Genealogist 
Having had many years of full time professional research experience I also hold a Post Graduate Certificate in Education for teaching adults. I have taught a great range of people in all sorts of places: from prisons and village halls all the way up
postgraduate students at the University of East Anglia.
Learning how to assess students' needs, design courses and structure lessons are skills from my teaching career that are intergrated with my family history knowledge to create the curriculum for my courses. This teaching experience allows me to clearly explain and demonstrate the skills I learned working in archives for many years. My online courses are taught through Pharos Tutors.
Who Do You Think You Are (WDYTYA) Live
I will be giving two talks at WDYTHYA Live, at the Olympia, London. The event runs from Friday 24th, to Sunday 26th, of February. Tickets start at £15 for a single day.
Your Norfolk Ancestors: An Insider’s Guide
Friday 24 Feb 2012,
12.30-13.15
Society of Genealogists Regional Studio
This talk covers how to find Norfolk resources, solidly outlining the basics and going on to detail less well known avenues of research. For those researching outside of Norfolk a number of the topics covered will include skills which transfer to other parts of the country, which have similar elements to their history.
Writing Your Family History: Top Tips
Sun 26 Feb 2012,
10.00-10.45
Society of Genealogists Studio 2
Top tips for writing your family history including: how to start, choosing a style, format and what to include, adding social and local history context and how to deal with family stories, missing pieces and anomalies.
Courses, Workshops and Tours
Information on my next events will be updated as soon as times, dates and locations are confirmed.
Online Courses with Pharos Tutors
Pharos Tutors are a group of experienced professionals offering online courses in family history. These include at least an hour of personal tuition via a chat facility. Pharos courses can be taken as part of a structured scheme of learning, leading to a Family History Skills & Strategies (Intermediate) Certificate. This certificate is run in partnership with the Society of Genealogists. All courses are repeated periodically so if one falls at an inconvenient time it will always come around again. My forthcoming courses are:
- The Poor, The Parish and The Workhouse: Records in the 18th and 19th Centuries - Running from 06/01/2012 for five weeks and costing £45.99
- Searching for Wills and Administrations in England and Wales -
Running from 07/03/2012 for four weeks and costing £39.99 - Become a Better Genealogist: Research in England and Wales -
Running from 12/04/2012 for six weeks and costing £51.99
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Comments from some of my clients
Thank you for this [Poor Law] course Gill. I have found it to be totally professionally run (I'm a bit of a critic of training programs, can't help myself). I shall be doing some more courses, this has been my third, and I like the discipline of assessments.
Margaret Moxon. Australia
Having attended one of Gill's "further steps" family history courses, I was most impressed with her thorough knowledge of the subject and preparation before each class and her encouragement during those classes to explore every aspect of our research. I know we all eagerly looked forward to her classes each week.
Alison Brown. North Norfolk
I have very much enjoyed classes that I have attended. They were relaxed, enjoyable and very informative, with each session being flexible enough to provide for the needs of that group.
Sandra Hopewell. South Norfolk
I attended classes at The Family History Centre, where Gill Blanchard was the tutor, her knowledge and experience of family history shone through, along with an enthusiasm which was infectious, it helped me to get involved, researching and thoroughly enjoying (probably forever) this fascinating subject.
Phyll Clements, Norfolk
I have been on two courses run by Gill, one online and one in a more traditional classroom setting. The online course relating to the Poor and the Poor Law in the 19th Century, was thorough in content and expertise. In true teacher fashion Gill leads her students towards the answers, while ensuring they experience the research process and reach their own conclusions. The more traditional post-graduate course was equally thorough and professional. Gill is an excellent teacher who is generous with her support, advice and expertise. Any course run by her will guarantee an enjoyable experience and will effectively develop your own skills. If you see one advertised, don't hesitate but sign up immediately before all the places are gone.
Liz Rastrick, Suffolk
Gill is a wonderful teacher - anyone interested in past times, their ancestry and local history can't do better than take advantage of her wide knowledge and enthusiasm.
Roger Polhill, Norfolk