Simon Wills
Dr Simon Wills died in October 2024. He was a historian and genealogist with over 35 years’ experience, the author of many books including Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors, and a much-loved contributor to Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine and the TV series
Recent articles by Simon Wills
How to find passenger lists for ships
Simon Wills explains where to find online passenger list collections for ancestors who travelled overseas
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 trace the privateers who pillaged ships on behalf of the British government
How to find out more about the privateers who terrorised the seas on behalf of the British government
How the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was founded to save lives in Britain's deadly shipwrecks
Discover the history of the RNLI and how to search newly-released free online RNLI records
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
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
How to trace shipwreck records
Did your ancestor die in a shipwreck? Here's how to trace their records
