Dr Penny Walters: FIBIS Gala Speaker

Family History is for Everyone – A Journey Through Genealogy and Education

After Dinner Speaker for the FIBIS Gala Dinner on 28th September 2024 has been announced.

Dr. Penny Walters PhD, MSc, BSc Hons, PG Cert Genealogy, FHFA is an accomplished author, professor, and lecturer with an extensive career spanning 35 years. Currently, she serves as a university lecturer at Bath Spa University Business School, where she imparts knowledge in the field of psychology within a business context. Her academic journey is impressive, but it is her passion for genealogy that truly sets her apart.

Discovering a Passion for Genealogy

Penny’s interest in genealogy sparked after the birth of her first child. As an adopted person, she had little knowledge of her biological roots, and this curiosity was further ignited when her children began exploring their family trees for school projects. Realizing how little she knew about her biological family, Penny embarked on a journey of discovery. This journey was deeply personal, driven by a desire to understand her heritage and provide her children with a sense of identity.

What began as a quest for personal understanding evolved into a professional passion, as Penny realized the broader implications of genealogy for personal identity and social history.

Lecturing and Writing: Sharing the Knowledge

Penny has not kept her insights to herself. She lectures internationally, sharing her knowledge and passion for genealogy with audiences across America, Australia, Ireland, and the UK. Her lectures are not just about the technical aspects of genealogy but also delve into the ethical considerations and psychological implications of searching for one’s roots.

She has authored two significant books in the field of genealogy. The first, ‘Ethical Dilemmas in Genealogy’ (2019), encourages readers to engage in introspection before revealing their genealogical findings. The second, ‘The Psychology of Searching’ (2020), explores the motivations behind the pursuit of genealogy and its impact on identity.

Personal Life and Reflections

Beyond her professional achievements, Penny is a mother of six mixed-race children. Her children’s diverse heritage, with ancestors from Jamaica, Ghana, and various regions in the UK, has deeply influenced her understanding and approach to genealogy. This personal connection to her research makes her work even more compelling and relatable to her many audiences

Penny reflects on her ancestors with great respect, particularly her Irish ancestors who fled famine in Ireland and her Welsh ancestors who toiled in coal mines. She is fascinated by the ordinary lives of her ancestors, seeing value in the micro-histories of individuals who may not have made headlines but lived lives of resilience and determination.

Genealogy for Everyone

For Dr Penny Walters, genealogy is more than just tracing lineage; it is about understanding the broader social history and the context in which our ancestors lived. She believes that this understanding can significantly inform our sense of identity. Her work is a call to everyone to explore their roots, not just for personal knowledge but to honour the lives of those who came before us.

As she continues to inspire others through her lectures, books, and personal journey, she embodies the idea that family history is for everyone. Her work encourages us to think critically and compassionately about where we come from, and how those roots shape who we are today.

To find out more about Dr Penny Walters see her website www.searchmypast.co.uk