Berkshire Family History Society for family history research – and all genealogy interests
in Berkshire and beyond

Help with Family History at Reading Library as part of National Library Day.

Help with Family History at Cholsey Community Library as part of National Library Day.

Bring your questions, problems and ‘brickwalls’ … and get some new ideas and advice from members of the Berkshire Family History Society.

For ALL family historians wherever your ancestors came from.

Bracknell Library,  Town Square, Bracknell. RG12 1BH   (2pm - 5pm)

or

Woodley Library, Headley Road, Woodley, Reading RG5 4JA   (2pm - 4pm)

Five members of the Computer Branch will be giving short 10 minute presentations

The Vale of the White Horse Branch members will be holding a Family History Surgery at Abingdon Library. Bring us your family history questions to this session and we will  endeavour to help you find the answers.

What’s in a Name?

Researching Surnames

Looking for an unusual name? Reached a brick wall? Did you think to examine the details of all the other people bearing the same name? If you did, you may well have begun a ‘one-name study’.

In this talk, Howard introduces the concept and structure of English surnames, and how they are often remarkably localised. He will also describe the characteristics of a one-name study, how it is similar, but different, to other genealogy research and what motivates people to begin such an apparently challenging task. It will also touch briefly on the activities of the Guild of One-Name Studies, and how the Guild supports those people who want to pursue this ascinating subject.

Howard Benbrook is a prominent member of the Guild of One-Name Studies and has served on its Committee. He retired in 2003 after a long career in the computer industry as a technical trainer and training manager.

For many years the Guild’s Bookstall Manager, small crowds would gather around Howard’s stall as he demonstrated software such as Surname Atlas to hundreds of interested genealogists at family history fairs.

Howard has been researching his family’s history for more that fifteen years and, as his father’s ancestors were all cockneys, he has taken a special interest in London subjects. Intrigued by his uncommon surname, he’s made a particular study of its origins and this led to his membership of the Guild.

Mortimer Library Family History Drop-in Session.

Talk by Liz Woolley  -  It'll Do More Good Than School  -  Child Labour in nineteenth Century Oxfordshire.  This hour -long illustrated talk tells the story of our county's child workers, many of whom started work part-time at the age of six or seven and until the compulsory school legislation of the 1870's left education for good by the age of ten to become permanently employed.  Liz is a local historian and has lived in Oxford since 1984.

The UK's biggest family history event starts today, Friday 24 February, at Olympia in West London. Berkshire Family History Society will be there.

Bring your questions to the stand and society volunteers wil be pleased to to help you or to search the society databases for more information. Three new CDs - Berkshire Marriages, Berkshire Burials (both offer transcriptions, not simply an index) and the Berkshire Probate Index (1480 to 1858) - will be on sale along with the full range of society publications.

There is a special extended membership offer (to 30 June 2013) available at the show.

There will be daily prizes open to all visitors to the Berkshire Family History Society stand too.

On Sunday morning, the society is delivering one of the Society of Genealogist's Regional Seminars - on wills, probate and related research, mainly in the period before 1858 when church courts were responsible for probate matters.

Get a flavour of last year's event by following this link (go to the foot of the page when it opens - you will find the society about 9 photographs in) or go to the exhibitors list - to help plan your day.

If you only go to one family history event in 2012 - make sure that it's this one!

There is a special ticket offer (two for the price of one). Go to the WDYTYA? Live website.

More information here very soon.

The UK's biggest family history event continues today, Saturday 25 February, at Olympia in West London. Berkshire Family History Society will be there again on this second day.

Bring your questions to the stand and society volunteers wil be pleased to to help you or to search the society databases for more information. Three new CDs - Berkshire Marriages, Berkshire Burials (both offer transcriptions, not simply an index) and the Berkshire Probate Index (1480 to 1858) - will be on sale along with the full range of society publications.

There is a special extended membership offer (to 30 June 2013) available at the show.

There will be daily prizes open to all visitors to the Berkshire Family History Society stand too.

On Sunday morning, the society is delivering one of the Society of Genealogist's Regional Seminars - on wills, probate and related research, mainly in the period before 1858 when church courts were responsible for probate matters. 

Get a flavour of last year's event by following this link (go to the foot of the page when it opens - you will find the society about 9 photographs in) or go to the exhibitors list - to help plan your day.

If you only go to one family history event in 2012 - make sure that it's this one!

There is a special ticket offer (two for the price of one). Go to the WDYTYA? Live website.

More information here very soon.

Tony Pilmer was until recently the Local Studies Librarian in Slough.  Amazing treasures can be found within the LS Libraries.   You might think the Local Record Offices, even our Research Centre could cater for all our needs - but on our doorsteps can be found all the local large scale maps, who inhabited your house before you with all the information in the local street directories for many years gone by.     The local papers, over 7000 local photos, local histories of the area and the people, both Bucks and Berks records, spanning the country changes.  So many treasures to explore