Have you ever wondered if you have Romany, Gypsy, or Traveller roots? Tracing the history of a nomadic family presents unique challenges. Join us for an illuminating afternoon with experts from the Romany and Traveller Family History Society, FindMyPast, and various archival collections, as we reveal the records that can help you trace your travelling ancestors in England and Wales.
Discover how to find hawker licenses, chimney sweep licenses, police records, newspaper reports, and rare archival collections that place your ancestors in a particular time and place. Learn about the records of the Gypsy Lore Society (1888–1974) and explore the evocative photographs of Fred Shaw, held at Liverpool University. Plus, uncover unique insights from the National Fairground and Circus Archive, where the vibrant history of travelling performers and showmen comes to life.
Following the presentation, there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions from the panel of speakers.
Book a spot to watch live. No pre-booking required to view the recording, which will be available in the SoG Member area and on YouTube.
Click here for information about our events. Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.
About the Speaker
Luke Boswell
A current postgraduate student in Archives and Records Administration at Liverpool University, who is of Romany heritage.
About the Speaker
Sharon Heppell
Sharon Heppell is the Journal Editor of the Romany and Traveller Family History Society. She had no idea that she had Romany Gypsy and Fairground ancestors until she began to research her family tree in the 1980s. Since then they have become a passion, absorbing many leisure hours and leading her to help found the Romany and Traveller Family History Society in 1994 and serve on the committee for 30 years. She is the author of My Ancestors were Gypsies published by the Society of Genealogists.
About the Speaker
Dianne Sutton
About the Speaker
Natasha Kikas
Natasha Kikas is an Archivist at Bedfordshire Archives, the county record office of Bedfordshire, which collects, preserves and makes available the documentary heritage of the historic county and its people. She has been at Bedfordshire Archives for three years and prior to that worked at the Bedford Estates in Woburn. Natasha is a keen genealogist and has been doing family history research for over 15 years, tracing her family back to the late 1500s.
About the Speaker
Katy Hooper
Katy Hooper is Special Collections Librarian at the University of Liverpool, which holds the archive and library of the Gypsy Lore Society (1888-1973) and endeavours to make the collection accessible to the descendants of the GRT families represented.
About the Speaker
Arantza Barrutia Ezenarro
Arantza Barrutia is the Senior Archivist at the National Fairground and Circus Archive (NFCA). She has a BA in Fine Art, an MA in Museum Studies and an Mlitt on Archives and Records Management. Arantza has been working in museums and archives for 25 years and has extensive experience in all aspects of collections stewardship and exhibition curation. As part of her role in the NFCA, she has dedicated the past ten years to expand the impact of the archive on its communities through outreach and engagement work and is a passionate advocate of the role of our historic heritage on social health and wellbeing. The National Fairground and Circus Archive is a unique archive dedicated to the collection and preservation of the rich history of British travelling popular entertainment from the seventeenth century to the present day. At its centre are the personal and family archives, which provide a unique insight into the lives, culture and identity of the people behind the collections.
About the Speaker
Jen Baldwin
Jen Baldwin has worked professionally in the field of genealogy since 2010 and has pursued her own family history since childhood. She is currently the Research Specialist at Findmypast, a leading British genealogy company. In this role, she integrates historical records with storytelling and public engagement strategies, with a focus on British social history and the value of UK-based collections for global researchers.
Jen lectures internationally and has been a featured speaker at genealogical and historical conferences across North America and the UK since 2013, including annual appearances at Rootstech, the world's largest genealogy event. In 2025, she delivered the keynote address at the Guild of One-Name Studies Conference in Liverpool.
In 2024, Jen created and taught "Everyday Life in England: A Journey Through Social History for the Genealogist," a course offered through the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History. That same year, she presented at The Public Country House Conference, hosted by the V&A and the National Trust in London.
Her work has been featured by major British media outlets, and she is co-host of Was Justice Served?, a historical true crime podcast. Jen currently serves as a Trustee of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History. Her research interests center on underutilized archival resources and social history methodologies that deepen genealogical narratives.
