Last updated: 15 October 2026

At The Ancestral Quill, your family history and personal information are treated with care, respect and confidentiality.

This Privacy Policy explains what information I collect, why I collect it, how it is used and how I keep it safe.

1. Who I Am

The Ancestral Quill provides family history research, genealogy guidance and related services.

The person or business responsible for your personal information (the data controller) is:

Whitewick Studios Ltd
Trading as: The Ancestral Quill
Email: theancestralquill@gmail.com

2. Information I Collect

Depending on the service you request, I may collect:

• Your name, email address and contact details.
• Information needed to arrange appointments and process bookings.
• Family names, dates, places and relationships relevant to your research.
• Family trees, photographs, documents and historical records you choose to share.
• Information discovered through genealogy databases, archives and publicly available records.
• Payment and transaction details necessary for business administration.

Family history research may involve information about living relatives. I ask that you only provide information you are entitled to share and that you avoid sending unnecessary sensitive personal information.

3. How Your Information Is Used

Your information is used to:

• Respond to enquiries and arrange appointments.
• Provide genealogy sessions and research services.
• Investigate family history and prepare research findings.
• Communicate with you about your booking.
• Process payments and maintain business records.
• Meet applicable legal and accounting obligations.

I will not use your family history or research findings for public examples, testimonials or promotional material without appropriate permission.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK data protection law, personal information must be processed on a lawful basis.

The Ancestral Quill generally relies on:

• Contract: To arrange and deliver the services you have requested.
• Legal obligation: To maintain records required by tax, accounting or other applicable laws.
• Legitimate interests: To respond to enquiries, manage the business securely and, where appropriate, conduct proportionate research involving information about living individuals. These interests are balanced against the privacy rights of those individuals.
• Consent: Where required for optional marketing or particular uses of personal information.

Where research involves particularly sensitive information about living people, additional legal protections may apply. Such information will only be processed where an appropriate legal condition is met.

5. Family History Research & Confidentiality

Genealogical research may involve historical documents, archives, online databases and information supplied by clients.

Information about deceased individuals is not generally covered by UK GDPR, although confidentiality and other legal obligations may still apply.

Information relating to identifiable living individuals is handled in accordance with applicable data protection law.

Research findings are shared with the commissioning client only where it is lawful and appropriate to do so.

6. How Information Is Stored

Personal information and research materials are stored using appropriate security measures, including password-protected accounts and devices, access controls and secure storage for physical documents.

Information is only accessible to those who reasonably need it to provide the service.

7. Sharing Your Information

I do not sell your personal information.

Information may be shared where necessary with service providers such as booking systems, payment processors, email providers, secure file-storage services and genealogy research platforms.

Relevant details may also be submitted to archives or record providers where necessary to undertake agreed research.

Where these services process personal information on my behalf, appropriate data protection arrangements will be used.

8. How Long Information Is Kept

Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary.

The following retention periods apply:

• Enquiries that do not become bookings: One Calendar Year
• Completed research files and client correspondence: Five Years
• Financial and transaction records: For the period required by applicable tax and accounting law.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or destroyed.

9. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have the right to:

• Request access to personal information held about you.
• Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected.
• Request deletion of your information in certain circumstances.
• Request restrictions on how your information is used.
• Object to certain uses of your information, including processing based on legitimate interests.
• Request transfer of your information where applicable.
• Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis.

You have the right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing at any time.

To exercise your rights, please contact theancestralquill@gmail.com

Some rights are subject to legal exceptions, including requirements to retain particular business records.

10. Marketing Communications

I will only send promotional emails or newsletters where permitted by applicable law.

Where consent is required, you can withdraw it at any time by contacting me or using the unsubscribe option provided.

11. Website Hosting, Analytics and Cookies

The Ancestral Quill website is built and hosted using IONOS MyWebsite Now.

IONOS processes certain technical information when visitors access the website to support its operation, security and performance.

The website also uses IONOS SiteAnalytics, which collects information for statistical analysis and technical optimisation.

According to IONOS, MyWebsite Now and its SiteAnalytics service do not use cookies.

If additional website features or third-party services are introduced, this Privacy Policy will be updated to explain any further data processing or cookies used.

Further information about IONOS can be found at www.ionos.co.uk.

12. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated to reflect changes to services, business practices or legal requirements.

The latest version will be available on The Ancestral Quill website.

13. Contact

If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is handled, please contact:

The Ancestral Quill
Email: theancestralquill@gmail.com