Welcome to The Curious Custodian.
Do you wonder where you come from? What family connections are still waiting for you to discover?
I am Fiona Ranger and I have been fascinated by history and genealogy all my life. I remember as a child being shown a copy of my own family tree that had been written by an 19th century ancestor of mine. Some of the entries dated back to the 16th century and that was it, I was hooked. I loved the manuscript and the smell of the history it told. I have enjoyed finding records and photographs and piecing the clues together to bring my own family history to life.
Over the years my research has covered many counties in England and Scotland and further afield to Australia, Canada, and parts of Europe. I initially completed projects for friends and family, and I now undertake commissions for clients who want their family history and genealogy researched.
Over the years I have regularly visited the county archives in Hampshire, Sussex, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, and the National Archives at Kew.
I am an Associate of The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) and a member of the Society of Genealogists.
I believe that personal development is a priority, I am at present studying with the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS) on their correspondence course. I have attended numerous tutorials online especially those relating to heraldry. I have also followed various courses in order to expand my knowledge and expertise, these are:
- Pharos Demystifying DNA for Family Historians
- Pharos Manorial Records for Family and Local Historians
- Pharos Before the Modern Census – Name Rich Sources from 1660-1837
- Pharos Medieval Genealogy
- Pharos Researching Ancestors in Continental Europe
- Pharos Victorian Crime and Punishment – Courts, police and prisons
- Pharos Unlocking Heraldry for Family Historians
- Pharos Getting Started with Local History
- Pharos Progressing your Local History
- Pharos Mapping Strategies for Family Historians.
- Past Search Learning House History – an intensive course which culminated in giving a presentation of my findings
For several years I was an active member of the Berkshire Family History Society where I chaired one of their groups. During this period, I gave assistance at drop-in sessions at the local library. When I relocated back to my birth county of Hampshire, I joined the Hampshire Genealogical Society (HGS) and have been a trustee for several years. I am the Bookstall manager, and you can meet me at family history shows throughout the country. I am also the liaison officer for the society and co-host the running of the International and the National groups of HGS, which we run via Zoom. I have attended numerous family history shows and conferences, at some I have represented HGS either in person or via online conferencing. Over the years I have given talks to societies on numerous topics relating to family history. I have also appeared on local radio to promote genealogy.
My services include:
- Family History Research
- Family Trees
- House Histories
- DNA
- Talks
- Photography
- Bespoke tours of your ancestors’ parishes
The Curious Custodian 