Help and Advice Available

[Hawker Hurricane]

I'm around, and I'm here to stay. I work as a professional local historian and genealogist and although my primary areas of specialisation are the ancient parishes of Leigh, Deane and Bolton, I'm happy to provide help and advice.

Just pop a message on the thread, or feel free to PM or email me and I'll do what I can to help. You'll see two small buttons under my avatar on the left. The green button with the @ symbol will allow you to send me a direct email; the orange button with the envelope symbol will let you send me a personal message via the forum.

Occasionally, due to work commitments it may take a day or two for me to reply, but reply I always will.

Cheers all.

[shred]

Jim,

I am sure your expertise will be called on. Thanks for the offer, much appreciated.

Garry

[Spitfire]

Thanks Jim, that's very kind of you

[bomber]

Brilliant Jim - thank you so much

Debbie

[Hawker Hurricane]

No probs all. I'm sure Emma will vouch for my passion on the subject. I remember the struggles and confusion when I first started out, with a lot less help around than there is now - but these days it sometimes seems there's too many places to try - especially with the pay-to-use sites - that you don't know where to turn. If I can save others some of the agonising frustration, then one of my missions will be achieved!!

PS. Just don't tell the day job!!!!

[Spitfire]

This is nothing to do with the day job Jim, this is your hobby in your free time

P.S I can vouch that Jim is very passionate

[Hawker Hurricane]

That's my excuse too, and I'm sticking to it. Besides, as long as I'm not charging or profiting by it, there's no 'conflict of interest' either - which is all that's prevented me from doing 'paid work on the side'.

[EDIT: Not THAT kind of passionate!!!! ]

I LOVE SMILIES!!!!!

[Spitfire]

Well we definately can't pay you, we're a non-profit organisation and we are all skint volunteers ;D

I don't know what kind of passionate you thought I was referring to Jim, I obviously meant you're passionate about lots of things...history, trains, lifeboats, your bike, cats etc etc

[bomber]

:nana2: Good on ya Jim :nana2:

Will have to find more smilies for Jim lol

[Hawker Hurricane]

I'm generally a pretty smiley sort of a person most of the time. You know, 'the glass is half full' and all that. I also try to be a pheasant plucker as much as possible. As for the passionate, well, I am about things that I think are worth caring that much about, which includes my friends. I think (and hope) that those who fit into that category have a good idea that that means them!!

[Spitfire]

[bomber]

here here Jim

[Hawker Hurricane]

PS. Meant to also say, although I won't charge anything for help or advice, if I do help anyone and they wish to donate to SWARM that would be excellent.

[bomber]

Yes it would JIM and thank you for helping us out, oh and for faceboooooking me lol

[natgardner]

Jim -
I've been tracking my family history for several years now and am stuck so would love to take you up on your offer of help if possible.

I'm trying to track down information about five family members that were killed in/around Salford in the bombings in 1940. My great grandparents (John and Agnes Gardner) along with 3 of their 6 children died (Anthony, Martin and Anne Gardner). I believe the children would have been younger than 13 at the time as my grandfather (John Gardner) was born in 1927 and I am lead to believe he was the 2nd eldest (his elder sister Elizabeth and a younger sister survived with him). My grandfather came out to Australia in about 1950 and died in 1992 - he told my grandmother not to ask about his family in the UK so details are sketchy.

One would think that if 5 family members died together in the bombings that there would be some kind of record about them...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Natalie
(Brisbane, Australia)