Internationally renowned historian, academic, and genealogical researcher and former presenter of British television program Who Do You Think You Are, Dr Nick Barratt, will be among the keynote speakers at the Genealogical Society of Queensland’s family history conference Connections 2025 in Brisbane next March.

Dr Barratt will present two sessions on the topics When Harry Met Dotty which will explore his quest to find his illegitimate grandmother’s parentage and The Future of Family History, a look at the changes facing family history in an increasing digital world. His two Master Classes on Researching and Writing Your Family History and Researching Your English Ancestors prior to 1700 have already sold out as family historians from around Australasia register for the four-day event.

The conference will be held at Brisbane Technology Park, Eight Mile Plains from March 21-24. It is the first of its kind to be hosted by the leading Queensland family history society and will combine the 17th Australian Conference on Genealogy and Heraldry and the 5th History Queensland State Conference.

Dr Barratt obtained a PhD in history from King's College London in 1996, editing the 1225 Exchequer pipe roll and several Exchequer receipt rolls from the 1220s. His thesis became the cornerstone for his academic work on medieval state finance and fiscal history.

However, Dr Barratt has a deep interest in family history and is more than a decade into his own family history search, driven by curiosity to uncover the story behind his grandmother’s parentage.

“It took many years, twists and turns and I hit a brick wall for a while, but I finally managed to crack it,” Dr Barratt said.

He is excited to share his expertise at Connections 2025.

“Family history is powerful storytelling which goes to heart of people and place. The purest form of storytelling started with people sitting around fires, finding out stories and passing them on.”

» Historian Dr Nick Barratt is a keynote speaker at the GSQ's family history conference Connections 2025 in Brisbane next March. Click to download high res image.

Evolving technology unlocking the past

He said the rise of the internet and search engines providing instant digital access to records and databases from around the world had spurred a huge industry around family history.

“While it’s great we have more information available than ever before, there’s a difference between searching (online) and researching (using more traditional, paper-based methods) as no-one really knows how algorithms work and there can be a lot of junk that can take people down some serious rabbit holes. In family history, there’s a case for both search (clicking and collecting) and research (asking questions, testing and exploring theories offline).

However, technology was rapidly evolving and often outrunning legal protective frameworks, he said.

“Generative AI technology means that we can now ‘engage’ with our ancestors. If we have a voice clip and an image of an ancestor, we can create an avatar and have a virtual ‘conversation’. Of course, this is laden with ethical and moral challenges for both legislators and users.

“DNA can also be an avenue that proves connections that we would not otherwise have access to. As exciting and profound as a result can be, it can be equally devastating, causing a person’s world to come crashing down around them.”

He encouraged new family historians to start with themselves, their parents and grandparents.

“As tempting as it is, I’d suggest people stay away from the internet until they are ready. Start by writing it down on paper and sketching a family tree offline, ordering records, seeing what family members know, what they want to know and thinking about what the record is and why it was kept.

“Then, when they are ready to start exploring via different technologies or documents, they should spend time picking over minute details, go into forensic detail, look for patterns and try to spot coincidences that they can circle back to.

“When you hit a brick wall, it may always be a brick wall as people sometimes go to great lengths to hide information for many reasons. At that point, I’d suggest not continuing to bat away at it but to start exploring interconnected relationships to get closer to the truth. Sometimes there just isn’t an answer.”

Dr Barratt said in his experience people came to family history later in life when they had more time or were simply ready.

“Drivers can include wanting to have something to pass on to the family, being the last of a generation and wishing they had asked more questions, seeing shows like Who Do You Think You Are and being inspired to have a go or wanting to find one’s place on the family tree.”

Dr Barratt has extensive background as a researcher or presenter of history-related television programs in the UK including House Detectives, Hidden House Histories, Secrets from the Attic, So You Think You’re Royal, Live the Dream as Seen on Screen and Missing Millions. He was also involved in establishing the Australian and Irish versions of Who Do You Think You Are. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the author of several books. He lectures on a range of subjects including family, house and local history; the history of greater London; and medieval history, in particular Magna Carta, the reigns of Henry II, Richard I and John, and democracy through the ages.

His session Harry Met Dotty is at 12pm, March 21 and The Future of Family History session is at 4.30pm, March 23.

Conference details at a glance:

• Venue: Brisbane Technology Park, 1 Clunies Ross Court, Eight Mile Plains
• Cost: Early Bird rate $395 (if booked by November 30), $515 (full rate)