Researching family history involves the study of many subjects. The starting point is genealogy, the study of individuals' descent and relationships. But where does the ancestral trail begin and how do the many different trails come together to form a coherent picture of past generations and their links to the present-day researcher? This text sets out to guide the genealogist and family historian through the substantial British records with a detailed view of the archives and the published sources available. Each type of record, from personal recollections, photographs and other memorabilia to civil, legal and religious records, newspapers and directories, is analysed and the researcher is guided to the many detailed finding-aids and indexes. The early chapters aim to help the inexperienceed amateur genealogist take the first steps in obtaining information from living relatives, drawing family trees and starting research in the records of births, marriages and deaths, or in census records.