This week has been all about collaboration and networking for me. I have been out of the office researching in record offices for two days – Surrey Heritage Centre on Tuesday and Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre on Wednesday – and although I have been progressing some cases, projects and personal research, I have also managed to uncover a lot of random references for other people I know, particularly one-namers.
Having been involved in the field for nearly two decades, there have also been a fair few people who I have been delighted to bump into during these record offices visits. There have even been people who have come up to me and said ‘Didn’t I see your lecture at WDYTYA?’, who I have never met on a one-to-one basis. It’s my hair which is so recognisable, I am told…. Best never get older or stop using my current hairdresser I guess…. else no-one will ever know who I am!
And so today …. Saturday …. I have been showing off the new Society for One-Place Studies at Buckinghamshire FHS Open Day. I am very proud to be one of the founder members of the Society and have been ‘waxing lyrical’ about the organisation all day! Exhausting – for six hours – but lovely to come away from the event with comments like ‘Well done – what a wonderful concept’, ‘See you in Telford’ (for the inaugural conference) and ‘Good luck – I will definitely add your website to my favourites. Great job!’
And to cap it all, even though I wasn’t really there with my FWL hat on, about twenty minutes before the end of the day, Jill from CAB Search introduced me to a lady who wanted us to do her family history for her! Just goes to show, business is not about what you know but who you know….
