Family history is just one piece of the pie.(Features)

Byline: RACHEL MAINWARING

WHEN Beverley Pemberton isn't rushing around trying to hold down two jobs, and looking after her dad and family, she enjoys nothing better than researching her family tree.

And there's nowhere Beverley would rather be than the beautiful kitchen diner in her semi-detached home in Dinas Powys.

Beverley's great-great grandfather set up Clark's Pies more than 100 years ago and she helps run the Cardiff-based business with her dad Dennis Dutch, and sister Amanda Rosoman.

She's also an educational welfare officer for the Vale of Glamorgan and she would be the first to admit she has a very busy life.

But with a huge interest in history, Beverley loves to spend time at the dining room table in her kitchen, ploughing through paperwork as she researches the family tree.

Beverley, 51, says: "I come from a very big family and I've managed to search back to 1762. I've always had an interest in history. I studied it at university and then a few years ago I decided to go to some history classes because I decided to I wanted to trace back the family, and also find out more about the history of Clark's Pies.

"It was set up by my great-great-grandfather and has been passed through four different generations so there's plenty to research. The kitchen is a lovely place to just sit at the table and plough through everything.

"Since buying the house years ago, we've extended it from three to four bedrooms and more recently extended the kitchen, knocking down a wall to make it bigger.

"The kitchen itself is white with plank effect doors and the worktops are a mottled grey colour, with tiny flecks of orange and brown, which pick up the colour of the pine dresser. I designed the dresser myself and it provides great storage for all my bits and bobs.

"We've also had Karndean floor tiles put throughout and I just really like the feel of it. It has patio doors opening into the south-facing garden, which has a real Mediterranean feel to it, with pots and a pergola.

"I've got everything to hand, and wireless internet so it's just a lovely place to sit and sift through the family research. It's taken me to places all over Britain, from Chesterfield, to Swindon and whenever I visit old record offices I always try to make a little trip out of it, booking a country pub to stay in with my partner Andrew Morgan."

Beverley, who has two sons, Christopher, 28, and Steven, 24, says the rest of the house blends in beautifully with her kitchen, with lots of pine furniture.

She says: "Extending the kitchen was the best thing I ever did. From an entertaining point of view, it's a lovely layout because you don't feel excluded when you are cooking in the kitchen as there is plenty of space around the table. We had lots here from Christmas and it's just a really nice room to be in."

Beverley, who has researched eight generations of her family, has had her recent history of Clark's Pies included in the new Cardiff Story, which was officially opened by the Duchess of Cornwall last week.

She adds: "It's something that has always interested me and it's lovely to be involved in the history of Cardiff."

steal Beverley's style

CAPTION(S):

Keep the pot warm with this traditional tea cosy with pompoms from notonthe highstreet.com for pounds 35 Store your stuff with this classic solid pine open top Welsh dresser from thewoodstore.co.uk for pounds 399 Brew up a cuppa with this Bodum orange IBIS jug kettle from Debenhams for pounds 33 Shed some light on things with this Loren floor lamp from John Lewis for pounds 200 Dine with the family at this oval Pembroke pine table at diningtable.co.uk, price from pounds 450 Time for tea? Check with this traditional bold pine wall clock from amazon.co.uk for pounds 23.95 * Beverley Pemberton's great-great grandfather set up Clark's Pies more than 100 years ago in Cardiff