Thanks to Ellen’s excellent research, I now have a whole new part of my family to get to know.”
– Elizabeth, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, June 2014
“I am really pleased with the work Ellen has done on my husband’s family tree. I live nearby, and look forward to her visits which bring me the next installment of the family’s history and a chat about what it all means. Finding out more about the family surname and where the family came from has been really fascinating.”
– Ann M, Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, April 2014
“My mum loved her family history gift for Christmas. There were lots of
tears from her, me and my aunt. The presentation book is lovely. Thank
you.”
– Victoria S, Tonbridge, Kent, January 2014
“I have assigned Ellen Collier on three separate occasions to research different areas of both my husband’s and my own family trees. I can thoroughly recommend Ellen to do the most comprehensive search possible. Ellen seems truly absorbed by each individual case study as if it were her own family. She is so enthusiastic and passionate about this subject. So what are you waiting for…there’s no time like the PAST!”
— Debbie A, Rushden, Northants, September 2013
“It has been wonderful to have you undertake the searches there, particularly as you know what goes with what geographically and with your knowledge of the records. I have comfort in that we have explored many options in the search for the link from my great, great grandfather George back.”
— Michael K, Australia, September 2013
“I was really impressed with the richness of the information included in Ellen’s report on my family’s history. It provided a really useful context alongside the trees of names and dates. Ellen provided an excellent and professional service throughout the process. I will definitely be asking her to do more work for me and I’m sure that my mother, for whom this was a birthday present, will be keen to ask Ellen to find out more about her family.”
— Lisa U, London, June 2013
“I am very impressed with how you have always kept me informed and responded very promptly to any emails I have sent you, not to mention all the information that you have found in your research. It is something that we would never have managed to do and because of your professionalism we had no hesitation in recommending you.
“Your work has certainly laid to rest all the uncertainty and stories that we heard and it’s difficult to put into words how you have helped. A big thank you does not seem enough, but THANK YOU.”
— John P, France, May 2013
“Receiving the report on my family tree from Ellen was a revelation: so much more than just a list of names, it puts my ancestors in historical context, allowing the imagination to picture real people, in real situations, living through historical events.
“Ellen has solved some family mysteries though diligent research, and provided contemporaneous copies of maps, photographs and accounts of the actual streets my family lived in. She has also provided ideas and tips for me to carry out my own research into aspects of the family history, as I am now inspired to learn more about the characters she has uncovered.”
— Tracey W, Bedfordshire, February 2013
“Ellen has done some excellent work tracing back from my Grandmother and finding that her occupation was very similar to mine, though about a hundred years earlier. She went back further to find many policemen in the family and found a copy of a report from court where my ancestor’s words were written down as part of evidence in a trial, which really brought him to life for me.
“A good job well done!”
— Rosemary T, November 2012
“Ellen Collier followed my paternal line from a few fragments of recent family history to 1757, on the way revealing interesting and revealing facts about what 8 generations did and how they came to London. Not just a list of dates, but a history with intriguing side shoots revealing the truth about family “myths” and links to further sources of information about work and social conditions.
“Her report was very readable and was backed by carefully cross referenced appendices showing copies of certificates, census pages, maps and clear text transcriptions of difficult to read documents and gravestones.
“Although stopping in 1757, Ellen indicated tombstones which with authentication could take me back another two or three generations.
“My work was presented to me by my children as a birthday gift and has provided hours of interest to me and the family. What a wonderful idea for a present.”
— John T, August 2012
