Dr Nicholas Dixon

12/05/2026

In the latest issue of The London Library magazine, there is an interview with me by Katie Armstrong. In this article, I explain how exploring my own family history inspired me to pursue a career as a professional genealogist and how the library's rich collections help me to conduct research for clients. Although most genealogical research is now carried out online or using original documents, there is still an enormous amount that can be gained (and time that can be saved) by locating relevant literature that preserves the knowledge of past generations.

05/05/2026

On Tuesday 12th May at 12pm EDT (5pm UK time), I will be presenting a virtual talk to the The New York Genealogical & Biographical Society - NYG&B about 'Getting Started with English Genealogy' in their series 'Preserving your New York Story'. Please follow the link below for further details. The event is free for anyone to attend but registration is required. You can join online through Zoom or (if in New York City) listen to my presentation in the society's headquarters at 36 West 44th Street, Suite 711. I am greatly looking forward to this event.

In the 1850 census, around 86,000 inhabitants of the state of New York gave their birthplace as England. Tracing the origins of such emigrants in England is sometimes a daunting task, but there is a wealth of resources that can assist researchers in pinpointing ancestors. In this talk, I will offer some practical advice about the first steps that are necessary to find out about English families. The usefulness of census records and church registers as a starting point for genealogical enquiry will be discussed, as will methods of researching the vital records.

https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/events/preserving-your-new-york-story-getting-started-english-genealogy

29/04/2026

In 2013, I discovered an intriguing book published in Germany (but written in English) entitled 'A Summer Term in an English Public School'. This was written by Hermann Sommermeier, a teacher from the town of Halberstadt who spent a term at my old school, Chigwell School, in the summer of 1913. Sommermeier describes in great detail the School as it was on the eve of the First World War, in which 79 Old Chigwellians died. Sommermeier enlisted in the German Army in 1914 and was also a casualty of the conflict. He was held in such high esteem at Chigwell that his death was commemorated in the School Magazine with a line from Euripides, 'For I loved him though he turned my foe, I loved him, yes! in spite of all.' This poignant story may have inspired a section of James Hilton's novel of 1934, 'Goodbye Mr Chips'.

In 2015, Chigwell School published a full reprint of Hermann Sommermeier's 'A Summer Term in an English Public School' with an historical introduction by me, drawing upon records in Germany and documents in the School Archives. This did not receive much publicity at the time, but I am delighted to report that the School is again offering copies of the book for sale for £5. All proceeds will be donated to the School's Bursary Fund. Copies of this unique publication can be purchased online here:

https://connect.chigwell-school.org/shop/product/17

27/04/2026

I was really delighted to participate and speak at the Register of Qualified Genealogists conference (entitled 'Exploring the Past, Embracing the Future') held in Birmingham on Saturday. I gave a presentation about my various ancestors and relatives who were freemasons in England, beginning with the 5x great-grandfather James Flowerday (a sea captain), discussing (among others) my great-great-grandfather William Dixon (a ship's cook) and great-grandfather Charles William Dixon (an electrical engineer), and concluding with my grandfather William Herbert Jefferson (an Anglican priest). The presentation covered around two centuries of masonic ancestry, and drew extensively upon the fascinating records at the Museum of Freemasonry, where I have been conducting a great deal of research in the past three years.

As a director of RQG, it was a very great pleasure to see so many members of our organisation as well as non-members meeting in one place, united by their shared passion and commitment to high-quality genealogical research. I am confident that we can build upon the success of this conference, which was a superb reflection of the efforts of our organisers during the past two years, and of the valuable expertise that qualified genealogists can offer both to the general public and to the academic world.

27/03/2026

I am looking forward to presenting a talk about using deeds and civil court records to trace British ancestors to the East Surrey Family History Society tomorrow. The details of this are below.

17/02/2026

A public scandal occurred in 1820 when George IV attempted to annul his marriage to Caroline of Brunswick on suspicions of adultery to prevent her becoming Queen Consort of England. The 'Queen Caroline Affair' was often contested in Anglican places of worship, appropriated by the supporters of King and Queen alike. Dr Nicholas Dixon explores the ecclesiastical dimension the ‘Affair’ in a blog post from our Archive: https://shorturl.at/XMluA

Image: Caricature with the Archbishop of Canterbury joining the hands of George IV and Queen Caroline while the people kneel in delight and homage. January 1821 Hand-coloured etching

© The Trustees of the British Museum

10/02/2026

I am really pleased to be giving this talk about the history of a cottage in Surrey for the Society for One-Place Studies today.

Members! Our next webinar, on Tuesday Feb 10th, is “The Sands of Time: A Surrey Cottage from 1450 to the Present Day.” Dr Nicholas Dixon will explain how he reconstructed the history of a cottage and associated land in Limpsfield. Not a member? Join up & join in!

02/02/2026

I am really delighted to be presenting a paper at the Register of Qualified Genealogists conference in Birmingham on Saturday 25th April (details below). I will be talking about ancestors who were freemasons in England between the 1790s and the 1970s.

The discovery of records about an ancestor who was initiated as a freemason in 1798 has been the starting point for a fascinating voyage of discovery involving a number of other family members who were freemasons during the 19th and 20th centuries. I have consistently found that the masonic records held at the Museum of Freemasonry in London and elsewhere can shed a surprising light upon various ancestors that is unobtainable from the more standard genealogical records. My presentation will use my own family history as a prism through which to view the multifarious contexts in which the freemasons were active, from Napoleonic-era King’s Lynn to Victorian London to post-war County Durham.

We can add the following two names to our list of speakers for the RQG Conference in Birmingham (25 April 2026): David Ryan and Nicholas Dixon!
Registration is open: https://www.qualifiedgenealogists.org/2026-conference

01/01/2026

As we begin 2026, the Register of Qualified Genealogists wishes all members a happy New Year and every success in the year ahead. We look forward to another year of high standards and outstanding work.

24/12/2025

I found this nativity scene in a prayer book published in London in 1760 and owned in more recent times by my family. The engraving has survived for over 250 years, and seems to be every bit as vivid as on the day that it was printed, while some of my ancestors were living nearby. The artwork is of its time, and yet somehow timeless.

Wishing everybody a merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!

17/11/2025

It was a great pleasure to present a webinar about researching Norfolk ancestors for Legacy Family Tree last week. For those who missed it, you can watch the recording for free until 21st November. Please follow the link below.

Situated on the east coast of England, Norfolk is its fifth largest county and contains over 700 ancient parishes. Historically, it was a largely agricultural...