ON THE RECORD
Rosemary Collins reports on the latest data releases and genealogy news It has been announced that the UK’s largest family history event has come to an end after a ten-year run
Current news and data releases
WDYTYA? LIVE to close its doors
The popular family history event Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE will close its doors after ten years.
Immediate Media, the organisers of the annual event, reached the difficult decision in May due to financial reasons.
The UK’s largest family history show celebrated its tenth anniversary in April this year, when over 13,000 family historians and more than 100 specialist exhibitors attended the three-day event at Birmingham NEC.
The first show was launched by Brand Events in May 2007 at the Olympia in London. It incorporated The Society of Genealogists Family History Show and genealogist Nick Barratt acted as a consultant. Immediate Media then took over in 2011.
Marie Davies, director of WDYTYA? LIVE, explained that the event was “running at a considerable loss” at the time of the takeover.
“We have done our best over the years to bring it into profit,” she said. “Unfortunately, the show has continued to make a loss for Immediate Media and we have had to bring it to a close.”
WDYTYA? LIVE has showcased talks from a wide array of speakers and celebrities over the years, alongside hundreds of specialist exhibitors. Crucially, it has also enabled thousands of amateur researchers to break down their brick walls through one-on-one sessions with some of the UK’s leading genealogists.
Davies added: “We are currently undergoing a period of consultation with our events staff and I would like to thank them for all their hard work in making WDYTYA? LIVE a show to be proud of.
“I would also like to thank all the businesses, archives and societies who have supported us in this venture over the years.
“I’m sure all the family historians who have visited over the past ten years will agree that it was a very special event and we are sorry to see it go.”
Sarah Williams, editor of Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, said: “Over its ten years, WDYTYA? LIVE became a real highlight in the calendar for British genealogy.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, discuss, learn, ask and discover.
“I will personally miss the opportunity it gave me to meet our readers face to face – many features that have since made their way into the magazine started as an idea generated at WDYTYA? LIVE.”
Sue Moncur, UK country manager of Ancestry, a regular WDYTYA LIVE? exhibitor and former sponsor, said the company was sad to hear of the event’s closure.
“Ancestry is proud to have been involved with the show since the beginning,” she added.
“During that time we have enjoyed the opportunity to meet and talk with everyone from long-term genealogists to those simply curious about who they are and where they come from.
“It is the end of an era, but the legacy of the show is that interest in family history in the UK has never been stronger and I am sure it will continue to thrive into the future.”
In a statement, the Society of Genealogists, which was involved in running many events at the show including genealogy talks, Ask the Experts and the Society of Genealogists’ Family History Show, said: “We have valued our contribution to the show and look forward to opportunities offered to us in the future.”
They added that the society hoped to see if it could bring back its Family History Show, and thanked all their staff, members and volunteers who had worked at the show and everyone who attended.
It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, discuss, learn, ask and discover