Institutional Use and Citations

Paul Crooks’ work, A Tree Without Roots, is referenced within academic, archival, and research contexts as a methodological resource for reconstructing Caribbean ancestry from fragmented historical records.

This page documents where Paul Crooks’ work has been cited, referenced, or used by archives, academic research, and public history organisations.

These references are grounded in documented research into how Caribbean records function and where they break down.
See Caribbean Genealogy: Why Records Break Down.

Institutional Events and Media Features

BBC Radio 4 (Home Truths Feature, 2002)

Use Type: Broadcast feature / editorial profile
Source: Tracing Family History
Context: Editorial feature profiling Paul Crooks’ reconstruction of African-Caribbean ancestry and historical research findings
Status: Broadcast and published by BBC Radio 4
Evidence: Named feature detailing Paul Crooks’ work, publications, and genealogical research

BBC Press Office (British Library Event Programme, 2006)

Use Type: Institutional event listing / media platform
Source: Trace your family history with BBC London at the British Library
Context: Listed as a contributing speaker within a British Library programme alongside National Archives representation
Status: Published by BBC Press Office
Evidence: Named inclusion of Paul Crooks in official BBC event release

American Black Holocaust Museum (Event Programme Listing, 2024)

Use Type: Institutional event listing / museum programme
Source: Black History and Ancestry Talks with Paul Crooks
Context: Hosted as part of a museum programme on Black history and ancestry
Status: Published by American Black Holocaust Museum
Evidence: Named listing of Paul Crooks as featured speaker within institutional event programming

Archival and Research Guide Use

Friends of Medway Archives (The Clock Tower Journal, Issue 36, 2014)

Use Type: Archival publication
Context: Featured within an official archival journal as a recommended genealogical resource for tracing ancestry where standard public records are limited or absent
Source: The Clock Tower (FOMA Journal, Issue 36)
Status: Included within published archival material
Evidence: “A Tree Without Roots, by Paul Crooks.”

Derbyshire Record Office (Blog Feature, 2019)

Use Type: Archival feature / institutional blog
Source: History is no good if it doesn’t empower you in some way
Context: Feature article referencing Paul Crooks’ perspective on the role and interpretation of historical records within archival practice
Status: Published by UK archive service
Evidence: Named reference to Paul Crooks and his work within an institutional archive context

Integration in Institutional Research and Archival Guidance

University of Leeds (Secret Library / African-Caribbean Family History)

Use Type: Research guide citation
Source: View research guide 
Context: Recommended as a key text for tracing Caribbean ancestry and interpreting plantation-era records within African-Caribbean family history research materials

Southwark Council (Local History Library and Archive)

Use Type: Research guide citation
Source: Tracing your Caribbean family
Context: Cited as a recommended resource within official archival guidance for Caribbean ancestry research

Sheffield City Archives

Use Type: Research guide citation
Source: Trace your Caribbean Ancestors (PDF)
Context: Included within specialist archival guidance for tracing Caribbean ancestry

Hampshire Archives and Local Studies

Use Type: Curated archival reading list
Source: Tracing your roots: select reading list
Context: Included within a curated archival reading list for family history research, alongside works by established historians and archivists
Status: Published by Hampshire Archives and Local Studies
Evidence: “A Tree Without Roots, by Paul Crooks” listed within official archival guidance

Institutional Holdings (Selected)

  • British Library (Legal deposit collection)
  • Library of Congress (General collection)
  • University of Oxford (Bodleian Libraries)
  • SOAS University of London (Research collections)