Simon Wills
Dr Simon Wills is an expert in nautical genealogy who has worked on many episodes of Who Do You Think You Are? He is the author of Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors and Tracing Your Merchant Navy Ancestors.
Recent articles by Simon Wills
Royal Marines records: How to find them
Naval history expert Simon Wills explains how to find Royal Marines records for your family history research
How to find Royal Navy service records
Simon Wills reveals how family historians can find their ancestors’ Royal Navy service records – from the Napoleonic Wars to the First and Second World Wars
How the founding of the RNLI saved thousands from drowning in shipwrecks in the 19th century
Discover how the RNLI was founded in 1824 to create a lifeboat service that saved people from drowning in dangerous Victorian shipwrecks
Merchant seamen crew lists: What are they, and where can you find them?
What are merchant seamen crew lists, and where can you find them? Naval historian Dr Simon Wills reveals how to trace an ancestor who served in the Merchant Navy
The Royal Naval Division: What was it, when was it founded and where can you find service records?
Discover how to trace a serviceman in the Royal Naval Division with our guide
How to find Merchant Navy records
Did your ancestor serve in the Merchant Navy? Find out how to trace him with our guide to the best websites
How to find passenger lists for ships
Simon Wills explains where to find online passenger list collections for ancestors who travelled overseas
How to trace shipwreck records
Did your ancestor die in a shipwreck? Here's how to trace their records