For History Enthusiasts with Busy Lives
Ever wondered if you have royal lineage flowing through your veins, but the demands of your day job keep you too occupied? Perhaps you’re curious about your great-grandmother’s wartime experiences but never had the time to dive into dusty archives. While online platforms grant access to billions of historical records, the journey of genealogy research can be time-consuming and daunting, deterring many from embarking on this quest.
All of this has changed with the introduction of YourTour™, a revolutionary genealogical service tailored for those eager to uncover their family history and heritage but lacking the time or expertise to navigate the complex world of historical records. YourTour, presented by Historic Productions Ltd, offers one-hour online sessions with expert historians and genealogist Guides who meticulously explore archive materials and online databases in advance, uncovering the secrets of your family history and unveiling them during a unique live experience.
Tom Holland, an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster, enthusiastically remarks, “What a service! Thank you so much for what was an absolutely eye-opening exploration of my forebears. I am hugely grateful to my Guide, to her research and expertise. Amazing to discover that the Hollands can be traced all the way back to 1664, and that a great-great-grandfather on my father’s side knew Tennyson and met with a Napoleon!”
The YourTour experience goes beyond mere lists of names and dates; it’s akin to embarking on a museum tour of your own family history. Each guided session is engaging and entertaining, connecting individuals with their unique stories, culture, and traditions that shape their identities. It’s the perfect gift for anyone with a penchant for delving into their past, and because these sessions are conducted live on Zoom, the entire family can participate. Following the live session, participants receive a detailed color report filled with information, illustrations, and historical records, which they can treasure, share with family, or use as a starting point for further exploration.
James Hooper, founder of YourTour and Director of Historic Productions Ltd, explains, “Most of us love to hear about our ancestors and the lives they lived, and knowing where we come from can also be good for us. Uncovering these stories can be time-consuming and complex, often requiring extensive research, access to historical records and some genealogical expertise. YourTour solves that problem by providing a bespoke service: doing the work for you and giving you a comprehensive, hassle-free, and totally personalised one-to-one genealogy experience as a conversation. It is the perfect gift for anyone who loves exploring history in discussion with passionate and knowledgeable experts.”
While YourTour is an excellent way to kickstart your journey into the past, it’s not limited to beginners; even seasoned historians have made unexpected discoveries through YourTour. Renowned historian, novelist, and biographer Lady Antonia Fraser, who has penned over 30 historical books, attests, “I thoroughly enjoyed taking a YourTour, exploring a part of my own family history about which I knew surprisingly little. My Guide was charming and informative, filling our hour with interesting facts and actual archival records I’d never seen previously. I would highly recommend taking – or giving – YourTour to anyone with a passion for delving into history.”
Even those with well-documented ancestry have found surprises. Ben Goldsmith, a financier and environmentalist, known for his distinguished lineage, shares, “The tour with YourTour was one of the most illuminating, joyous things I’ve ever done. I knew next to nothing about my female ancestors on my mother’s side and learning about these remarkable women was just wonderful.”
Each YourTour session costs £162 and lasts one hour. Participants provide brief information about their parents (name, date of birth, etc.) in advance. To book a session for yourself or as a gift for others, or for more information, visit www.yourtour.live.
