An early start would be just the thing, he said! Up and out for five thirty and be down the M6 before it had time to wake up. As it turned out, a more leisurely seven a.m. was the hour that greeted our departure from home, with my husband full of ‘we’re doomed’ at the prospect of tackling one of the most notorious stretches of congested motorways in the country. “There’re roadworks as well you know” he intoned in the gravest voice as we approached the junction which would surely lead to nightmare and despair! We swept up the slipway and settled into a steady stream of traffic, which appeared a little at odds with his doom-laden predictions.

Thirty minutes of zooming along at the permitted speed passed, before a sign announced that the Environment Agency were ‘upgrading’ to a ‘smart’ motorway and we were obliged to reduce our speed to fifty miles per hour. Nevertheless even at this reduction in pace, our progress was still constant, hardly ever encountering the slow crawl he had predicted. The lack of gridlock Armageddon was not commented on and we soon found ourselves at the NEC in Birmingham, having even had time to enjoy a breakfast stop at the services. ‘Smart’ of me, as it was to turn out, was my refraining from asking why he thought his dire predictions of journey hell didn’t materialise.

Tickets in hand and excitement as the prospect, we entered one of the large halls which has been the home of the Who-Do-You-Think-You-Are LIVE Show for the past two years, offering, as it does, a more central geographical location for all professional and aspiring genealogists to get to. The huge Ancestry.com stands loomed up in front of us, completely dominating the entrance to the show. Navigating past this involved tacking to the right or left, not that you would wish to do so, the nice people at Ancestry are always helpful and a visit was a must. The other big web people were present, TheGenealogist, FindMyPast, etc. and visits to all were paid to determine their latest developments or offers. Once through the ‘big guns’ we were then into the section of the show which hosts the book stands and other genealogically associated products which are all in turn well worth a visit. The ever helpful Pen and Sword book people were on hand with their extensive range of titles which can prove invaluable to family history research.

I’m in the planning stage for a trip to Dozingham Cemetery in Belgium to mark the 100^th anniversary of the death of George Hocking, my great Uncle. Therefore an absolute must was a call at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission stall, where I obtained helpful advice and some literature. On the same subject I made a further pit-stop at the Mons Memorial Tourism stall and collected further advice and a really useful map for my trouble. We were soon cruising the smaller stands where various genealogical associations and charities could be found. A surprise for my husband John, was to find ABF – The Soldiers Charity present, an organisation he has signed up to support, by taking on the Frontline Walk in October. Terry was a most friendly advocate for the charity and having established that John was already enlisted he set about encouraging me to sign up. I declined this kind invitation by offering to take photos of him and John on the stand. This clever distraction seemed to quell any further talk of my participation in walks! Next to catch my eye was the Association of Professional Genealogists, and whilst I am already an Associate Member of AGRA – Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives, I thought I would stop for a chat. An elderly Irish gentleman was very engaging and informative about the Association, so much so that John wandered off to talk to someone on an adjacent stall who was promoting an APP to store and display photos in chronological order and display them as a family history/story book.

The Society of Genealogists, of which I am a member, supports many different and diverse groups of researchers and family history organisations from all over the country and in the final section to the rear, it was possible to access these groups under the SOG banner, arranged on row after row of desks, with information and helpful advice. As I was about to start a further course of study, as part of my Continuing Professional Development (CPD) I sought out the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, with whom I had only just that week booked. Not only were the people fascinating and helpful to talk to, but I was delighted to receive a discount off my fees, when they allowed me to take advantage of the show offer they were promoting – a big, huge thanks IHGS!

A well-earned coffee was now the order of business and so we made our way over to the catering area, where, whilst enjoying a snack and a brew, we fell into conversation with a lady who was extremely knowledgeable on the National Archives at Kew. It turned out she was, on an advisory board for the Archive. We bid our farewells to our new friend and made our way over to the theatre stand for a talk by Chris Baker, the chap who set up the website called The Long, Long Trail. His talk was absorbing and informative, offering tips and advice on how to research a serviceman or woman. It was of particular interest to John, who is researching his own Grandfather, a soldier in the Boer War and Great War. Chris was clearly passionate about his subject and it is no coincidence that he is regarded as an expert in his field. Talking of experts, the show offered access to an ‘Ask the Experts’ facility, where you could get 15 minutes with an expert, who might be able to offer you a way to get beyond that family history brick wall. The stand was immensely popular with people queuing to get to speak to someone.

The show offered ‘Heirloom Detectives’ with Eric Knowles of Antiques Roadshow fame; Photo Experts; a delightful and engaging ‘Dig For Victory’ area, which had an artillery ordnance and jeep amongst many attractions from the 40s era and all populated by men and women in period costume. The education zone, again staffed by period costume wearing enthusiasts, gave an exhibition of medical supplies and kit from the First World War. Hours had passed in the blink of an eye and as a final call, I went over to the AGRA stand to say hello to people I knew there and discuss forthcoming AGRA workshops and conferences. As part of my membership I make regular trips to events such as these and indeed I have one at the end of April in London.

John and I had a thoroughly enjoyable day at WDYTYA LIVE and if genealogy/family history is your thing, then I would highly recommend a visit next year. The show is a mine of useful information and contacts all assembled in one easy place; however all too soon it was time to hit the road for our return journey up the M6. It was not long into the journey, before we ground to a halt on an almost stationary northbound carriageway and I sat thanking myself for my prudence in not teasing John about his early morning predictions of motorway hell.