Janet Few

Dr Janet Few is an experienced family, social and community historian who has lectured on three continents and at sea. A qualified family historian, Janet gained distinction in the advanced certificate in Genealogy and Heraldry awarded by the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies. Janet completed her doctorate at the University of Exeter, researching migration patterns in nineteenth century North Devon. She was the critical reader and family history advisor to the Open University with regard to the course 'Family and Community History'; a course that she went on to tutor. Janet is responsible for several books and numerous articles for history and family history publications. She has also worked with BBC television's Who Do You Think You Are? programme. Janet is currently serving as the President of the Family History Federation.

Working as an historical interpreter, Janet spends time living in the seventeenth century as her alter ego, Mistress Agnes. She is the manager of Swords and Spindles, a company providing living history presentations for schools, heritage sites, history societies and social groups.

Her publications include:

• A History of Women’s Work: the evolution of working women’s lives (Pen and Sword, 2025)
• Tracing your Marginalised Ancestors: a guide for family historians (Pen and Sword, 2024)
• Putting your Ancestors in their Place a Guide to One-Place Studies, 2nd revised edition (Blue Poppy Publishing, 2024)
• The Family Historian's Enquire Within (Family History Partnership, 2014), shortlisted for a Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals award
• Remember Then: women's memories of 1946-1969 and how to write your own (Family History Partnership, 2015)
• Coffers, Clysters, Comfrey and Coifs: the lives of our seventeenth century ancestors (Family History Partnership, 2012)
• Historical Fiction Barefoot on the Cobbles (Blue Poppy Publishing, 2018)
• Historical Fiction Sins as Red as Scarlet (Blue Poppy Publishing, 2020)