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It is with sadness that we report the death of Graham Fidler.
Our Chairman writes:

"As chairman of the society I was shocked and greatly saddened to hear of Graham's death.

The Society was extremely lucky to have the benefit of his undoubted wisdom, especially on anything and everything to do with computers.

The Society would never have progressed in the last 10 to 15 years as it has done without Graham's drive, energy,enthusiasm,pugnacious tenacity,expertise and knowledge. He did not suffer fools gladly and called 'a spade a spade' but you knew where you stood as a result.

His time as our editor will be remembered by everyone. The Journal 'took off' under his editor's control. I mean no disrespect to his predecessors when I say that.

The computer club was 'his' baby really as those who attend it will agree. He had the happy ability to explain to beginners how the computer worked and was good at explaining what to the novice looked incomprehensible! I recall him speaking at a North West Group Fair at the Velodrome in Manchester about 4 years ago. The room was stuffy and hot, packed, literally standing room only, with more outside in the corridor,to listen to him explaining the mysteries of the internet and computers. He had not been long out of hospital if my memory is right.

On occasions such as this one is tempted to say, 'he will be hard replace'. I confidently say 'he cannot be replaced' for he was irreplaceable. Even at times when he was suffering from indifferent health, which dogged him in the last decade or so he persevered and 'bounced back'. Many will remember when his voice'disappeared' after one trip to the operating theatre! He could not be silenced even then!!

I always enjoyed reading and learning from his Net That Serf editorials.I would be less than honest if I did not admit to being, on occasion, exasperated by some of the things he did or said in committee!! However his ability to cut straight to the root of a problem and to offer a solution was though a redeeming feature; a talent not given to many.

He was a tremendous ally to our Society, its members and all family historians. The Society has received many kind comments since he died. His funeral will be packed I feel sure.

A great loss to us all but we are the richer for having the privilege of knowing him, working alongside him and learning from him .Our condolences go to his widow and son . The funeral will take place at Altrincham crematorium on Friday 27th June at 2.30 pm. "

The Chester Group of the FHS-C hosted the "Chester Family and Local History Day" on Saturday 19th April between 10am and 4pm. There were several local history groups taking part and also present were representatives from The Register Office , The Heritage Centre , The Record Office ( Duke Street ) and Chester Library etc. There was a tombola and refreshments and to add colour to the day we had The Sealed Knot Society . We saw many members and visitors at the event at the Chester County Sports Club as there was something of interest to everyone .
For more information click here

Chester Group would like to say thank you to all the participants and visitors that took part in their recent Family and Local History Day . It was a great success with about 350 people attending . A very enjoyable day was had by all and hopefully we managed to help with many family history queries .

On 26 April 2008 the Manchester and Lancashire Family History Societ host the North West Group of Family History Societies' Annual Spring Conference. Full details at The North West Group of Family History Societies

The Family History Society of Cheshire held its ninth annual fair at the Memorial Hall, Northwich on Saturday 23rd February 2008.

This popular event had its usual mix of displays by groups within the Society, stands by neighbouring family and local history societies, book stalls (new and second-hand) and the popular help desk. In among these displays you will find CDs, fiche, local information and publications. Then there is the computer section including UKBMD and CheshireBMD; computers are something no family researcher can surely now avoid. There really is something for every family historian whether experienced hand or just starting out on the quest. You will even meet members in period dress - at least one group does a "theme" display each year, which is eagerly anticipated by regular visitors.

Within 25-hours of inviting bookings by exhibitors, spaces were being snapped up - and it has to be said that the hall is not expandable so it will definitely be first come, first served for floor space. Traders, society and others interested in stall space should make very early contact with the event organiser.

The fair attracts many visitors throughout the day; and it has been known for the tombola to be sold-out by lunchtime so the early bird really does get the ... prize! There is plenty of parking available adjacent to the town centre hall.

We look forward to another friendly, busy and successful day next year - don't miss it!

The Family History Society of Cheshire's

Ninth Annual Family History Day
10am till 4pm, Saturday 23rd February
Memorial Hall, Chester Way, Northwich
Enquiries from editors to: Journal Editor
Downloadable Flyer

"Kill or cure...medicine and your ancestors" by Craig Thornber . We are promised this will be gory enough to entertain as well as being instructive ! The talk will concentrate 18th and 19th Century medicine and comes highly commended.

Both before and after the talk there were opportunities to browse and buy from the bookstall our books cd-roms and microfiche .

As ever there was the opportunity to meet old friends and to view displays which included one from Birkenhead on some of its famous residents.

After lunch the AGM was held at 2.30 pm The officers presented their reports on the activities of the Society during the last year including its finances .

On 12 May 2007 the Family History Society of Cheshire hosted the annual conference of the North West Group of Family History Societies (NWGFHS). This year the theme is "Working Lives" and we were fortunate in booking four leading speakers. All family historians were invited to this conference with the FHSC.

Although Trinity House has, since Elizabethan times, been the general lighthouse authority for England and Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, Liverpool's lighthouses were built and administered by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB) and its predecessor, the Dock Trust. They were operational, as manned lighthouses, from about the mid-eighteenth to the early twentieth century. This is the first history of the various Mersey lighthouses - and the men and women who kept the lights - from Liverpool itself to Lynas Point, Anglesey. Lighting the way into the Mersey for the thousands of ships that entered the river, the lighthouses of Liverpool Bay saved many a vessel from running aground.

When researching our book, Lighthouses of Liverpool Bay, we found much useful information about the employees of the MDHB and its predecessor. In our research we used the minutes of the Dock Committee at the Merseyside Maritime Museum Archive and Liverpool Record Office. The minutes give valuable background information and comments on the behaviour of the men and women who kept the lights. The Registers of Officers were invaluable as they detailed the various moves of the keepers from the beginning of their careers until they were superannuated, left the service or died. Letter books were another source of useful information on individuals. Much of this information is featured in our book, but the list of keepers we compiled couldn’t be included for technical reasons. However, it can be downloaded here as an MS Word document (375 kB).

As the port of Liverpool began to expand, the first four lighthouses were built on the Cheshire coast in 1763 by the Dock Trust; two at Hoylake and two at Leasowe. Eight years later, another Cheshire lighthouse was built on Bidston Hill to replace the lower Leasowe lighthouse, which had collapsed. Within a few years a lighthouse was installed on Point Lynas, Anglesey to assist the pilot service. In 1830 the Rock lighthouse (New Brighton) was erected to facilitate passage through the Rock Channel and into the Mersey. During the early 19th century lighthouses operated on the Lancashire coast at Formby and Crosby. Later in the century another lighthouse was built on Great Ormeshead, Llandudno and in 1877 the North Wall lighthouse came into operation at Gladstone Dock, at the northern end of Liverpool's dock system. It is the keepers of these lighthouses who appear in our list of Liverpool's Lighthouse Keepers.

Almost 600 people attended our Society's ninth annual Family History Fair at Northwich Memorial Hall on Saturday 24 February 2007. Thank you to all those who gave their support, and we hope to be back at the same venue next year.

I am delighted to report that the Society has won the Elizabeth Simpson Award for the best Family History Journal in 2005. This year the award was sponsored by Family History Monthly from whom we will be receiving a cheque for £100.

I would like to take the opportunity of congratulating Jacqui and all contributors, including of course Graham Fidler for Net that Serf ,for ensuring that the Ancestor was the Best Family History Magazine in 2005. I am sure you will agree a well deserved result

Now that David has told the world of our win, can I please add thanks to EVERYONE who contributes to the Ancestor including the team who have been involved with preparing the "green pages" (Andrew, Chris, Heather and Maurice), and of course Graham for Net that Serf. I have thanked my brilliant proof readers who keep my English grammatically correct (they struggle with me!!) but I think you should know they are Brett, and a good friend of mine - who is STILL my good friend despite the load I give her - Suzie Woodward.

I also thank John Lord: he is not involved with production of the Ancestor, but he ensures it goes out to the members - a vital part of the system! And our printers - G W Belton Ltd., particularly Tony Cuckson who has taught me so much about "print" over the years.

I am only the editor - if there is no material for me to edit I am sunk before I start! Those on the committee know that I wouldn't enter the competition - I felt that as editor it was "blowing my own trumpet", but I was happy for anyone on the committee to make an entry if they felt the Ancestor merited it. It was David Smetham who did: thank you David!!

Thank you to everyone who helps with articles, reports, group programmes - it is *much* appreciated by me...and, so it would seem, also by the judges!! I believe that I am therefore deemed (should that be 'doomed'?) to be a judge of the 2006 competition <g>

THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE