Stripping back artex ceilings or digging up the garden, home owners often uncover traces of family life before they moved in, making them wonder about the history of their beloved home.

Now, a new website is aiming to help people uncover the secrets behind the ghastly wallpaper by creating a profile for the history of every home in the UK.

Homes across Essex and East London are being profiled daily as visitors to the site swap pictures and share stories of the people who first made their house a home.

Karl Dorn and Keith Fullick launched the site four months ago and already have details and pictures for more than 700 homes.

Keith, who came up with the idea when he accidentally stumbled upon a picture of his home in the library, said that he believes that the site will preserve history for people.

He said: “In every place there is always someone who knows everything about a street, but when they go, that knowledge goes with them.

“We wanted to provide a service for people to find out the history of their home and to share their photographs with others.

“Eventually we would like to create a timeline for every home in the UK.

“We have had great feedback and we are getting more and more members every day.”

People visiting the free site are simply asked to provide details about their house and the duo will help them to research it.

Through photographs and documents household residents will be able to see any changes that have been made, and even the people who used to call it home.

Residents of Manford Way, Chigwell, were able to see the smiling young couple who moved into their home in the 1940's, through photographs on the site.

Pictures reveal a little wooden gate as the entrance to their home and a large old fashioned car sat in the street outside.

Joining the site is completely free as it is reliant upon other members helping each other out, as well as research done by the team behind it.

People who wish to find out the history of their home simply need to visit the site and register their interest.

Anybody interested in seeing their home’s past, or sharing their memories, should visit http://www.myhomespast.co.uk/.