Mike Sharpe

Mike Sharpe is a professional genealogist and lecturer specialising in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, and runs Writing the Past, a family history research and writing service. He is a member of the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA), the Society of Genealogists and several family and local history societies. He is in frequent demand as a speaker, writes for family history magazines, and is the author of three books on family history, including Tracing Your Birmingham Ancestors, published by Pen & Sword.

Mike's Upcoming Live Webinars (1)

Fri, September 6 2024: 18:00 UTC
Researching Your Birmingham Ancestors
Fri, September 6 2024: 18:00 UTC
Birmingham was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution and the world’s first manufacturing town. This talk will equip you to start your research on your Birmingham ancestors. Learn about the challenges of researching in Birmingham and discover the key archives and sources for genealogical records. Find out how key themes in the city’s history, such as migration, strong Roman Catholic and non-conformist traditions, and the rise of manufacturing, are reflected in genealogical records. Sources covered include legal and ecclesiastical archives, local government, business, institutions, societies and schools. Investigate where else you can get help for researching here such as the Family History Society. Note that the talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.
Birmingham was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution and the world’s first manufacturing town. This talk will equip you to start your research on your Birmingham ancestors. Learn about the challenges of researching in Birmingham and discover the key archives and sources for genealogical records. Find out how key themes in the city’s history, such as migration, strong Roman Catholic and non-conformist traditions, and the rise of manufacturing, are reflected in genealogical records. Sources covered include legal and ecclesiastical archives, local government, business, institutions, societies and schools. Investigate where else you can get help for researching here such as the Family History Society. Note that the talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.
Fri, September 6 2024: 18:00 UTC