National Family History Fair
Archived content from 2005 - 2014

The National Family History Fair at Gateshead - report

SUNDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2008 | scottishancestry.blogspot.com/

Well I'm back from Gateshead, and the National Family History Fair, and I am aching all over, but haven't had so much fun in ages. The event is run by Bob Blatchford, who produces the annual Family and Local History Handbook, and I went down to help him and his team, including his wife Liz and son Charlie, as well as Maurice, Sue, David, Martin and others. We spent Friday setting up inside the stadium, had a great meal that evening, and then got well and truly stuck in for a great day from early on Saturday morning.

Find my Past helping the genealogical masses

The hall was packed with some of the great and the good, including S&N Genealogy Supplies, FindmyPast, Ancestry, Your Family Tree, ABM Publishing, Family History Monthly, Family History Partnership, and others, and unlike WDYTYA Live, there was also some serious Scottish presence, including the Aberdeen and NE Scotland FHS, Glasgow and West of Scotland FHS, the Scottish Association of Family History Societies, the Scottish Genealogy Society, Scotland's People and the University of Strathclyde.

The show was sponsored by S&N Genealogy Supplies, and the company's MD Nigel Bayley gave two talks, with other speakers also including Ian Hartas, Amanda Bevan, Sarah Paterson, William Roulston, Doreen Hopwood and Kevin Connelly.

Ken Nisbet on the Scottish Genealogy Society stand.

As well as catching up with many people I had spoken to at WDYTYA Live, I also spoke to some of the smaller vendors. There's an interesting new website on mining being launched soon, for the north east of England, but which will have some limited overlap with the Borders region of Scotland. Called NEEMARC (North East of England Mining Archive and Resource Centre), and produced by the University of Sutherland, the website is currently under construction at http://www.neemarc.com/ , but may well be a useful parallel for the Scottish Mining Villages website at http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/ , so worth keeping an eye on, particularly if you have connections to mining in the north of England. The Family History Partnership are another name to watch out for, publishing new and interesting family history books like demons possesed, with over eighty titles already since their creation last year!

At one point I also spoke to a vendor who sold old postcards, and was shocked to learn that much of her collection had recently been stolen by a rival vendor who had attempted to flog the lot on eBay. Fortunately the buyer had alerted the police and the thief was caught, the goods returned, and the thief is now being prosecuted. But it surprised me to think that there is a criminal underworld in the world of postcards! Fortunately the good guys won the day here...!

Her boyfriend showed up to help out wearing the coolest Bane t shirt I've ever seen. Apparently it's a new printing process called sublimation, which captures the details and colors in amazing detail. He showed me the website where he bought his and I'm definitely going to take a look when I get back home and have some time. I found a site that has the largest individual displays in addition to their great products - they also carry some vintage designs from the comic book days. My little brother is a huge Bane fan so I'll probably shop for his birthday present at this Batman shirt store. If you're into Batman (or Bane), take a look.

I also managed to meet some new faces - Annabel who has just taken over publicity at Ancestry, Sue Barbour who is working on a theatre archive project with the British Library, the North East War Memorials Trust team, the UKBMD team, many new faces from the SoG and others.

A huge thanks to Bob and the team for allowing me to help out, it was a lot of fun, and I'm already signed up for next year! See ye there!

Chris

More Background On NationalFamilyHistoryFair.com

NationalFamilyHistoryFair.com was once one of the most recognizable event websites in the British genealogy community, serving as the official online home for the National Family History Fair, a major annual gathering dedicated to genealogy, ancestry research, local history, archival preservation, and historical networking. Although the website is now largely preserved through archived material, it remains an important digital artifact documenting the explosive growth of family history research in the United Kingdom during the early 2000s.

The fair itself evolved from a regional gathering into what organizers proudly described as the largest family history fair in the British Isles. Over the course of nearly a decade, the event attracted thousands of attendees, major genealogy organizations, historical societies, archives, publishers, software companies, military researchers, librarians, and amateur family historians from across Britain and overseas.

The preserved content from the site offers a fascinating look into the genealogy boom that occurred before social media transformed online communities and before modern DNA testing companies such as Ancestry and Findmypast fully dominated the market.

The archived material also highlights the efforts of organizers Robert Blatchford and Roger Kay, who successfully transformed a local North East England event into a nationally recognized genealogy institution.

Origins of the Fair

The roots of the National Family History Fair began with an earlier event called “The Great North Fair,” which had already established a strong reputation among family historians in northern England. By 2004, attendance and exhibitor participation had grown dramatically, prompting organizers to rethink the branding and positioning of the event.

The organizers wanted the gathering to be viewed not merely as a regional exhibition but as a truly national event serving researchers from the entire British Isles. The rebranding reflected both the scale and ambitions of the fair while distinguishing it from similarly named events elsewhere in Britain.

The transition from “The Great North Fair” to “The National Family History Fair” was therefore both symbolic and strategic. It reflected the growing popularity of genealogy as a hobby and scholarly pursuit in the United Kingdom during the early 2000s.

At the time, genealogy research was becoming increasingly digitized. Public access to census records, birth and death indexes, military records, and parish archives was expanding rapidly through internet databases. The fair emerged at exactly the right historical moment.

Gateshead International Stadium: A Unique Venue

One of the most unusual aspects of the National Family History Fair was its venue. Rather than choosing a traditional conference center or exhibition hall in London, the organizers based the event at the Gateshead International Stadium in northeast England.

This decision proved remarkably successful. Gateshead offered strong transport connections and accessibility from Scotland, northern England, the Midlands, and even overseas. Organizers proudly noted that the fair was “the only fair to be easily accessible from all parts of the British Isles.”

The stadium setting also provided enough physical space to accommodate a rapidly growing exhibitor list. By the mid-2000s, the fair regularly hosted well over 100 exhibitors and more than 2,000 visitors annually.

For many attendees, the location was refreshing. Unlike some London-centric events, Gateshead offered a welcoming regional atmosphere while still attracting nationally important organizations.

The event later moved to Newcastle city centre, where it was hosted at the Tyne Suite in the Newcastle Central Premier Inn. The newer venue placed visitors within walking distance of Newcastle Railway Station, Monument Metro Station, museums, galleries, and the famous Quayside area.

The Genealogy Boom of the 2000s

To understand why NationalFamilyHistoryFair.com became so influential, it is important to understand the genealogy explosion occurring at the time.

During the early 2000s, genealogy transformed from a relatively niche hobby into a mainstream cultural movement. Several major developments contributed to this surge:

• Online census databases became widely accessible
• Birth, marriage, and death indexes were digitized
• Military service records were increasingly searchable
• Historical newspapers became available online
• Family tree software became more user-friendly
• Television programs about ancestry became enormously popular

The National Family History Fair became a physical gathering place for people caught up in this movement.

Attendees ranged from casual hobbyists tracing grandparents to serious researchers building extensive family archives. Entire families often attended together, turning genealogy into a social and intergenerational activity.

The fair also benefited from Britain’s particularly rich archival traditions. Parish records, military documents, census collections, and local historical societies created a massive infrastructure supporting ancestry research.

Major Exhibitors and Organizations

One of the key reasons the fair gained national attention was the quality of its exhibitors.

Visitors could meet representatives from some of the most important genealogy and historical organizations in Britain, including:

• The National Archives
• Imperial War Museum
• Society of Genealogists
• Scottish Genealogy Society
• Ulster Historical Foundation

The fair also hosted important genealogy companies and publishers, including:

• Ancestry
• Findmypast
• S&N Genealogy Supplies
• Genes Reunited

Family history magazines and specialist publishers maintained a strong presence as well. Publications such as Family History Monthly, Family Tree Magazine, Ancestors Magazine, and Your Family Tree helped shape the educational environment surrounding the event.

This combination of archives, commercial vendors, researchers, and enthusiasts created a uniquely collaborative atmosphere.

Educational Talks and Workshops

A defining feature of the National Family History Fair was its commitment to education.

Beginning especially around 2006, the fair expanded beyond vendor exhibitions to include talks, presentations, workshops, and live demonstrations. These sessions covered a wide range of genealogy topics, including:

• Irish ancestry research
• Census research techniques
• Military history
• Online genealogy databases
• Using birth, marriage, and death indexes
• Local history methods
• Digital research tools
• Historical archives

Speakers often included nationally respected experts in genealogy and archival work.

Among the notable presenters were:

• Gerry Toop of the Family Records Centre
• Dr. William Roulston of the Ulster Historical Foundation
• Ian Hartas of UKBMD
• Sarah Paterson of the Imperial War Museum
• Nigel Bayley of S&N Genealogy Supplies

These talks transformed the event from a trade fair into an educational conference experience.

For newcomers, the presentations provided practical instruction that could dramatically accelerate family history research. For advanced researchers, they offered networking opportunities and exposure to newly available resources.

The Importance of Irish and Scottish Research

One particularly distinctive feature of the National Family History Fair was its strong emphasis on Scottish and Irish genealogy.

Many English genealogy fairs historically focused heavily on English parish and census records. The National Family History Fair deliberately broadened its scope.

Scottish organizations maintained a substantial presence at the fair, including Scottish family history societies and Scotland’s People representatives. Irish genealogy experts likewise delivered talks and consultations.

This was highly significant because tracing Irish ancestry can be especially challenging due to the destruction of many historical records in the 1922 Public Record Office fire in Dublin.

The fair therefore became an important destination for attendees seeking guidance on difficult Celtic ancestry research.

Researchers from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Cumbria, Yorkshire, and beyond frequently attended, reinforcing the event’s truly national identity.

Media Attention and Publicity

The fair generated significant media interest during its peak years.

Local and regional media outlets covered the event extensively, while genealogy publications regularly discussed it in reviews and previews.

The archived website notes that BBC Newcastle attended the fair to conduct interviews and provide information throughout the day.

Blog coverage from genealogy enthusiasts also helped spread the fair’s reputation online. One particularly enthusiastic review from Scottish ancestry blogger Chris Paton described the event as packed with major genealogy organizations and praised its lively atmosphere.

He highlighted the strong Scottish representation at the fair and noted how enjoyable the event was for exhibitors and attendees alike.

These kinds of independent reviews helped build the fair’s credibility within the genealogy community.

International Appeal

Although fundamentally British in focus, the National Family History Fair attracted an international audience.

Archived testimonials mention visitors traveling from Australia and New Zealand specifically to attend the event.

This international interest reflected the global nature of British ancestry research. Millions of people worldwide have ancestral ties to England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland due to centuries of migration throughout the British Empire and beyond.

For overseas researchers, visiting the fair offered direct access to archives, experts, and organizations that were otherwise difficult to reach.

The event also allowed international attendees to explore the northeast of England itself, an area rich in industrial, maritime, and military history.

Technology and the Digital Transition

The fair emerged during a transitional moment in genealogy technology.

Traditional research methods involving microfilm readers, archive visits, and handwritten family trees were increasingly being supplemented by digital databases and genealogy software.

Exhibitors demonstrated tools that now seem historically significant in their own right:

• CD-ROM genealogy databases
• Early online census platforms
• Family tree publishing software
• Wall chart printing systems
• Searchable digital indexes

Presentations on using the 1911 Census online were particularly important at the time because digitized census access was still relatively new.

Companies like TheGenealogist and RootsMagic used the fair to educate users about digital genealogy capabilities that many researchers were encountering for the first time.

In this sense, the National Family History Fair helped bridge the gap between traditional archival genealogy and modern internet-based family history research.

The Human Stories Behind Genealogy

One reason genealogy fairs became so emotionally powerful is that they revolve around personal identity.

Visitors were not simply purchasing products or attending lectures. They were attempting to uncover forgotten stories about parents, grandparents, military ancestors, immigrant relatives, miners, farmers, and entire lost branches of family history.

The archived material contains several examples illustrating this emotional dimension.

One anecdote describes organizers successfully reuniting a visitor with lost research papers before she even realized they were missing. Another recounts conversations among attendees about rare documents, family discoveries, and historical connections.

These stories reveal how deeply personal genealogy research can become.

The fair provided a rare physical space where people who shared this passion could meet face-to-face.

Awards, Promotions, and Giveaways

The National Family History Fair also embraced promotional partnerships and prize giveaways.

By 2014, visitors could enter drawings to win subscriptions to Genes Reunited and copies of Family Tree Maker Deluxe software bundled with access to Ancestry.co.uk.

Such giveaways reflected the increasingly commercial side of genealogy during the 2010s.

Large ancestry companies recognized that genealogy enthusiasts represented a valuable and highly engaged audience. Sponsorships and promotions became increasingly common at major genealogy events.

At the same time, the fair maintained a relatively affordable admission price, helping ensure accessibility for hobbyists and retirees.

Audience and Community

The fair attracted an unusually broad demographic.

Attendees included:

• Retirees researching family trees
• Academic historians
• Librarians and archivists
• Military historians
• Amateur genealogists
• Local history enthusiasts
• Technology enthusiasts
• Families researching together

Children under 15 were often admitted free when accompanied by adults, encouraging intergenerational participation.

The atmosphere appears to have been notably welcoming and community-driven rather than purely commercial.

Many exhibitors returned year after year, helping create a sense of continuity and familiarity within the genealogy community.

Cultural and Social Significance

NationalFamilyHistoryFair.com represents more than an event website. It documents an important cultural movement.

The genealogy boom of the 2000s reflected broader societal interests in identity, migration, memory, and heritage.

In Britain especially, genealogy research intersects with:

• Industrial history
• Immigration patterns
• Military service
• Regional identity
• Social class history
• Religious history
• Colonial and imperial history

Family history research became a way for ordinary people to connect with these larger historical narratives.

The fair helped democratize access to historical knowledge by bringing archives and expertise directly to the public.

It also demonstrated how internet technology could revitalize historical research rather than replace it.

Why the Site Still Matters

Today, NationalFamilyHistoryFair.com survives primarily through archived pages, but it remains historically valuable.

The website preserves a snapshot of genealogy culture during a period of rapid technological and social change.

It documents:

• The rise of online genealogy
• The expansion of digital archives
• The commercialization of ancestry research
• The importance of local history societies
• The growth of genealogy tourism
• The community culture surrounding family history

For historians of the internet, the site also reflects early 2000s event-website design and communication styles.

For genealogy enthusiasts, it preserves the memory of a beloved event that helped shape Britain’s family history community.

The Legacy of Robert Blatchford and Roger Kay

Much of the fair’s success appears tied to the dedication of organizers Robert Blatchford and Roger Kay.

Archived testimonials consistently praise the professionalism, organization, hospitality, and ambition behind the event.

Blatchford was already known within genealogy circles for producing the Family and Local History Handbook, giving him strong connections throughout the field.

Together, the organizers built a fair that successfully combined scholarship, commerce, education, technology, and community.

Their achievement helped establish northeast England as an important center for genealogy activity during the 2000s.

Even after the decline of many traditional genealogy fairs in the age of digital research and online conferences, the National Family History Fair remains fondly remembered by many who attended.

NationalFamilyHistoryFair.com captured a unique moment in the evolution of genealogy research.

The website chronicled the rise of one of Britain’s most important family history events during a period when genealogy was rapidly transforming through digital technology, online archives, and growing public enthusiasm.

What began as a regional fair became a nationally respected gathering that brought together historians, archivists, software companies, publishers, and ordinary families searching for their roots.

The event’s combination of educational talks, major exhibitors, community spirit, and accessibility made it stand out within the British genealogy world.

Today, the archived website serves as both a historical record and a nostalgic reminder of an era when family history fairs were central meeting places for a rapidly expanding genealogy movement.