The Family History Society of Cheshire

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

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

Graham outlines the development of theatres and entertainments, with particular reference to those in Nantwich.

Contact email:

Entrance fees: 
£2.00 for Members, 
£3.00 for Non-members

Chester Group run a family history help desk at the Library at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester CH1 2AR, from 10 am to 12 noon on Tuesdays which is open to everyone looking for help with their family history.

If you are a newcomer to family history or are looking for some local knowledge or have run up against a brickwall or would like some help on a computing or internet aspect of family history, just ask. There is always somebody who would be pleased to help

Gay Oliver will be at Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre on the first and third Tuesdays of each month there to help anyone on a one-to-one basis either to start your family history or to solve queries between 2.00pm and 4.00pm

Please ring them on 01613424242 to make an appointment or contact Gay via:  

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

Chester Group run a family history help desk at the Library at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester CH1 2AR, from 10 am to 12 noon on Tuesdays which is open to everyone looking for help with their family history.

If you are a newcomer to family history or are looking for some local knowledge or have run up against a brickwall or would like some help on a computing or internet aspect of family history, just ask. There is always somebody who would be pleased to help

Memories of Parkside

by Dennis Whyte

28th April 2026

Admission: £2 members | £3 visitors (includes refreshments)

All Welcome!

For details:

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

Chester Group run a family history help desk at the Library at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester CH1 2AR, from 10 am to 12 noon on Tuesdays which is open to everyone looking for help with their family history.

If you are a newcomer to family history or are looking for some local knowledge or have run up against a brickwall or would like some help on a computing or internet aspect of family history, just ask. There is always somebody who would be pleased to help