The friendly

family history service !

in Scotland

Blue Thistle Genealogy        Fees

The first thing to say is that we pride ourselves in giving VERY good value ! Please compare our prices.

We offer a free email consultation to discuss your requirements and help you plan your search. Our searches can be tailor made to suit your requirements.

Payment Options

You can choose to employ us on an hourly rate, plus expenses, or go for one of our popular packages.     

We are flexible and we don't ask you to commit large amounts of money in advance.    

If your research doesn't match any of the following categories, then please contact us with your requirements and we will give you an idea of the likely cost.

As the friendly family history service, we communicate regularly ;

updating you on progress and making sure you are happy with our searching.

Please note that, during the current pandemic, all records offices, archives, libraries and other resources are still closed to visitors, and we are limited in what we can achieve while working online.   Please contact us for current information on the availability of resources, and also for any increase in charges which may result from this.

Hourly Rates

Hourly rate    £35 / hour

We prefer if you set an initial budget and we agree this.     Often it is best to review progress after the initial stages, and then agree on the most interesting lines to follow up.

Expenses

• New Register House search fees currently    £15 / day - ( may be subject to change)
• Copies of Certificates     currently £1.50 each
• Original certificates (certified extracts) can also be provided at cost price
• Postage and packaging (if applicable)
• Travel expenses, if photographs are takenor we visit a location at your request
• Any other third-party expenses incurred on your behalf

   

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Popular search packages

Bronze                  

An initial investigation into the first 3 or 4 generations of a single family line, looking at the likelihood of being able to take this further back into a full report.

Silver

We will trace a single family line/name back as far as possible, using statutory records, old parish records, census returns and other sources.    This would normally be either a female line or a male line or else a specific surname. Usually we can go back to around 1790 and sometimes well beyond that.     

A full report would give an account of all research and include information from certificates, census returns and Old Parish Registers.

Gold

A more comprehensive package, in both research and in depth of reporting, tracing one side of a family back as far as possible, using the same sources as above, but in greater depth, where applicable.     Usually, we can go back to around 1790 and sometimes well beyond that. A professional report in a customised folder will include copies of all certificates, old maps and information about family location.

Platinum

Enhanced with additional background material, including other sources such as Kirk Session Minutes, Court records, and newspaper reports, our top of the range package includes a detailed investigation of all family lines, and will usually deliver a complete report of around 150-200 pages of totally individual family information.

This really is the Rolls Royce model and will give you a comprehensive insight into not only who your ancestors were, but how they lived and worked.

The Silver, Gold and Platinum searches will include :

• Initial searches concentrating both on the post-1855 statutory period, and the Old Parish Records prior to 1855.
• Explanatory notes including all the results of the searches, with information extracted from certificates, census returns etc.
• Maps showing places which feature in your family history.  
• Suggested research - our suggestions as to which lines of research it might be most interesting and rewarding to pursue further.

Starting point

For all the packages, we start one generation back from yourself , and consider the starting point to be one specific event, a historical birth, marriage or death which took place in Scotland – e.g. the birth of your mother, or the marriage of your paternal grandparents.

For Bronze and Silver packages, we will research either the maternal or paternal line backwards from that point.

For the Gold package, we will look at both sides of the chosen line, as far back as possible.

For the Platinum package, we will look at both sides of each line as far back as possible.

•  Please be aware that we do not include sibling lines as standard – e.g. we would not normally research what each of your great-grandfather's brothers and sisters did in later life, or who they married, etc..   If you have a specific interest in something like this, please discuss with us, and   we may well be able to adapt the package to suit.

•  In fact, all packages can usually be adapted to your own interest and requirements – please talk to us about this!

•  If you start off with a Bronze, Silver or Gold Search, and then decide to proceed further, this can later be upgraded

Timescale

Please be aware that - especially for the more advanced packages - research can take time which is often outwith our control. If you require the report as a gift for a special birthday or other occasion, please discuss this with us in advance, and we will do our best to produce it on time.                 However, if this is not possible, we can produce a customised gift voucher for your chosen package. Many recipients enjoy the anticipation of waiting to receive their report, and some like to request a specific line of research.

Payment

We ask that you pay us an agreed amount in advance, as deposit. If for any unlikely reason our search hits a brick wall at an early stage, we promise to refund the unused portion of your payment.

All work is guaranteed, and we promise to offer good value for money.

If you live overseas, please consider paying us by Paypal if possible, since this saves you hefty currency conversion charges. Paypal is a completely secure way of transferring money, and you can pay using a credit card.

To make a payment by Paypal, please click on the white box below  

Thank you very much !

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Blue Thistle Genealogy