If you are just starting your family history, try to find the earliest fact/date you are reasonably sure of (e.g. your grandparents’ marriage).
Details from any birth/marriage/death certificates will be useful, or failing this names, place and approximate year of relevant events (please copy- do not send your original documents).
Often these can be obtained by talking with older family members or from family papers. We can obtain certificates for you if necessary.
An indication of professions/religion can also be useful, but is not essential.
For specific searches, please tell us which resources you have already used to avoid duplication of effort, and indicate whether family events such as baptisms have been confirmed using original sources (e.g. Parish registers, certificates) or whether they are based on secondary sources such as ‘Family Search’ and I.G.I. (International Genealogical Index). If you have information from census returns, a copy of the relevant entry or page reference is always helpful.