in Cheshire
13
Apr
2026

Research Centre

Free
Research Centre

Mobberley Research Centre telephone number: 07712 103715

If you have not been to the Mobberley Research Centre before, or if you are coming from a distance away, please call on above number to let us know you are coming. We shall then try to ensure that there is someone with extra time available to help you. Also, at holiday times, or if the weather is bad, please phone the Centre on the above number during opening hours before making your journey- to check we are open on the day you wish to visit.

The Research Centre provides a wide range of facilities to help you with your research. Our team of Duty Volunteers is there to help you make the most of the facilities on offer and to give you help and advice.

13
Apr
2026

Sail West, Young Man! by David Shaw

13-04-2026 7:30 pm -9:00 pm
All welcome, admission fee £2.00, which includes refreshments
Sail West, Young Man! by David Shaw

Wades Green is the name of a small settlement near the village of Church Minshull, Cheshire.

Wade's Green is also a former plantation now used by the Turks and Caicos National Trust to celebrate emancipation.

The talk explores how, strangely, the two are linked via an 'ordinary' Cheshire farming family from Gawsworth, a newspaper advert, slavery, several cotton plantations and an unusual and unexpected inheritance.

14
Apr
2026

Research Centre Open

14-04-2026 10:00 am -4:00 pm
Free
Research Centre Open

The Brierley Business Centre is situated on Mirion Street, with free on-site parking and some disabled parking spaces. The Research Centre occupies Units 3 and 4 on the ground floor. Press the doorbell button for FHSC on the left-hand side of the main entrance doorway, one of our volunteers will come to the door and let you in, or you may be simply 'buzzed' in. 

FREE access to Ancestry, FindMyPast, British Newspaper Archive and The Genealogist

An extensive library of books and the Crewe Collection (formerly Crewe and District Local History Archives)

We would normally ask that you book if you are travelling any distance so that we can be sure that you have the equipment, resources and volunteer available to you. Please contact Margaret Spate with requests for either day on   adding "Research Centre" in the subject line.


For full details of our holdings, please see the Crewe Research Centre Library Holdings lists in the Public Library.

We look forward to welcoming both current and new members to the Crewe Research Centre, not forgetting any new volunteers.

15
Apr
2026

Inconvenient People, and how to find them: Tales from the Victorian ‘lunacy panics’ by Sarah Wise

15-04-2026 7:30 pm -9:30 pm
FHSC members only
Inconvenient People, and how to find them: Tales from the Victorian ‘lunacy panics’ by Sarah Wise

Sarah Wise is an author and her latest book "Inconvenient People: Lunacy, Liberty and the Mad-Doctors in Victorian England" explores how Victorian-era laws were used to confine individuals deemed "inconvenient" by their families, which is the basis for this talk. The 19th century saw a series of scandals concerning sane individuals being locked away in lunatic asylums – the victims of unscrupulous persons, who wanted to be rid of a ‘difficult’ family member, spouse or friend. But who were the victims of this trade? How much can you find out about contested cases, private asylums and dodgy doctors in the surviving archives? Sarah Wise explains what she learnt during research for her book and has some fascinating, if not very sad examples.

This event is for members only and registration opens on 1st April, when the ‘Register [Individual]’ button will show on the bottom left of the Event details on the FHSC website for you to click and then process your registration, you will receive an email confirmation. Registration will close on 13th April.

The zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the day before the talk.  If you run into any difficulties with this, then please contact us on the dedicated seminar email address – . The Seminar series is co-ordinated by Margaret Spate, Jean Laidlaw and Margaret Roberts and ALL correspondence, queries etc should be sent to the dedicated email address.

 

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT RECORD SEMINAR TALKS

16
Apr
2026

Research Centre

Free
Research Centre

Mobberley Research Centre telephone number: 07712 103715

If you have not been to the Mobberley Research Centre before, or if you are coming from a distance away, please call on above number to let us know you are coming. We shall then try to ensure that there is someone with extra time available to help you. Also, at holiday times, or if the weather is bad, please phone the Centre on the above number during opening hours before making your journey- to check we are open on the day you wish to visit.

The Research Centre provides a wide range of facilities to help you with your research. Our team of Duty Volunteers is there to help you make the most of the facilities on offer and to give you help and advice.

16
Apr
2026

Family Historian

16-04-2026 7:30 pm -9:30 pm
Free
Family Historian

The Family Historian Users Group provides support and tips for using Family Historian software. Led by Geoff Johnson members are welcome to chat about their experiences of using the software and to discuss any problems etc that other members of the group may be able to help out with

17
Apr
2026

Help Desk

17-04-2026 10:00 am - 24-04-2026 7:00 am
Free
Help Desk
  • Run by local FHSC members this is weekly helpdesk held at the Wallasey Central Reference Library, EarlstonRd, Wallasey CH45 5DX every Friday between 10am and 1pm.

    Step free access is available via a ramp and internal lift and all are welcome.

18
Apr
2026

Research Centre Open

18-04-2026 10:00 am -12:00 pm
Free
Research Centre Open

Our experienced and knowledgeable volunteers are always on hand to help and guide you  no matter what your level of expertise; be you just starting out on your family history journey or more advanced. We are here for all, with suggestions, advice and expert local knowledge.

Units 3 & 4 

Brierley Business Centre 

Mirion Street

Crewe

CW1 2AP

Tel: 07352 454501

The Brierley Business Centre is situated on Mirion Street, with free on-site parking and some disabled parking spaces. The Research Centre occupies Units 3 and 4 on the ground floor. Press the doorbell button for FHSC on the left-hand side of the main entrance doorway, one of our volunteers will come to the door and let you in, or you may be simply 'buzzed' in. 

FREE access to Ancestry, FindMyPast, British Newspaper Archive and The Genealogist

An extensive library of books and the Crewe Collection (formerly Crewe and District Local History Archives)

We would normally ask that you book if you are travelling any distance so that we can be sure that you have the equipment, resources and volunteer available to you. Please contact Margaret Spate with requests for either day on   adding "Research Centre" in the subject line.

                   
For full details of our holdings, please see the Crewe Research Centre Library Holdings lists in the Public Library.

We look forward to welcoming both current and new members to the Crewe Research Centre, not forgetting any new volunteers.

20
Apr
2026

Research Centre Open

20-04-2026 10:00 am -4:00 pm
Free
Research Centre Open

The Brierley Business Centre is situated on Mirion Street, with free on-site parking and some disabled parking spaces. The Research Centre occupies Units 3 and 4 on the ground floor. Press the doorbell button for FHSC on the left-hand side of the main entrance doorway, one of our volunteers will come to the door and let you in, or you may be simply 'buzzed' in. 

FREE access to Ancestry, FindMyPast, British Newspaper Archive and The Genealogist

An extensive library of books and the Crewe Collection (formerly Crewe and District Local History Archives)

We would normally ask that you book if you are travelling any distance so that we can be sure that you have the equipment, resources and volunteer available to you. Please contact Margaret Spate with requests for either day on   adding "Research Centre" in the subject line.


For full details of our holdings, please see the Crewe Research Centre Library Holdings lists in the Public Library.

We look forward to welcoming both current and new members to the Crewe Research Centre, not forgetting any new volunteers.

20
Apr
2026

MAC Users

20-04-2026 2:00 pm -4:00 pm
Free
MAC Users

The MAC Users Discussion Group meets on the third Monday of the month at 2pm. The group is led by John Reed and is the perfect place to discuss any issues or share your hints and tips and learn from other members about all things MAC related. Thinking of swapping to a MAC  then there is no better way to find out more.