You might be a Methodist who wishes to discover more about your family, or you might be someone who had never heard of Methodism (or Wesleyans, Prims or Bible Christians...?) until one turned up in your research. In either case, this book is for you.

Inside its pages, Philip Thornborow answers the top ten most frequently asked Methodist family history questions. He translates the jargon of Methodism and explains how having a Methodist ancestor might affect the family records you can find today. He takes the rise of the internet into account and signposts useful resources available in print and electronically.

The questions answered are:

I can’t find my family in the parish records – were they Methodists?

I’ve heard that my ancestor might be a Methodist – how will that affect what I can find out about the vital events of their life?

What is a Methodist?

How would being a Methodist affect my ancestor?

Does it matter where my Methodist ancestor lived?

Once a Methodist, always a Methodist?

My ancestor was supposed to have been a Methodist preacher – how do I find out more about him (or her, maybe)?

My ancestor was a missionary overseas – how do I find out more?

I’ve come across someone who is described as a ‘Sister’ or a ‘Deaconess’: what does that mean?

Where can I find out more about all this?