All the latest news

Chester Castle will be opening it gates for the Medieval Weekend on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 April 2023.

English Heritage will be telling the stories of life in the castle during that period and showing casing Medieval crafts.

Visit the Agricola Tower and learn about the Medieval Wall paintings, browse through our secondhand book shop located in the cells, watch demonstrations and talk to our experts.

Enjoy the spectacular views from the castle wall walk.

Open 11 am – 3pm both days and entry is free. All are welcome including dogs on leads.

April 01 2023

Free Online Events for April 2023

By Margaret Roberts

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 15:00 - 16:00 BST

Researching Your House History

By National Library of Scotland

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/researching-your-house-history-tickets-565312574127

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 14:00 - 15:00 BST

CWGC Menin Gate Restoration

By Commonwealth War Graves

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cwgc-menin-gate-restoration-050423-tickets-604882157817

Wed, 5 Apr 2023 19:00 - 20:00 BST

A medieval burial ground in Poulton, Cheshire by Dr Kevin Cootes

By the Society for Church Archaeology

Link and more details 👉https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-kevin-cootes-a-medieval-burial-ground-in-poulton-cheshire-tickets-490878880947

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:00 - 16:00 BST

Navigating the Maps Website

By National Library of Scotland

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/navigating-the-maps-website-tickets-580396510587

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:00 - 20:30 BST

An introduction to #CrowdCymru – Digital Archives Volunteer Project

By Glamorgan Family History Society

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-introduction-to-crowdcymru-digital-archives-volunteer-project-tickets-527698419177

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 19:30 - 20:30 BST

CWGC Menin Gate Restoration

By Commonwealth War Graves

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cwgc-menin-gate-restoration-130423-tickets-604893281087

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:00 BST

Magna Carta: Beyond 1215

By The National Archives [Free but donation suggested]

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/magna-carta-beyond-1215-tickets-546013891247

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 19:00 BST

A County Celebrates: Coronations Past and Present

By West Sussex Records Office

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-county-celebrates-coronations-past-and-present-tickets-580344785877

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 18:00 - 19:00 BST

Franca Dellarosa, 'Radical Poetry and Politics in Liverpool, 1790s-1810s'

By EHU Nineteen

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/franca-dellarosa-radical-poetry-and-politics-in-liverpool-1790s-1810s-tickets-579338355617

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:30 - 18:00 BST

‘The Government Will Not Issue Passports and Foreign Exchange for the Team’: Cricket and South Asian Nation-building in the 1950s - Dr Souvik Naha

By De Montfort University History Dept

Link and more details 👉https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/history-research-seminars-tickets-432154133647

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:00 BST

Coronations through the collections

By National Archives [Free but donation suggested]

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/coronations-through-the-collections-tickets-546064793497

March 31 2023

Cheshire Research Buddies: Virtual Helpdesks

By Margaret Roberts

Ever wished you could have a Cheshire research buddy? Other FHSC members who perhaps know a little more about the area your ancestors hail from, who live in the town or parish, could point you in the right direction for records or even pop out to take a picture of a gravestone or a building, or who may even be a long lost relative?

This new FHSC initiative will offer just that – a chance for members to help each other and in the process become better family historians.

Starting in May our Publicity Officer, Margaret Roberts, will be running a monthly Zoom Helpdesk based on a particular parish/village/area, industry or surname interest. The idea is that members who are researching the topic of the month can come along to ask for help, share knowledge, offer assistance and generally support each other.

The meetings will take place on the last Saturday of the month at 2pm, except for October when it is usually our AGM. The dates and topics of the first two meetings are shown below. These are both places that are often mentioned as those that members are researching in and need help with.

May 27th: Sandbach
June 24th Malpas

In order to make sure the places and topics that members want are covered, please email Margaret on with ideas for future meeting topics. Watch out for further updates as the list is compiled. Margaret also asks that those who wish to attend and who have a research question to email that question in advance so that it can be shared with other attendees beforehand.

FHSC members will need to register to attend, in the same way that you do for the Seminar series. Pop along to the FHSC website, click on Events at the top of the page and scroll down until you find the Cheshire Research Buddies listing, click on the blue title, then click on 'Join' followed by 'Save'.

PLEASE only register if you plan to attend the meetings, as numbers will be limited. Registration is open now and closes at 10am on the day of the meeting

Latest Dataset from Railways Work. Life and Death project

By Margaret Roberts

What happened after an accident? The new trade union data release

The next update to the Railways Work, Life an Death project dataset has been launhed, with around 25,000 records from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (ASRS)/ National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) trade union. Their records show how the Union supported its members after accidents – and not just accidents, either: ill-health and old age both feature extensively, giving us even more insight, previously unavailable, into workers’ lives.

The link with information and to download the data is 👉https://www.railwayaccidents.port.ac.uk/what-happened-after-an-accident-our-new-trade-union-data-release/

The Crewe Works 180th anniversary exhibition is coming to Crewe in July!

By Margaret Roberts

2023 sees the 180th anniversary of the Grand Junction Railway Engineering Works moving from Edge Hill to Crewe and to mark this historic event Crewe Town Council are planning an exciting exhibition.

1st July - 10th September (weekends and bank holidays)

Crewe Heritage Centre

The exhibition theme will be "How Locomotives were a catalyst for change in Crewe" and visitors will be able to explore the following topics:

Crewe Works:

• Experience the sights and sounds of arriving for a shift at Crewe Works

• Understand why Crewe Works was built and what was made there

• Sit in the Drawing Office and design your own loco or learn what tools were used in the Erecting Shop

• Meet the workers and learn about their lives

• Drive a train

How did Crewe Works affect people’s lives?

• Find out how the technologies and innovations from Crewe Works influenced railway development across the world

• Discover Crewe’s record holders and award-winning locomotives

• Explore how the Works contributed to the war effort in 1914 and 1939

How did Crewe Works affect the development of Crewe?

• Learn how the Works shaped the town of Crewe

• Have dinner in a railway cottage

• Go to school in Victorian Crewe

• Discover how railway accidents at the Works informed developments in health

Looking to the future:

• Find out what is still made at Crewe Works today

• Add to a community exhibition about what we are proud of in Crewe

A wraparound programme of pop up events will also be on offer, including drama, town trails, school sessions, heritage skills demonstrations and talks.

If you would like to be involved or to find out more, please contact:

The Crewe Works 180th exhibition webpage is live and will be updated with programme information on an ongoing basis:

http://www.crewetowncouncil.gov.uk/.../crewe-works-180.../

Photo credit: Crewe & District Local History Association.

𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭

By Margaret Roberts

Irish journalist Martin Barry was only 30 years old when he died at the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich, accompanied by his ex girlfriend Laura McDaid.

The night before he died, he asked Laura to fulfil his last request: to track down his birth mother and pass on a message.

Martin had been born in a mother and baby home in Co. Cork in Ireland. He'd never met his birth mother.

Twenty years later, along with her producer Kerry Jamison, Laura embarks on a search that will take her from the top of this island to the bottom and across the Irish sea, to fulfil the promise she made to Martin

𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭

A 6 part podcast from the BBC - be sure to listen to them all for the full story

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001bchd

Eighteen (!) FREE sources for Irish Genealogy

By Margaret Roberts

Eighteen (!) FREE sources for Irish Genealogy - this list has been compiled by Tara Frugalone - so many thanks to Tara for taking the time and trouble

Guide to Irish Family History sources (NLI website): https://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx
RC parish records (not indexed, best used in conjunction with free FindMyPast index): https://registers.nli.ie/
IrishGenealogy.ie source of civil registration records (all island up to 1921) and information on other sources (read about what is available and what time-frames are covered): https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/.../irish.../civil-records
National Archives of Ireland genealogy links: https://genealogy.nationalarchives.ie/ Including the census, will calendars from 1858 (read the guide to testamentary records), and many other useful genealogy sources.
Swilson.info contains directories, maps, and how to work out which civil parish or registration district an RC parish is in and vice versa. https://www.swilson.info/
LibraryIreland: Various sources including many town and county directories (not all at Swilson) and some useful sources (Matheson) on surnames and first name variations in the registrations https://www.libraryireland.com/Genealogy.php
AskAboutIreland: includes some Thoms Directories but most importantly the Griffiths Land Valuations: https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith.../index.xml...
For places (townlands, electoral districts, civil parishes - important info for census and civil registration) see https://www.townlands.ie/
For Ordnance Survey maps see https://osi.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html...
Transportation Records to Australia: https://www.nationalarchives.ie/.../penal.../....
Chief Secretary's Office Papers (CSORP): https://csorp.nationalarchives.ie/context/index.html sometimes you'll find information about appeals related to transportation or requests for appointments, or transfers to other parts of what were then the British colonies.
Linked to both transportation and CSORP papers are the proclamations giving details of offences and the persons sought in conjunction with them (weirdly, these are published on the website of the Law Reform Commission as these Acts need to be repealed!) https://www.lawreform.ie/.../all-ireland-and-general.993...
Dúchas Schools Folklore Collection. A project organised by the Irish government in the 1930s, folklore including stories about local people gathered by primary schools around what's now the Republic of Ireland https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes
Registry of Deeds Index Project: Mostly deeds/mortgages related to land, some marriage articles/settlements and wills: https://irishdeedsindex.net/ This is an ongoing project to index and transcribe documents dating from the 1700s The collection is imaged but not indexed here: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/185720?availability=Family%20History%20Library
Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland (No clan tartans - not an Irish thing!) - if a specific ancestor and his descendants were issued a coat of arms you may find the details here of the pedigree that they presented https://www.nli.ie/en/heraldry-introduction.aspx
Irish Manuscripts Commission - a variety of sources including King's Inn's Admission papers for anyone with a lawyer in their family tree, Registry of Deeds and abstracts of wills from about 1708-1830, Guide to Irish Quaker Records, Books of Survey and Distribution, etc etc https://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/pro.../imc-digital-editions/
Virtual Treasury - a new collaboration and work in progress to try to reconstruct some of the sources lost during the fire in the Public Records Office in 1922, including some of the sources mentioned in previous links e.g. Irish Manuscripts Commission: https://virtualtreasury.ie/
I almost forgot about the Memorials for the Dead, a collection of journals publishing (notable) memorial inscriptions, sometimes on graves that no longer exist or are now illegible. Several volumes available at Archive.org - this is just one. https://archive.org/.../journalforyea.../page/n4/mode/1up...

Watch our Membership Renewals Secretary on Eggheads

By Margaret Roberts

Here at FHSC there are a lot of us on the Exec committee and those who volunteer at our research centres that work away feverishly in the background -

You may never meet any of us or indeed even know what we look like

Well - our Membership Renewals Officer - Kevin Dean - will be appearing on Eggheads quiz show on Monday 13 March 2023 at 6:30pm on Channel 5.

His team is called Mrs Clark's Boys

I know it's already been recorded but good luck Kev all the same!

UPDATE - the date has been changed to one in April - will update when I know more

The best special offers and discounts for family historians

By Margaret Roberts

Get 10% off RootsMagic 9 and discount DNA tests from Ancestry and MyHeritage with WDYTYA's roundup of the best family history special offers online

Link to webpage with all the details 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/offers/this-week-special-offers-discounts-family-historians

Free Online Events for March 2023

By Margaret Roberts

Image by vectorjuice on Freepik

Fri, 3 Mar 2023, 14:00 GMT

Rebellion or Revolution? Understanding the American Revolutionary War

How do we define loyalty? Rebellion? Resistance? Join us to discuss these concepts in the context of the American Revolutionary War.

By National Archives [free but donation suggested]

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rebellion-or-revolution-understanding-the-american-revolutionary-war-tickets-482350853387

Wed, 8 March 2023, 10:30 – 12:00, 2:30 - 4:30pm, 7:30 - 9-00pm GMT

A Few Forgotten Women Online for International Women’s Day

Come along and listen to members of the Few Forgotten Women team talk about some of the fascinating stories uncovered

By A Few Forgotten Women

There are three sessions across the day for this event, book for each one individually

Link and more details

Session 1👉https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-few-forgotten-women-online-for-international-womens-day-session-1-tickets-562325078447

Session 2👉https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-few-forgotten-women-online-for-international-womens-day-session-2-tickets-562481847347

Session 3👉https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-few-forgotten-women-online-for-international-womens-day-session-3-tickets-562473452237

Wed, 8 March 2023, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM GMT

Introduction to Family History

Find out about the resources held by the National Library of Scotland which can assist you with your family history research.

By National Library of Scotland

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/introduction-to-family-history-tickets-514896468197

Wed, 8 March 2023, 18:00 – 20:00 GMT

The kitchen niche: Gertrude Bray and the heart of the home

Deborah Sugg Ryan

By Uni of Portsmouth

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-kitchen-niche-gertrude-bray-and-the-heart-of-the-home-tickets-526337578867

Thu, 9 March 2023, 18:00 – 19:00 GMT

'Truth and Fantasy in the Victorian Museum'

Jordan Kistler explores truth and fantasy in the Victorian museum

by EHU Nineteen

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jordan-kistler-truth-and-fantasy-in-the-victorian-museum-tickets-535450385517

Thu, 9 March 2023, 19:30 – 20:45 GMT

Putting Your Ancestors in their Place: ten steps to a one place study

by Glamorgan FHS

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/putting-your-ancestors-in-their-place-ten-steps-to-a-one-place-study-tickets-523975884977

Fri, 10 Mar 2023, 14:00 GMT

The Prize Papers: a New Frontier in Global and Maritime History

Join us as we explore how the discovery of Prize Papers has the power to revolutionise our view on history as we know it.

By National Archives [free but donation suggested]

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-prize-papers-a-new-frontier-in-global-and-maritime-history-tickets-482335688027

Thu, 9 Mar 2023, 19:15 GMT

Highgate Pink Plaques Project: Burdett-Coutts to Stella Gibbons

Catharine Wells will tell us about the Pink Plaques project celebrating Highgate women who have made a difference past and present

By Friends of Highgate Library

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/highgate-pink-plaques-project-burdett-coutts-to-stella-gibbons-online-tickets-479631760507

Sat, 11 March 2023, 14:00 – 15:30 GMT

'Crime City - Manchester's Victorian Underworld'

An illustrated presentation given by Joseph O'Neill

By Oldham and District Branch of MLFHS

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mlfhs-oldham-district-branch-monthly-meeting-and-talk-zoom-in-person-tickets-529522785907

Wed, 15 Mar 2023, 17:00 GMT

Capitalism and Slavery: debates, legacies and new directions for research

Eric Williams’ Capitalism and Slavery: debates, legacies and new directions for research. Online panel event,

By Royal Historical Society

Link and more details👉https://www.eventbrite.com/e/capitalism-and-slavery-debates-legacies-and-new-directions-for-research-tickets-513875123327

Wed, 15 March 2023, 17:00 – 18:00 GMT

Maps for Family and Local History

Find out how maps can help with your family history or local history research in this introductory talk and question and answer session.

By National Library of Scotland

Link and more details👉 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/maps-for-family-and-local-history-tickets-541119181037

Wed, 22 March 2023, 16:30 – 18:00 GMT

‘A Feminist History of Brexit Britain, or How the Working Class Became Male’

By Dr Laura Schwartz as part of the De Montfort Uni Research Seminars

Link and more details👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/history-research-seminars-tickets-432150322247

Fri, 24 Mar 2023, 14:00 GMT

The Wife of Bath: A Biography is a one-of-a-kind history of a literary and feminist icon who continues to capture the imagination of readers

By National Archives [free but donation suggested]

Link and more details👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-wife-of-bath-a-biography-tickets-535991293387

Sat, 25 March 2023, 14:00 – 16:00 GMT

Britain’s Railway History for Family Historians

This talk will unravel the mysteries of Britain’s rich railway heritage and archives for family historians

By Glamorgan FHS

Link and more details👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gfhs-agm-and-britains-railway-history-for-family-historians-tickets-524875395437

Tue, 28 February 2023, 18:30 – 19:30 GMT

Pilgrim Routes of the British Isles

With Emma J Wells

By Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries

Link and more details👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pilgrim-routes-of-the-british-isles-with-emma-j-wells-tickets-518603847067

Wed, 29 March 2023, 15:00 – 16:00 BST

Women's Lives and Writings: Online Resources for Everyone

Discover collections of important women within the Library's Digital Gallery and Learning Zone.

By National Library of Scotland

Link and more details👉 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/womens-lives-and-writings-online-resources-for-everyone-tickets-547475793837

Setting the Record Straight

By Margaret Roberts

Dave Annal of Lifelines Research has produced a series of YouTube videos called

Setting the Record Straight

So far episodes are

Episode 1 - Really Bad Digitisation, Part 1👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqyAqWk9bwo&t=36s

Episode 2 - Really Bad Digitisation, Part II 👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGvNXAG7kQ8

Episode 3 - Meard's Street, Westminster👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSTnayiyVaA&t=48s

Episode 4 - Return to Meard's Street 👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj6RGFaSi6I

Episode 5 - Going to a place...👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcmz4rEHCpA

Episode 6 - Misinformation... 👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIOcGzdhmUc

Episode 7 - FamilySearch Provides The Answer...👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fggM81aiSIs&t=27s

PhD Opportunity

By Margaret Roberts

‘Give him sympathy & a helping hand’:

Understanding the impact of occupational accidents & disability on English & Welsh railway staff & their families, 1897-1939

Applications are invited for a fees-only PhD bursary to commence in October 2023. A fabulous opportunity for a Family Historian

This project results from a collaboration between the University of Portsmouth and the National Railway Museum. You will analyse the human impacts of occupational accidents in the English and Welsh railway industry, 1897-1939. This will be understood through worker lifecycles, placing accidents in their wider occupational and sociocultural contexts. As part of this, you will explore railway workers in their family and community settings, ensuring the broader impacts of occupational accident and disability are revealed.

The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, and will be supervised by Dr Mike Esbester, Karen Baker (National Railway Museum) and Dr Cathryn Pearce.

Lots more detail in the advert 👉https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/give-him-sympathy-and-a-helping-hand-understanding-the-impact-of-occupational-accidents-and-disability-on-english-and-welsh-railway-staff-and-their-families-1897-1939

Free online events for February 2023

By Margaret Roberts

Tue, 7 February 2023, 12:30 – 13:00 GMT

Live from the Archive

Part Magnificent Maps of London collection

By London Metropolitan Archives

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/live-from-the-archive-virtual-tickets-522949946367

Tue, 7 February 2023, 14:00 – 15:00 GMT

Women in the City

Virginia Woolf is said to have commented ‘for most of history Anonymous was a woman’ and there have always been women in the City.

By Guildhall Library

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-women-in-the-city-tickets-481767969967

Thu, 9 February 2023, 14:00 – 15:00 GMT

Gone But Not Forgotten

What’s the best way to be remembered in the City?

By Guildhall Library

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-gone-but-not-forgotten-tickets-481771380167

Sat, 11 February 2023, 14:00 – 15:30 GMT

'Pit Lasses - the Female Miners of 1842'

An illustrated presentation given by Denise Bates who is an historian and writer.

By Oldham and District Branch of MLFHS

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mlfhs-oldham-district-branch-monthly-meeting-and-talk-free-on-zoom-tickets-514927501017

Thu, 16 February 2023, 14:00 – 15:00 GMT

Street Food and the Hawkers of London

The capital’s streets once were filled with food. Hawkers wandered the city and cried out their wares.

By Guildhall Library

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/onsite-hybrid-street-food-and-the-hawkers-of-london-tickets-479878117367

Thu, 16 February 2023, 15:00 – 16:00 GMT

Navigating the Maps Website

Learn how to navigate the maps website in this online workshop.

By National Library of Scotland

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/navigating-the-maps-website-tickets-523586159297

Thu, 16 February 2023, 19:30 – 20:45 GMT

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Archives

An introduction to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Archives and how to access the resources.

By Glamorgan Family History Society

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/commonwealth-war-graves-commission-archives-tickets-528692291877

Fri, 17 Feb 2023, 14:00 GMT

The Cleveland Street Scandal

[Free to attend but donation suggested]

Delve into a scandalous side of Victorian London with the Cleveland Street Scandal

By National Archives

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-cleveland-street-scandal-tickets-482339298827

Tue, 21 February 2023, 14:00 – 15:00 GMT

Hogarth's London

Hogarth’s paintings and engravings and 18th century London life.

By Guildhall Library

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/onsite-hybrid-hogarths-london-tickets-479879451357

Wed, 22 February 2023, 18:30 – 19:30 GMT

In Search of Britain’s Oldest Pub

Explore pubs as historic buildings with buildings archaeologist James Wright!

By Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-search-of-britains-oldest-pub-with-archaeologist-james-wright-tickets-510894658677

Fri, 24 Feb 2023, 14:00 GMT

Treason in the Age of Abolition

[Free to attend but donation suggested]

Kris Manjapra explores how the meaning of “treason” was reconfigured by Black liberation struggles during the Age of Abolition

By National Archives

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/treason-in-the-age-of-abolition-tickets-482345788237

Mon, 27 February 2023, 18:30 – 19:30 GMT

Fashion, Fury and Feathers: Women’s Fight for Change

An opportunity to hear author Tessa Boase speak about this fascinating subject.

By Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fashion-fury-and-feathers-womens-fight-for-change-with-tessa-boase-tickets-509352325517

Tue, 28 February 2023, 13:00 – 14:00 GMT

Colours and Shapes: Maps are used to tell us much more than where we are and where to go.

Part Magnificent Maps of London collection

By London Metropolitan Archives

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/colours-and-shapes-virtual-tickets-522937900337

Tue, 28 February 2023, 14:00 – 15:00 GMT

King John: ‘Soft, cowardly, and untrustworthy

A chance to discuss your favourite kings and queens of England.

By Guildhall Library

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-king-john-soft-cowardly-and-untrustworthy-repeat-discussion-tickets-481781851487

Tue, 28 February 2023, 18:30 – 19:30 GMT

Pilgrim Routes of the British Isles

A fascinating opportunity to hear author Emma J. Wells speak about pilgrim routes of the British Isles.

By Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries

Link and more details 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pilgrim-routes-of-the-british-isles-with-emma-j-wells-tickets-518603847067

Northwich Library : Relocation

By Margaret Roberts

Northwich Library will be opening in its new temporary home alongside the team at Weaver Hall Museum,

The move will take place from Monday 30 January, while renovation works are carried out on the Witton Street building.

The new temporary library will offer all our usual services, including:

A selection of the latest fiction and non-fiction titles for adults and children
Internet access via public computers and free Wi-Fi
Printing, photocopying and scanning services
Events, activities and groups

Opening times for the library will be:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 9am – 5pm
Thursday and Friday: 9am – 7pm
Saturday: 9am – 1pm

Staff will be running a self-service offer in Brio Northwich Memorial Court, where residents can borrow and return books from a small collection in the town centre, checked regularly by library staff.

Temporary extended opening times at Barnton, Sandiway and Weaverham libraries will cease on Saturday 28 January, and they will return to their standard hours.

Weaver Hall Museum and Library is a warm, welcoming space.

For more information and updates, visit

Northwich Library | Cheshire West and Chester Council

https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/libraries/find-a-library/northwich-library

Transcription Tuesday 2023

By Margaret Roberts

Transcription Tuesday 2023:

The seventh annual online volunteer Transcription Tuesday run by Who Do You Think You Are magazine will soon be here, this year's event will take place on 31 January 2023

This year’s four Transcription Tuesday projects are: [with links to find out how to get involved with each project]

Get To Know Medieval Londoners: Medieval property records 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/transcription-tuesday-2023-get-to-know-medieval-londoners/
Civil War Bluejackets: Navy records from the American Civil War 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/transcription-tuesday-2023-civil-war-bluejackets/
FamilySearch: British merchant ship crew lists 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/transcription-tuesday-2023-familysearch-crew-lists/
Parkside Asylum: Lunatic asylum records from Cheshire 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/transcription-tuesday-2023-parkside-asylum

Discover Your Roots

By Margaret Roberts

Discover Your Roots! A free family & local history event in Chester.

Ever wanted to know more about your family's history but don't know where to start?

Interested to know who used to live in your house? Or wondered what your street looked like a 100 years ago?

All are welcome to this special drop-in event at Hoole Community Centre. On Saturday 28th January, 1.30–4.30pm,

Cheshire Archives & Local Studies, our very own Chester Group and Hoole History & Heritage Soc will be on hand to help you with your family history.

A family history helpdesk and a series of short talks from experts and members of the local associations on their work will help to get you started in finding out more about your roots.

The Community Centre Coffee Shop will be open for light refreshments during the afternoon.

Some parking is available at the Community Centre, but please consider using other forms of transport where possible.

Holly Holy Day - 21st January

By Margaret Roberts

Above is the updated programme of free activities in Nantwich on Holly Holy Day - 21st January

In addition Nantwich Museum is leading Civil War themed guided walking tours at 10.00 and 11.30 (£5,£4 Museum members, children free).For more details see the museum website - https://nantwichmuseum.org.uk/