Oliver Howard, BA (Hons)

With a long-standing interest in history and genealogy, Oliver joined Anglia Research after he graduated from the University of Essex with a first-class degree in politics in 2002.

After 20 years he remains one of our longest-serving case managers. His head for problem-solving and analysis makes him ideally suited to the role.

 

I would say I am a cross between a private detective and a historian.

I enjoy the mental challenge of the more difficult cases – the cases that require visits to local register offices, data sets that we wouldn’t normally use and a bit of thinking outside the box.

 

“DNA testing has also been really useful in my family for reuniting us with members who were given up at birth and unknown to us. One such case, where my DNA matched a lady called Phyllis, a 1st cousin of my mother, helped her to find out who her biological family were, just a year or so before she died.

This was then included on the BBC’s Family Finders show a few years ago and was the subject of a successful book published a few years back by her daughter. That was a really good experience. Now, decade on, her daughter is an integral part of the clan, so it’s also a gift that keeps on giving.”