Family history research, Ancestry & Genealogy Services

Discover your unique place in history

Start your fascinating journey of discovering your family heritage…

At Footprints and Keys we provide assistance with your own research or we can carry out the research on your behalf.

Nowadays, with so much information available, it can be quite a daunting task, especially if you have never done any family research before.

Are you interested in rattling the bones of your family? If so…………….

Put your shoes on

Grab your keys

Let’s get started!

You will see that with so much information becoming available, it is so important to remember not only who, what, when, why and how but can it be proven?

So let me help you, to take the steps, unlock the doors and see what we will find.

About Footprints and Keys

Footprints and Keys is a small and dedicated personal business providing a practical, honest and straightforward approach and ‘can-do’ attitude with a genuine intention to improve your quality approach to your family history research.

Hi, I am Edwina Swingler, the owner of

Footprints and Keys.

I am based in the South Canterbury Region of New Zealand. From 1999 I was the owner of a Research, photo restoration and archival business “Gateway to Infinity”.

My interest in family histories began when I was only 8 years old when my father told me about his grandfather. He said “When he was 18 years old he decided that he did not want to be a mole, spending all his life underground like his fore fathers before him”. He had been working in the tin mines in Cornwall from the age of 5.

I have been a member of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists (NZSG) since 1977 and have served on various committees and projects including Secretary to North Shore Branch, Convenor of the 2003 conference, Cornish and Irish Interest groups and cemetery and shipping transcription projects. My speaking engagements include “Let Records Speak” at the 9th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry in Perth 2000, Family History themed Presentations and Workshops throughout NZ, most recently “Chinese in New Zealand” at the Auckland Family History Expo 2016.

Since 2013 I have been assisting with the pre-tour workshops (SLC2NZ) and HOG (Hooked on Genealogy) International Tours which includes the “Family History Centre” in Salt Lake City US, London, Scotland and Ireland.

I am a member of genealogical organisations around the world, allowing me to keep up-to-date professionally and as such I’m able to access a wide variety of resources.

I can carry out private research, projects, workshops or public speaking through-out New Zealand or abroad and to guide you through the journeys of discovery.

Every search starts with your first step and the path you want to tread…

                                    By knowing which direction to take and which doors to unlock, it does not                                     take too long for those locked doors to open and reveal your family                                     treasures.

                                    It is most important when researching your family to get the facts right,                                     know where you got it from and record it correctly.

PRIVACY

Because of the nature of what I do, privacy is extremely important.

Information we gather is used only for your family project. I do not share your information with any third-party unless you have given your permission.