The Monthly Newsletter from the Bolton Branch. Email: boltonnews@mlfhs Secretary: Barbara Owen on 01204 309515 July 2014 A branch of The Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society. Hello and welcome This is the prototype of our new project. An idea which has been long overdue mainly because of limited resources, and know how, hopefully now surmounted. Our aims are to: Invite and collate information & recent activity reports from other members for general circulation Announce planned courses and invite people to enrol Give a brief summary of our last Bolton talk and advertise at least the next month’s talk and activities if not further on and invite interest to same Provide regular links to other branches/ local organisations/ interesting sites, which will probably be repeated monthly with a brief summary of coming talks, projects etc. if relevant. Pass on information about the release of relevant new databases, offers etc. Invite constructive comments / requests on what we are doing, ideas for speakers, advice with “brick walls” and of course encourage people (including those like myself with no local family interests), to join M&LFHS in order to enjoy the stimulating company of like-minded people (well we do try) , use the forum for general help, and make members aware of the other facilities they may not have picked up on Try to keep you informed of useful and mainly free websites / newsletters / blogs which are regularly available Plus other stuff not even listed here yet. So, what do you think so far? Email your comments to boltonnews@mlfhs or come and let us know at our next meeting. Monthly Meetings These are held on the first Wednesday of each month (except January), and are at Bolton Cricket Club, Green Lane, Bolton, BL3 4RD. Car parking is free (but inevitably gets a bit busy during the Rounders season ). Meetings are free to members of the M&L FHS but are £1.50 for non-members. If you join the Society (£15 pa family membership) by giving your details to Sue Boddy, our Treasurer, on the night then the meeting will, of course, be free. There will be a genealogy magazine and CD swop/collect facility (nothing is wasted so don’t throw your old magazines out), and a genealogy help desk available at the end of each meeting. July Meeting – Our programme did advertise Peter Watson who was going to talk to us about “The Dimensions of Time”, but unfortunately he had to cancel at short notice due to illness. We were then lucky enough to obtain the services of Tony Foster of Lancashire Family History & Heraldry Society and Lancashire BMD fame, who talked to us about his experiences when researching a War Memorial and some stories he discovered. A very interesting and appropriate theme at the moment of course. Our thanks to Tony and get well soon Peter. Tony’s Reference List It has been put here rather than the quarterly magazine so that the links will work for you. Commonwealth War Grave Commission: cwgc.org This is a free-to-use website and contains information relating to the dead from both the WW1 and WW2. In From The Cold Project: infromthecold.org If your ancestor was killed in the war but their name is not listed in the CWGC then it is worth contacting these people for some individual help Other War Graves and Memorials Ancestry: ancestry.co.uk and Findmypast: findmypast.co.uk are pay per-view sites but available free of charge via most main libraries. Both contain military records and Findmypast also includes the British National Armed Forces Deaths 1796-2005 British Armed Forces Wills 1850 – 1986: gov.uk/probate-search It is worth checking to see if your ancestor left a will and it is possible to obtain an online copy via this website. If your ancestor served in the Commonwealth forces then it is worth checking the following: Australian and New Zealand Forces: mappingouranzacs.naa.gov.au A free to use website that contains the military records of the ANZACS. World War One: 1914-1918.net Canadian Forces: canadiangreatwarproject and bac-lac.gc.ca Both these sites are free to use. The Canadian Great War Project contains many useful sources for example, war diaries, letter home, war maps as well as details of individual soldiers. The second site is for the Library and Archives Canada and again is an excellent source for information apart from WW1. This site contains the records of individual soldiers The following website relates to regiments from East Lancashire and you may find that the regimental museum holds copies of the war diaries: lancs-fusiliers.co.uk Lancashire Fusiliers lancashireinfantrymuseum.org.uk Lancashire Infantry Museum 8theastlancs.co.uk 8th (Service) Bn, East Lancashire Regiment pals.org.uk/pals_e.htm Accrington Pals chorleypalsmemorial.org.uk Chorley Pals The National Archives: nationalarchives.gov.uk You also may find war diaries at The National Archives which also contains a vast amount of military information, see nationalarchives.gov.uk/first-world-war For details of war diaries see operationwardiary.org Imperial War Museum: iwm.org.uk also don’t forget to check these websites livesofthefirstworldwar.org The Western Front Association:westernfrontassociation Military Family History: ukmfh.org.uk This website contains over 1,500 links to websites that offer online information in a wide range of categories to help with your research The August Meeting is at 7.30pm on Wednesday 6th August. This month’s talk will be by Yvonne Gill-Martin from the M&LFHS Scottish Branch, discussing some of the differences and similarities of Scottish and English research, and suggesting how to access information beyond simple registration from home and how to benefit from of a visit to Scotland. Visits and Activities Monday 23rd June saw our first new venture of a team visit, after we had had such an interesting talk from Dr Michael Powell of Chetham’s College earlier this year. Michael met us again and showed us around the historic building, telling us about some of the many famous people who had been there, (Marx, Engels, Dickens, Wesley to name just four), and we actually saw and held some of the precious documents that they archive. If only the walls could speak!. Due to overwhelming interest we are planning to book another date, probably on a Friday afternoon, so names please to the above email address or on club night, maximum 20, 12 already in the queue from before. Might you be interested in an organised visit to see the new facilities open to us via our new headquarters in Manchester Central Library? We plan to organise at least one visit if enough people are interested. Our Chairman, Brian Whittle, will be asking for numbers of interested people at the next meeting, or again please email or phone as above Other ideas for visits include Manchester Cathedral, The John Ryland’s Library, St. Mary’s Parish Church Deane Bolton, Fred Dibnah Museum, Lancashire County Record Office, Preston, Family History Centre at Preston Temple We are also looking for more suggestions plus visit coordinators. Any offers please? NB All enquiries welcome but where we have limited places, priority will of course be given to subscribed members of the M&LFHS Other Local Societies News —o—O—o— Halliwell Local History Society halliwell-lhs.co.uk/monthly-meetings/ email: [email protected] At 7.30pm, Tuesday 29th July 2014, at St Luke’s Church, Chorley Old Road, BL1 3BE opposite Shepherd Cross St, Bolton, --“ Every Picture Tells a Story ” – History and Stories behind Derbyshire Well Dressings by Margaret Dunn. There is a small admission charge for non-members. Westhoughton Local History Group westhoughtonhistorygroup.org.uk/Westhoughton_History_Group/Home.html At 10am to noon in The Library, Market St, Westhoughton, BL5 3AU on Thursday 17th July Looking for Jack by Keith Thompson, and Thursday August 7th “Women in WW1” by Kath Payton Admission £1 Horwich Heritage Centre horwichheritage.co.uk/meetings.htm Meetings are held at the Horwich Resource Centre, Beaumont Road (off Longworth Road), Horwich BL6 7BG on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm with a talk on July 8 by Russel Hedley on “Rivington Nature and Our Heritage” Free parking and disabled access is available. With lots more to offer please ring 01204 847797 or consult their website for details. Turton Local History Society Secretary’s email: [email protected] Their last summer walk is on July 23 Looking at Turton Tower. The venue is Longsight Church centre at Harwood, BL2 3HX. This is the old Longsight Methodist Church which has just been converted to a multi-use centre. All events including the walks begin at 7.30 pm. Workshops and Courses (in Date Order) —o—O—o— M&LFHS Courses -- Beginner Courses Continue in seven beginner courses will be at Manchester Central Library in September starting at 10.30am and ending around 12.30. All of the courses are held in the Performance Space on the ground floor. The session is free to members of MLFHS but a £3.00 fee is payable on the day by non-members. This will be refunded if a person joins MLFHS on that day (the normal £3.00 joining fee will be waived). Whether a member or non-member, please book for this event using the address below so that we can have an idea of the numbers attending: For more information contact Bea Bentham via mlfhs.org.uk/contact/mailme.php Horwich Heritage Centre - Our Val Leese, who is also a member of this committee, plans to start a 10 week Family History Course in their museum room. Monday 29th September, 2014 between 11am -- 12.30pm and between 7pm -- 8.30pm (with a break in between). The cost will be £20. This will be ideal for beginners in researching their family history and includes use of the internet using the Ancestry web-site. Local Library Courses - Margaret and Colin Calderbank are to start another series of 5 week introductory M&LFHS courses in October, cost £15 (including pencil and notebook) and places are in demand! Venues are: Bromley Cross Library October 9th 10am - 12md. at Toppings Green, Bolton, BL7 9JU. Contact Lynn on email [email protected] or 01204 332354 Westhoughton Library, October 17th 10am - 12md. At Library Street, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3AT Contact Mandy on [email protected] or 01942 634640 Subsequent computer classes may also be arranged. Enjoy Learning- enjoy-learning.org.uk/ is a locally based “not for profit association”, aimed at Bolton and area residents. . Amongst other courses, our Rita Greenwood, one of our most experienced members, has been running ongoing courses in basic and then improvers/ advanced family history research for some time, and many of us have, and still are attending her classes. They are usually in two terms of 8 weeks each, on Thursdays and costing about £67 a term. More details via the above website Miscellaneous —o—O—o— St Luke’s Vicarage, Victory Street, Bolton was demolished in the late 1950’s but has anyone got any photographs of it? Graham at gholt32@gmail would like any information/scans/originals to copy. The Bolton News – You may have noticed our monthly flyers in Gayle McBain’s “Looking Back” features in the Wednesday editions of the paper. Gayle is always looking for extra material to encourage family history research and elaborate on how we go about it. If you think you have an idea to contribute of about 400 words please contact me Jane Milne via boltonnews@mlfhs at our next meeting to discuss your suggestion. It can be anonymous, and confidentiality is always respected but I do need ideas. Lancs BMD - lancashirebmd.org.uk/update.php. If you would like to help with this long term project please contact Bob Winder at [email protected] You will need a laptop, an excel spreadsheet and be able to visit Mere Hall in normal working hours, Monday – Friday. Lancs OPC – are you aware that there are ongoing monthly updates here. Check on lan-opc.org.uk/ for “hot off the press” details. Some Useful/ Interesting Free Newsletters etc. include https://sites.google/site/gm8aob/home/family-history-link/bolton-and-other-local-history-links Lost Cousins lostcousins/ The National Archives nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/enewsletter.htm WDYTYR whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine British Genes britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/ WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE SELECTED ITEMS PASSED ON IN BETWEEN NEWSLETTERS OR DO IT YOURSEVES??? LET ME KNOW. FROM TIME TO TIME THERE ARE SHORT TERM OFFERS AVAILABLE OVER WEEKENDS ETC —o—O—o— And Finally remember if there is something you want to pass on to your fellow Bolton genealogists via the B&D FHS newsletter simply send the details in an e-mail to boltonnews@mlfhs We plan that this newsletter will be e-mailed out to recipients after our regular first Wednesday of the month meeting To be added to, or deleted, from our mailing list please e-mail an appropriate request to boltonnews@mlfhs from the relevant e-mail address. We plan to post out one off hard copies of this newsletter to those for whom we do not have an email address. You will understand that continuing this method will be cost and time prohibitive so please, if you would like to know more, either come and see us or try to acquire an email address for us to use. Best Wishes from your Bolton Committee Brian Whittle -Chairman Barbara Owen -Secretary Sue Boddy –Treasurer and Assistant with Speakers Programme Jane Milne-Speakers programme-publicity and newsletter Margaret and Colin Calderbank – Family History Courses Val Leese- Family History Courses and Social Event coordinator Graham Holt – Manchester Journal contact, and Bolton Society webmaster David Baker- Committee member —o—O—o—
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 11:20:33 +0000
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