A good starting point was to interview my existing family members. From my grandfather, I was able to get his parents' birth certificates and from them details about their parents. I was also able to get information about my Manx side of the family from my uncle.
I have lived in Spain for over 4 years now, which is not the ideal place to research my family from. However,when I have been on holiday in the UK, I have taken full advantage by visiting records centres. I have been to the Family Records Centre in Islington, London in order to obtain birth, death and marriage certificates. At the Family Records Centre you can get such certificates for events dating from 1837. You can also inspect various censuses.
I have also been to the East Sussex Record Office in Lewes, Sussex in order to acquire records before 1837. Both these centres have online and postal services if you do not have the opportunity of visiting them (see useful addresses page).
The Internet is a great source of information. There are sites where you can do online searches such as: Ancestry, Family Search and Free BMD
Message boards on the Internet such as ancestry message boards are also useful. I have gained some important information and made some great contacts, including distant relatives through them.
The most important things I have learnt are to keep busy, make contacts and to be patient. At the time of writing (September, 2003), I have found 315 family members across 11 generations.
The Latter Day Saints Church offer a research service which is excellent for records pre-1837 if you do not live near a records office. You can order films from then and look at them on microfiche machines at your local church see: Latter Day Saints
At present I am working with Canterbury Cathedral in order to confirm my Bullard family roots.
DTB 27 May, 2007