Welcome to
Family Finders
- Trying to trace a birth parent with little or no information?
- Looking for a lost relative?
- Wanting to find a friend you have lost contact with over the years?
- Need help with your DNA results?
- Curious to know more about your heritage?
- Interested in building a Family Tree?
We are a family run business who specialise in research and investigation.
Please call for a free, no obligation confidential telephone conversation.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Who Are We?
Andy never knew his father when growing up or anything about him; he was never mentioned within the family. Ten years ago, at the age of 47, Andy decided the time was right to find Dad. This was our introduction to family research.
The only information we had was his name and at the time a farmer in the South of England around the area Andy was born. Our research followed a number of potential marriages, deaths and births across the UK, but failed to precisely pin point his current location. Engagement with the farming community eventually tracked a sale of a specific breed of sheep at auction in Cumbria. It was the auction programme that finally provided us with his address in Wales! We made contact..... and the rest is history.
Our fascination of family research and finding people grew to the extent that we began being approached by family, friends and neighbours who were all looking for someone. Ten years on we find ourselves with a family business that is passionate about providing a bespoke approach to reuniting long lost relatives and friends, including those looking for birth parents where little or no information is known about them
Andy has 36 years of investigational experience as a Detective working across the world in the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police, Head of Investigations with multi national organisations and with the Home Office in London. He was awarded the OBE in 2010.
Jan trained as a military nurse and subsequently as a community nurse. Her experience as a nurse compliments the emotional and personal aspects of our specialist work and interaction with our clients. She is also the innovator and creative thinker of our business.
Andy & Jan Pope
What we do
Discover more about our range of professional services. We constantly update this page, but if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, please feel free to get in touch with us – we will be more than happy to have a conversation.
Relatives
Looking for a relative that you haven't seen for years, lost contact with or never actually knew. We have a proven track record of research using our own method of approach. We can research and every single piece of evidence together.
DNA Analysis
When the identity of a biological relative is unknown or you have very limited information, we can examine your DNA test results and build a family tree to understand your heritage. By doing this, it follows that it's possible to identify exactly who you are looking for. The science of your DNA is mixed with our own research to determine the outcome.
Family Heritage
Ever wondered about your heritage, where your ancestors came from. We can research and build your family tree in most cases covering a number of centuries. You'll be suprised as to how far we can generally go back in time and who you could be related to.
Lost Friends
Have you wondered what happened to someone - how they got on in life, what they are doing, did they get married and or have children. It might be school friends or simply someone who you have lost contact with. We can search relevant records and look for them on your behalf.
Family Trees
Ever thought of building a family tree - wondered how far you could actually go back in time. Whether you know a great deal or very little, we can help construct a family tree. You can always have the tree framed for others to view.
Last Piece of the Puzzle
There is nothing more satisfying that finding the last piece of the puzzle. If you have hit a brick wall, need that kick start to your research or simply can't seem to put the pieces together, we can help and support your journey.
Volunteering
We both support various local and national charities, ranging from raising awareness of Necrotising Fasciitis alongside "The Lee Spark Foundation"; volunteering for Dementia Friendly Northwich: supporting the Commonwealth War Graves Commission by finding family members of those servicemen and women who gave their lives in WW1 and WW2. We also sponsor local charity events
Some of our Cases
Please note that we don't post all of our work due to the confidentiality and nature of what we do. Only if our client is willing to share the experience do we post, and even then we maintain confidentiality.
Find My Niece
A cry for help from our client based in the North West (UK) who had been searching for her niece for the last 20 years without success. Following a family dispute, the family had gone its separate ways and the relations had effectively lost contact over the years. Only her maiden name was known with a suggestion that the niece had been married a number of times. Our research identified each of the marriages and with the aid of other research tools we located the niece living in the North East (UK). We facilitated initial contact and dialogue between the two and as a consequence they are now in direct contact with each other. Another client very satisfied with our outcome.
Find my Biological Father
After nearly twenty years of searching, our client had given up all hope of finding the identity of her biological father. Despite doing various DNA tests, she had failed to identify the father or any family. She never knew her father, and her mother never disclosing who it was. We assessed her DNA and got to work piecing together all the evidence in this jigsaw. After detailed research we identified his name and current location. We made initial contact on behalf of our client and they have both since made contact with each other. Whilst we found a father, we also found 3 half siblings.
Who was my father?
Our Client, a 77 year old lady born in 1945 had always been told by her mother that her father had died in WW2. Her mother was unmarried at the time of her birth. Our client had taken a DNA test several years ago, identifying several cousins. Whilst there was initial contact with the cousins, the conversation had dried up and had failed to identify her father. Her last chance of knowing his identity was with Family Finders. Upon examination of her DNA results, we constructed a family tree and identified her immediate paternal family, establishing that her father (whilst now deceased) didn’t die during WW2. We also re-established contact with a 2nd cousin and procured a number of photographs of our clients grandparents and other generations. Dialogue is now continuing with all parties which ultimately will help our client know her past and re-connect with her future. We wish her the very best as she continues to learn more and more.
I'm stuck - who are family?
Our client was looking for his family, he had taken a DNA test and had identified various distant relatives, they had built a family tree but had reached a dead end with their own research. He needed that little bit of extra help to identify his immediate family, and then to locate and contact them. We re-examined his DNA, conducted a manual search of records and continued to build his family tree identifying his immediate family, including his biological parents. At his request we made the initial approach to the immediate family, they were overjoyed to hear from us and our client and the family have now reunited.
Some more of our Cases
Please note that we don't post all of our work due to the confidentiality and nature of what we do. Only if our client is willing to share the experience do we post, and even then we maintain confidentiality.
Find My Niece
last seen in 1956 aged 6
We received a request to search for a niece who was last seen at the age of 6 in 1956, when she was placed in the care of her father. She was never seen again by the mothers side of the family and despite years of searching by various members the family, was never found.
The Aunt reached out to us for our help and a fresh pair of eyes. Profiling the child and her father’s family we believed a very strong likelihood that she was raised by a close relative of her father. Knocking on doors, visiting a solicitor office and a series of letters, led us to a distant relative of her father. We then established that the child had in later years married and had children. To complicate matters, through examination of various records we believed her and her children to be living on the opposite side of the world.
As a consequence of years of research we have made considerable amounts of contacts throughout the world - we all help each other when support is need in a specific country, where local knowledge can be key. Further enquiries led us to find her (now in her 70’s) in the country we believed she had settled.
We found your dad - but you also have a brother and sister.
A 42 year old male, born in Gloucester and now living overseas, was seeking his father who he has never met. His own DNA research had identified the name of his father, but not his whereabouts. Our protracted research identified the location of his father. This also included the identification a further sibling of the father. Through examination of social media and other research tools, it was evident that he had a half-brother - they have now connected.
Further research identified a potential half sister, albeit little information was known about her. A review of newspaper articles suggested a female of the same name had been in trouble with the Police with her boyfriend. Despite her boyfriend being sent to prison and changing his name upon release, his social media presence was found and examined which led to a man being researched believed to be a close relative of the female being sought. A photograph of the female was found dated 2014 which clearly suggested the female’s identity and confirmed she was the half sister. They have also been connected and are talking with each other. Arrangements are being made for the client to return back to the UK from to meet his relations including a visit to his father.
Find My Sister
We have successfully concluded a search for a lady that was looking for her sister. They hadn’t spoken for over 30 years and little was known about the sisters activity other than she had two boys (first names known) and potentially a girl (name not known). Our research identified one child who although unaware of the whereabouts of his mother, gave a valuable insight into mothers life. Additional children were also identified and with the exception of one, all found on social media. The search also identified an ex-husband and when this information was provided to the lady looking for her sister, she made contact with him, who duly exchanged contact details. The sisters have been reunited by phone. .
Find my brother
We were approached by a lady who had been searching for many years for her half brother with absolutely no success whatsoever. Whilst not going into the specific details of the family circumstances, it was evident that she had never met her half brother who was born in 1985. With little more than a name with a year and place of birth, we managed to find relatives of her half brother within 4 days. Despite her search for many years, she was sadly told that her half brother had died several years ago at a young age. So despite the huge amount of research, thinking and sheer determination to bring a conclusion to this request for help, you can never be sure what the ending looks like.
Case
Study 1
Peggy - A child given away.
Peggy was born in 1918 in the East End of London according to her birth certificate which named only the mother of the child. She was ‘given away’ at birth to a couple from Dorset. None of Peggy's living relatives knew why she had been given away and why Dorset. Peggy died in 1997, sadly not knowing her heritage. So why and who gave her away?
We started with the birth certificate that gave us the full name of the mother (no Father named) and an address in London at the time of the birth. We also found a christening record which identified the father - but the father had the same surname as the mother. We were confused - father name at Christening but not the birth record!
Our research led to a lady that matched the mothers name who was born and raised in Dorset, some 10 miles away from where Peggy was bought up. By process of elimination of our clients DNA, we were left we a small number of matches on the maternal side.
We were able to identify a direct connection to this lady in Dorset through DNA matches between our client and the descendants of the siblings of this lady. We'd identified Peggy's mother - Mable. Mable was born in 1897 in Dorset, she was 21 when she had Peggy. Mable had 5 brothers and 2 sisters. We started to trace and communicate with the descendants of each sibling who were now spread across the world, including New Zealand.
Mable had married in 1919 but not the father of Peggy, she had a another child in 1920 (a boy) before emigrating to New Zealand with her husband, her parents and a couple of her siblings. Peggy’s mother died in the 1970’s, her half brother was also deceased, but he had three children, a boy who tragically died early his life, plus two daughters. Peggy was Andy's Grandmother!!
Key to Photographs:
Middle Right - My grandmother Peggy on her wedding day
Bottom Left - Peggy as a child.
Bottom Centre and Bottom Right - Mable with Family in New Zealand.
(All photographs reproduced with the permission of the owners)
Case Study 2
A letter from & to Australia
18 year old Ordinary Seaman Edward Ashton, Royal Navy was injured whilst serving on HMS Patroller in 1943. He was transferred to hospital and nursed in Melbourne, Australia by sister Morrison. Sadly, he died of his injuries on 26th December 1943. Edward’s parents lived in Weaverham, Cheshire. After hearing of his death, Edward’s mother wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks to Sister Morrison. The letter was found in 2019 in Australia following the death of Sister Morrison, her family wanting to return the letter to the Ashton family.
Extract of the Letter written by Sister Morrison.
I am indeed grateful for your kind letter and sympathy and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did for my poor boy. Will you please thank everyone at the Hospital on my behalf who did anything for him. You have set my mind at rest for I pictured him suffering great pain so I am truly thankful to know he had none and so peaceful a passing.
I could tell there was something wrong with one of my boys for I felt so depressed and on the 26/12/43 I heard a very weak voice say mother, & yet there was no one near me at the time. It is a great consolation to know he is buried on our own Dominion soil & that he had friendly hands & faces round him to the last.
The senior Chaplain wrote to me & I got his letter a month ago. Once again let me thank you for your kindness & the way you told me of his last hours on earth. I think you must be one of a family & your mother understands how us mothers feel.
Yours Sincerely. Mrs Emily Ashton dated 1/4/1944
Although the search for descendants started in the UK in 2019, a couple of years later Family Finders became aware of the search and we volunteered to undertake the research with no charge. Our research involved the identification of the wider family living from the 1900’s, then the identification of all descendants to the present. A number of visits to addresses in the North West and a series of letters to identified family friends/connections following record examination, led to the identification and contact with a grand-daughter of Mrs Ashton. The letter has now been returned.
(All photographs reproduced with the permission of the owners)
What some of our customer say about us
Please note that we don't post all of our work due to the confidentiality and nature of what we do. Only if our client is willing to share the experience do we post, and even then we maintain confidentiality.
Mrs E - Bristol
"Firstly thank you again from the bottom of my heart! These past few days have been unbelievable. It still hasn't sunk in. I am still in shock. I approached Family Finders as I had lost all hope. I had very little information about my biological father, the odds were truly stacked against me. They were so patient, went above and beyond. Without them, I wouldn't now have the potential future I face with a father in my life. Words are not enough to express the thanks I have!"
Mrs C - Canada
"If anyone wants to find a long lost relative, they could not do better than having Family Finders to help them. They worked quickly and found information I couldn't find on my own. They were also very encouraging and compassionate when I needed it. In the end, I found my long lost family after years of searching with very little information, but only with the help of a very professional and diligent researchers, Andrew & Jan"
Mrs W - Tyne & Wear
"I had been trying for a long time to trace a half sister, I had some basic information but it had taken me some time to get as far as I had and I remained uncertain of the accuracy of my research. They reviewed and extended the data and gave me new information and insights into next steps. The speed at which they found new information was quite impressive and they made links that would never have crossed my mind. Although I'm not quite there, they have guided me regarding next steps, and I'm confident that one way or another there will be a positive outcome. They really appreciates the emotions people go through when taking this momentous step - can't recommend them enough"
Mrs T - Bradford
"Thankyou and your team for all your amazing hard work. After months of me trying to work through D.N.A and family tree links and just ending up going round in circles and not getting any where in the search for my biological father whom I've never known. In just a few days you built my tree and found my father. You kept me up to date with every discovery you made. You explained things clearly when I became confused slightly with it all. I honestly can't express my gratitude enough and I would highly recommend you and your team to anyone searching for their missing link"
Mr B - Brighton
A note from the father of our client: "Thank you. I am truly grateful for the work you put into reuniting me with my daughter with such minimal information. Despite my early attempts trying different techniques to find my daughter and being unsuccessful, I just lived in hope. Knowing as years passed it looked like I needed my daughter to have been told enough information to find me. Thankfully, you contacted me - my daughter had found me - the news I had wished for had arrived. This is a new chapter and I am so thankful that my daughter contacted you and you found me"
Mrs B - Suffolk
"I was searching for a sister that nobody could find and after messaging my information (which wasn’t much to go on) to Family Finders somehow they managed to find her for me. I have a few more things I need to find out on my family tree journey and I will definitely be using this service"
Mrs B - Cheshire
"Having asked the lovely team at Family Finders to help a friend of mine who had struggled trying to find her birth family for many years, they came up with far more information in a couple of weeks than had been unearthed in years of trying and coming up with red tape in social services that Jan and Andy had the professionalism to cut through.
Their own previous professions equip them with the life skills to empathise and treat all their clients with the personal, individual approach that helps when dealing with emotive family issues.
I would totally recommend Family Finders without any hesitation. They don’t give up until they get results with very little information! Just as good as ‘Long lost families"
Mrs J - Staffordshire
"This family run business is the BEST! Whether you have a little to go on or alot, they get the job done! I was blessed to meet them and they have truly been AMAZING, I will never be able to thank him enough! I will 100000% be recommending his business to anyone that needs it! Thank you, forever grateful
Thank you thank you thank you for everything you have done for us, with our you we would have been at a total loss……!!!!!!….. I think my sister said it all above….you are one of life’s true hero’s……..I can’t thank you enough for your help, support and guidance……….just amazing what you did………!!!!!!!…… for ever in your debt"
How much do we charge for our research?
It costs nothing to give us a call and have an initial free, no obligation and confidential conversation to see if we can help.
We charge £200 for 5 hours of research which includes a more in-depth detailed discussion. We have never done 5 hours straight to get to a conclusion - it generally doesn’t work like that. It’s a start, stop - continue, to maximise the time and effort to reach a conclusion.
Whilst we avoid additional costs, it is sometimes necessary to purchase birth, death or marriage certificates. Whilst we can order most records, it is the client that would be charged. We do not add any surcharge for ordering any record.
We may also advise the client that a DNA test would be the best and most cost effective method to progress the research, in which case, we explain that process and pause our work whilst we await for the results.
Each search is bespoke to our clients and the length and depth of any search will differ. We always do as much as physcially possible during the time frame, though if we haven’t concluded the search within 5 hours, we discuss options going forward. We can either provide the client with an action plan that will progress their search if they wish to proceed themselves, or the client can purchase further blocks of 5 hours of research from us dependant upon the status of the research. It’s the clients choice.
Our manner of charging is design to prevent clients paying considerable amount of money upfront, its always the clients choice as to what to do next, ensuring that we provide value for money.
We do not make contact with anyone during the research unless the client is happy for us to do so. We respect our clients wishes at all times and in no way wish to compromise them.
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