We are Family Wise
Family Wise is one of the country’s leading probate research and genealogy firms. Over the last decade, we have grown to a team of over thirty staff located not only in our High Street office in Calne but around the world. Our dedicated and expert team have a history of solving mysteries nobody else has been able to, whether as heir tracers, DNA experts, adoption angels or through plain old-fashioned genealogical nous.
Whatever your question, Family Wise will be able to help – and if we don’t know how straight away, you can be sure we’ll be able to find out before too long!
A word from our CEO, Kirsty
Family Wise has grown from a tiny acorn to one of the leading probate and intestacy companies in the country as well as being the only High Street family history research company.
We deal with enquiries from obtaining certificates to producing family history reports, working with solicitors to solve testate and intestate matters to heir tracing from the Bona Vacantia list and private council referrals.
Every day at Family Wise is different and our team work together to provide an open, honest, transparent, and ethical service to all our clients.
Meet the Team
Maddy Bullock , BA (Hons)
Marketing Executive & Deputy Office Manager
Maddy is responsible for managing Family Wise’s marketing campaigns including social media, blogs, newsletters, advertisements and other marketing and business development initiatives. She holds a first-class degree in Television from Falmouth University, graduating in 2022. Maddy joined Family Wise in the same year as a digital marketing apprentice. After completing her apprenticeship with distinction, she was promoted from marketing assistant to marketing executive.
“I chose to work for Family Wise after earning my degree because I believe in the company’s core values of honesty, integrity, and transparency. Through our marketing campaigns, I strive to build trust between clients and the business and inspire people to explore their family history.” – Maddy Bullock
James Green , MA (Hons)
Deputy Managing Director & Senior Case Manager
James is the Deputy Managing Director at Family Wise and serves also as a Senior Case Manager. He oversees many cases as well as taking an active role in ensuring the smooth running of the business and assisting our Managing Director, Kirsty Gray. He graduated from St Andrews in 2018 with an MA (Hons) in German and Persian and joined Family Wise in 2019 as a case manager.
“As a lifelong genealogist and family historian, I remember watching BBC’s ‘Heir Hunters’ as a child and teenager and thinking what a great job it would be. Working as a probate genealogist gives me the opportunity to help hundreds of people in challenging times and brings a real sense of accomplishment and achievement. Fundamentally, being able to bring something positive for people out of difficult circumstances is its own reward.” – James Green
Cerys Hadley
Case Support Manager & Executive Personal Assistant
Cerys is responsible for managing the case support team, who oversee the process of beneficiaries’ documentation, correspondence with banks, liaising with external firms, and the daily operations of cases. Cerys joined the Family Wise team in 2021 as an Office Administrator and worked her way up to managing her own team alongside being PA to the Managing Director, Kirsty Gray.
“Over my years at Family Wise, the experiences I have gained have given me a wide knowledge base which I can pull from to support the case managers. I enjoy working at Family Wise as I believe in the company’s values and their ethical approach when dealing with sensitive circumstances or situations. In my role at Family Wise, I have learned valuable skills which enable me to deliver an outstanding quality of work.” – Cerys Hadley
Sophie Treeby , LLB (Bachelor of Law)
Office Manager & HR Director
Sophie, our Office Manager and HR director holds a law degree from Cardiff University and serves as our Head of HR, overseeing office management. She joined Family Wise in 2020.
“The probate and intestate legal field are fascinating to me; intestate law is a highly complex and complicated process, but we have an exceptional team to guide you through every step. I chose to work at Family Wise over other law firms dealing in probate and intestate because of the company’s dynamic team and ethical objectives. I lead a team of dedicated admin staff who are ready to address any estate-related inquiries. As HR Director, I prioritise our employees’ well-being and utilise my knowledge of employment law to ensure that they feel valued and perform at their best.” – Sophie Treeby