Caroline Rochford set up Heir Line Ltd. in 2009 along with her husband, Michael Rochford, and works as a genealogist and designer for the company.
She helps Michael with some of the larger family history research packages, and also helps to trace the missing beneficiaries from probate research projects.
However, with a first class degree in Graphic Arts and Design, Caroline specialises in designing the Family History Storybooks, and can expertly restore old and damaged photographs to their former glory, including colouring in black and white or sepia photographs! Using state of the art film editing software, Caroline also works as a videographer, and can produce beautiful DVDs from your family photographs which make lovely keepsake gifts for your family. She can even illustrate a personalised family portrait, ready to frame!
Interesting Facts
Name
Caroline Rose Rochford (nee Brooks) BA (hons)
Age
29
Star Sign
Sagittarius
Place of Birth
Manygates, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Heritage
Caroline is three quarters English and a quarter Welsh. Almost half of her mother’s ancestors came from Wakefield, so Caroline considers herself to be truly Yorkshire! She has some fascinating Wakefield ancestors in her family tree, including councillors, master mariners, and sea captains. They certainly had some amazing stories to tell, involving adventures in faraway lands, mutinies on the high seas, shipwrecks, and a terrifying accident when one of her ancestors fell from the crow’s nest and broke his back! Unable to return to a life on the ocean waves, he joined forces with his landlubber brother, Joe Hargrave, (a compassionate Justice of the Peace and budding entrepreneur), and set up a thriving, high-class ladies’ clothes shop in Wakefield called Hargrave Brothers - very similar to the BBC’s The Paradise, or ITV’s Mr. Selfridge! The building still stands today on Kirkgate, but is now a furniture store. One thing that no longer exists is Hargrave Square, a street in Wakefield that was named after the influential Hargrave family; the landlords of the properties. On the other side of her tree, most of Caroline’s relations were hard-working, penniless coal miners from Wales back in the 19th century.
How far back her own tree goes
About 1594, when Rodulphus Harrison, her 11 x great grandfather, was born!
University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Academic lEVEL
Bachelor of Arts Degree (first class)
Favourite Book
Minilya Forgotten... yet to be published!
Favourite Hobby
Caroline loves going to ceilidhs, and also enjoys the theatre, theme parks, and long weekends away.
Email: mike@heir-line.co.uk Tel: 01924 314363 Mob: 07525 192579
(c) Heir Line Ltd 2013
Registered company number 06527525. Registered in England. Registered Office: 6 Denhale Avenue, Wakefield (near Leeds), West Yorkshire, WF2 9EF
Using all available sources, Michael and Caroline will do all they can to offer you the highest quality family history services.
Their sources include (but are by no means limited to):
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Wills (Prerogative & Exchequer Courts and Probate Registries) -
UK & Irish Parish records
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International Church Records
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Military records
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Archived newspapers
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1841 - 1911 UK census returns
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1851, 1901 & 1911 Irish census returns
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Poll Books
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Land Tax Returns
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Visitations
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Peerage Records (eg Burke’s Peerage, etc.)
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General Register Office records
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Historical and current Electoral Rolls
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The International Genealogical Index
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Information provided by living relatives
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A collection of Historical Trade Directories
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Relevant textbooks, and a huge collection of old, rare and antique books
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Newsreels from the 1930s onwards
Once you have sent Caroline your requirements she will get to work on your ancestry project, giving you regular updates to keep you informed of her progress as she goes along.
Contact her today to discuss your art & design or family history requirements.
Caroline works on design projects and very much enjoys letting her creativity flow when it comes to expertly colouring in old black and white photographs. She is also a talented illustrator and produces original family portraits and has exhibited at craft fairs around the country. When she’s not doing that, she helps Michael with the day-to-day genealogy. She is the co-author of Michael’s novel-in-progress, and is currently writing a book based on some recently discovered World War II memoirs, as well as editing a series of books about the Victorians.
