Family Trees

The Family Historian has a gap in the bookshelf that has been awaiting this new book for many years. It provides the first ever detailed guide to the alternative ways to lay out and draw up a genealogical chart, following on to the production of a finished document for display on the wall or in a book.

A family tree chart can be purely functional, to convey its information in a clear and easily accessible manner, or it can be a highly decorative, carefully written and illustrated piece of artwork. The author draws on many years' experience of designing and drawing up such charts for a wide range of clients to furnish the family historian with the full range of options and methods in this very practical do-it-yourself manual. Copious illustrations take the reader through each process easy to follow stages. Solutions are given to such layout problems as multiple marriages, natural children, intermarriage doubtful information and so on. Designs that ensure good proportions and clarity are described, including lift-to-right layouts, circular or semi-circular designs, tree-shaped charts, boxed frameworks and direct lines of decent.

Attractive, long-lasting charts require good paper and writing materials. The best choices are discussed, together with different styles of lettering. For those wanting a really eye-catching chart a section is devoted to decorative titles, borders and illustrations. Coats of arms are the traditional embellishment to pedigrees and the subject of heraldry is covered in detail. The author also describes ways of expanding the pedigree information in book form, with illustrations, giving details of simple home-binding methods. Finally, she covers techniques of archival storage or of display of a chart in a frame or on rollers. No aspect of pedigree preparation and presentation is neglected in this remarkable and long-needed account. It will be warmly welcomed by both amateur and professional family historians.