About Us

Family Tree Magazine began in 1984, with an interest in family history, a dining room table and a portable Brother typewriter. In 1986 we moved the operations into a brick outbuilding. On outgrowing that, 1991 saw another move, this time into two units on the Stocking Fen Industrial Estate and then finally, in 1993 we transferred to our present headquarters at 61 Great Whyte Ramsey. At this time four more family members joined the partnership and we became Armstrong, Boon & Marriott (Publishing).

The magazine has steadily grown into the highest circulating British family history publication, currently selling more than 40,000 copies every month, with readers in more than 40 countries throughout the world. Apart from the family, the business now employs 11 people, plus a number of part-time writers and consultants who operate from elsewhere.

In 1997, we launched our second magazine, Practical Family History, which is specially designed for the novice family historian; this too is continually growing in circulation.

In 2004, ABM Publishing Ltd was proud to have received the prestigious Prince Michael of Kent Award, for introducing family history to a wide audience for 20 years. This occasional award is recommended by the Society of Genealogists and the only other recipient to date was the Family Records Centre in 2000.


Pictured here is ABM’s general manager, Sue Fearn receiving the award from HRH Prince Michael at the AGM of the Society in June 2004.

Those interested in family history are welcome to visit our premises during office hours. We have a small but well stocked bookshop with a selection of over 200 family history titles and a library of reference books, amongst which anyone is welcome to browse and take notes.