Who's who

Chairman

Steve Manning

chairman@familyhistoryfederation.com

Steve’s interest in Family History began whilst he was still a teenager. Unsurprisingly, his level of activity waxed and waned over the years as work and family needs took priority, but that early enthusiasm never dimmed. Looking back with the wisdom of years, he acknowledges much of his early research had serious shortcomings - but he has absolutely no regrets about having started out so young.

Steve currently serves as President of the Peterborough & District Family History Society. He is also a member of various other family history societies. An enthusiastic public speaker, he absolutely loves talking on his favourite topic – Family History!

Originally trained as an Electronics Engineer, Steve worked in production, quality, sales, distribution and logistics before retiring in April 2014. He also taught for eight years in a Further Education College before being tempted back into industry. He loved the teaching (and still does), but not the accompanying politics.

Steve has been the Federation's Education Officer since 2014.

Publicity Officer

Jacqui Simkins

publicity@familyhistoryfederation.com

Jacqui was born into the farming world - agriculture runs in her veins and today she and her family continue to work the land. Before retirement beckoned, she worked for a variety of rural organisations in administration and editorial roles, often representing those organisations at local and national events where she honed her people skills meeting the general public. She is a firm believer that there are many advantages to be gained by even the smallest society from exhibiting at relevant events around the country.

Her family history research started over three decades ago when her father was given a tree and then asked her to “prove it”. That tree is splattered with farmers, ag labs, millers and all else on the land. She often recalls her grandfather’s comments on family relationships and the family’s origins but unfortunately he had died before she began her family research. So with no family history, anecdotes or tales to help, Jacqui admits that over the years she grappled with many aspects of family history – but learnt so much and made new friends.

Currently, Jacqui is secretary and projects officer for Nuneaton & North Warwickshire FHS. She also undertakes helpdesks in local libraries. She is a member of Shropshire FHS and regularly writes articles for the journals of these family history societies. Some years ago Jacqui also did a stint as editor of the Cheshire FHS Journal.

Jacqui is an ardent advocate of being a member of relevant family history societies; she strongly believes that joining a local society provides the opportunity to learn from speakers and discuss issues with fellow members. Joining the group for the area of your forebears enables you to draw on the wealth of local knowledge that each society has.

Chief Executive Officer of the Society of Australian Genealogists

Ruth Graham

exec.member.rg@familyhistoryfederation.com

Ruth Graham is the Chief Executive Officer of the Society of Australian Genealogists. Ruth is a family historian working professionally in education and research management. She has worked in Australia and the United Kingdom for higher education and professional associations including: London Business School, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Australian Computer Society, and the University of Sydney.

In 2012, Ruth was included in the inaugural national register of experts for Australia’s higher education regulator, TEQSA. Ruth is a regular speaker at education sector events including International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) 2018 in Edinburgh and provided a keynote address for the 15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry.

Ruth's qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland, MBA in Technology Management from the Open University (UK), a Master of Tertiary Education Management from the University of Melbourne, a Certificate in Genealogical Research from the Society for Australian Genealogists, and a Certificate in Higher Education from Oxford University. Ruth has been a member of the management committee of the NSW & ACT Association of Family History Societies since 2021 and is also a member of
National Archives of Australia NSW Consultative Forum and the Mitchell Library Consultative Committee.

Ruth volunteers to mentor students and professionals in their career development for the University of Melbourne and the Association for Tertiary Education Management. She is a citizen of Australia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Treasurer

Gary Stephenson

treasurer@familyhistoryfederation.com

Aged 70, married, with two daughters, two sons-in-law and three grandchildren. I am the eldest in my generation, having five younger siblings and fourteen younger cousins. Born in, and lived most of my life in Chilwell.

Former Civil Servant working in Social Security and then as Finance Director for the Independent Living Fund (UK Government fund giving money to disabled people for their personal assistance) based in Nottingham. I am retired, and have some self-employed work as a charity annual accounts examiner.

I got interested in family history together with my brother, after our father wanted to be buried in his father's grave. We never knew our paternal grandfather as he died when Dad was just 11 years old. We started our research so we could put both their details on a gravestone. We have traced the Stephenson line back to the 1550s in Cumbria, and most other branches of our ancestors back to the end of the 18th century.

I joined Notts Family History Society in 2016 and am on its trustees' committee. I take the lead responsibility for our bookstall at members' meetings and family history events. I am a practising Christian and do voluntary work in connection with a local CofE church, Nottingham South Deanery, and Southwell & Nottingham Diocese.

Diversity & Inclusion Officer

Yetunde Abiola

exec.member.ya@familyhistoryfederation.com

Yetunde Abiola has been researching her family history for 8 years and travels extensively for family history research and networking. As a Black British woman of Nigerian and Jamaican descent Yetunde is conversant with the interplay of histories and politics in today's multi-cultural world and her special interest areas are:

• Church Missionary Society (CMS) records for family research purposes
• Maximising the use of Freemason records
• the impact of ancestor stories on the lives of future generations
• the complexities and intricacies of Caribbean, Diaspora, and Colonial genealogies

She has also served as an Ambassador for RootsTech London (2019), Salt Lake City (2020), RootsTech Connect (2021), and currently RootsTech Connect (2022). Speaking experience: RootsTech Connect (2021), Legacy Webinars (2021), The Genealogy Show July & November (2021), the Bristol University Family History Group (2021), The Really Useful Family History Show (2021), and RootsTech Connect (2022).

Society Liaison

Margaret Roberts

society.liaison@familyhistoryfederation.com

I am an academic author, independent researcher and experienced family historian who specialises in Sports History and have assisted numerous families in uncovering the sporting lives of their ancestors.

I am the Editor and Administrator of Britain’s only online Sport and Leisure History magazine Playing Pasts as well as the Publicity and Social Media Officer for the Family History Society of Cheshire. I am very keen on family history/genealogy as an inclusive community, especially with encouraging young genealogists and am a great believer in intergenerational learning.

My publications include a book on Victorian swimming communities, academic journal papers on women’s football and teacher training as well as on Victorian swimming baths and their employees. I have presented on all of these topics and more in a number of different forums, both at home in the UK and abroad over the last 20 years and have organised UK based conferences and exhibitions. I also give talks and carry out workshops at many online shows and face to face meetings for various family history groups.

Archives Liaison

Sadie McMullon

archives.liaison@familyhistoryfederation.com

My father-in-law was an avid family historian tracing his roots in North and South Shields, and Scotland in person and through a research company. Not long after he passed away the 1901 census was released online. Mildly interested, and taking advantage of a discounted membership, I decided to ‘prove’ what he had found out and extend his tree. What a momentous decision that was, I was hooked from the start.

After building trees for both my husband and myself I realised that this was not sufficient for me. I wanted to add context to the lives of our ancestors. I wanted to know what it was like to live and work when they lived, to experience the notable events of the time, and to understand their social and cultural values.

I now turned to local history to find the answers. I had already gained my degree with the Open University and now completed the Local Diploma in Local History with Oxford Continuing Education. As part of this course the final module was to create a database for a research project. For my project I focussed on migration to Fletton. This unexpected interest in brickmaking led me to study for a Phd with the University of Leicester, and my thesis ‘Migration to Fletton, 1841-1911’.

I can honestly say that family history has changed my life. My passion, and what excites me most, is the interconnectedness of family history and local history, and the value and opportunities for research that one brings to the other.

I have been lucky enough to turn my passion into a job, working as an independent researcher and writer. I have had several articles published in Discover Your Ancestors and the journal Local Population Studies, and I am also currently writing a book. I have a one place study and website for Fletton and am involved in a heritage weekend in the village. I enjoy giving talks and have a growing range of topics on which I speak to local, and national, societies. I am currently studying with IHGS, doing their correspondence course in genealogy. I am also the secretary and journal editor for the Peterborough and District Family History Society and help with their drop-in sessions.

In my spare time you can find me in the garden or allotment, I can’t escape my ancestors, they were nurserymen in the Fens!

Company Secretary

David Lambert

companysec@familyhistoryfederation.com

David is the company secretary of the FFHS.

He is a retired (non-practising) solicitor. He was appointed FFHS legal adviser in 1993, retiring from the role in November 2016. He was chairman of FFHS in 1994 until 1999. He has been chairman (twice) of FHS of Cheshire and is currently chairman of the One Name Metcalfe Society.

He has enjoyed family history for the past 40 years and still has brick walls to break down. His interests involve Yorkshire, the Black Country, Scotland, Canada, Texas and Germany.

Administrator

Debbie Bradley

admin@familyhistoryfederation.com

Debbie is the Administrator for the FFHS.

Debbie is a keen family historian and has been researching her tree for many years. It all started when she realized she did not know anything about her paternal grandfather and his family. Her search has taken her up and down the country over the years to various records offices and she still enjoys trying to piece it all together.

There have been many skeletons and surprises along the way and some wonderful discoveries. Debbie has a Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde.

Until recently Debbie was the Secretary of her local Women’s Institute and is still an active member helping with a number of events, attending regular meetings and organising a workshop for local WI members to help them discover their ancestors. Until recently Debbie was an administrator at a University in London for many years.

Finance Officer

Richard Yates

accounts@familyhistoryfederation.com

Richard joined the FFHS as Finance Officer in January 2020 and is Finance Officer for both the Charity and FFHS Services Company.

Richard has been a self-employed accountant for over 20 years with a range of clients including companies, charities and individual taxpayers. Previously he had worked as an accountant in several manufacturing businesses. Richard served for 20 years as treasurer of a national disability charity and has also completed a six year term as treasurer of Dorset FHS.

Richard has been researching his family since 2009. He is a member of the Society of Genealogists and Leicestershire and Rutland FHS as well as Dorset and has been very fortunate to acquire comprehensive research compiled in the 1980s into one of his families, which has been shared by a distant cousin.

President

Janet Few

president@familyhistoryfederation.com

Vice-Presidents

• Dr Colin R Chapman CEng CSci CChem FEI FNucI FRSC FRSH FSG
• Derek A.Palgrave MA, MPhil, CChem, FRSC, FIRM, FRHistS, FSG, FCollT, MCG
• David Lambert
• Mrs Pauline Litton MBE BA FSG(Assoc)
• Lady Mary Teviot