Testimonials

  • I just wanted to let you know that my Mum absolutely loved the family tree. She was very excited to see all the names and follow back to people she remembered her parents talking about. The size was perfect – could read it with ease, which is pretty good these days. Thanks so much.

    Amelia H

    - Geelong

  • Phoebe has taken on several research requirements for me evaluating material in mental health, cemetery, and bankruptcy records in PROV and other places. She is helpful in clarifying research questions, has a good knowledge of Melbourne’s archives, is very responsive, and works quickly and efficiently to produce a result within the cost first estimated. She brings added value to the research by investigating what lies behind obvious answers and can often lay her hands on added records that are not always known to family historians outside Melbourne. Considering the cost of a Melbourne visit, commissioning Born & Bred Historical Research, is very cost effective and also brings a fresh pair of eyes to your research.

    Jenny R

    - New Zealand

  • The service that Born & Bred had provided to me on several occasions has been first class. Not only have they been able to uncover hidden facts about my family tree, they have enabled me to quickly get past roadblocks that had been stumping me for some time. They are effective, efficient and very friendly to deal with. I would recommend them to anyone who need either a little assistance or to have your entire family history discovered.

    Colin C

    - Geelong

  • Working with Phoebe has taken all of the stress out of the job of presenting a beautiful and rich book of memories for our founder, Stan Canny which stemmed from an idea I had. From the work that he did prior to opening his own business to the ins and outs of the reasoning behind opening his own firm and why he was able to stay in business for 60 years was all taken care of by Phoebe. The research was flawless and she was even able to access historical pictures that I wouldn’t have even known existed. Phoebe brought a great deal of knowledge to our meetings and the end product was flawless. I would recommend her to work with over and over again.

    Edwina W

    - Canny Group, Geelong

  • My mother had always told me she knew very little of her own mother’s history so after we gathered some basic information, we contact Phoebe and the team at Born & Bred to continue the quest. Phoebe really knew where to look for information and was able to give us a greater insight into the family members we had such scarce information on. With her help we were able to compile a book of more family information to present to my mother for her 90th birthday. Thanks so much Phoebe, great work by you and the Born & Bred team.

    Steve T

    - Geelong

  • When my family history project came to a “dead end” during the COVID era, I did not hesitate to contact Phoebe Wilkens at Born & Bred Historical Research to help me find an answer. The details of the range of services she offers plus the previous experience she described on the Born & Bred website assured me Phoebe had exactly the expertise to find what I was looking for! Her response was prompt and highly professional and was delivered in a very pleasant, “client-friendly” manner. I am happy to recommend Phoebe to any other amateur family historian who needs professional input to a genealogy project involving Victorian ancestors.

    Norma B

    - Melbourne

  • I began my project of researching the lives of my paternal grandparents by exploring historical records for the years they lived in Western Australia. They later lived in Victoria, including some years in Geelong. Whilst I was able to uncover some useful information from online public records, I reached a point where I had a number of loose ends and clearly could benefit from some professional historical research expertise. A referral to Phoebe Wilkens proved a master stroke. Phoebe eagerly accepted my brief of work and has produced a most comprehensive report which reveals factual records, including property information that will be critical for the finalisation of the biography of my grandparents. I have been delighted with her work and would highly recommend Phoebe to anyone looking for assistance with historical family research, no matter where they might live.

    Dennis F

    - Perth, Western Australia