2013 Meetings - all on Tuesdays (except AGM):-

15th January Alun & Barbara Thomas - Lighterage on the Thames - based on the lives of a Surrey family

19th February Ray Wheeler - Shirley & Addington - Part local and part Family History

19th March Colin R Chapman - Family History From Education Records

20th April - AGM, special talks and Local Studies Fair hosted in conjunction with the Croydon Local Studies Forum. The theme for the event is "Imaging the Past".

21st May Sharon Hintze - News from FamilySearch and the London Family History Centre, (Focussing particularly on Parish Records)

18th June Celia Heritage - Workhouse Records

16th July Ian Waller - "In and Out of London" - Many researchers find it difficult and somewhat daunting when their ancestors move into or around London. Research in the capital has its own challenges which can easily be overcome. This talk suggests how to do it.
Ian is a professional genealogist and archive researcher, a member of AGRA, with 30 plus years’ experience in English research. He has taught family history at both basic and advanced levels to several U3A groups and at adult education centres in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and has lectured widely to many family and local history societies.
He is the author of “My Ancestor was an Agricultural Labourer” and “My Ancestor was a Mormon” published by the Society of Genealogists and has written many articles for the popular family history press. He is currently Vice-chairman of AGRA (The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives) and a Fellow of the Society of Genealogists.
His other interests include making scale models of horse drawn vehicles, oil painting, digital photography and country & western music

17th September Paul Blake - A Titanic Story: The unknown child - The story of the Goodwin family, who lost their lives on 15 April 1912, and a mystery not solved for 95 years.

15th October Kathy Chater - Black Ancestry

19th November Geoff & Anna May Bridger Jessie’s Journal – A story of Migration in the 19th Century.
Many hardships were suffered during migration to the Dominions & Colonies in the late 19th Century. A recently discovered diary of one such journey was kept by a Sussex ancestor (my great grandmother) and provides a fascinating insight into the conditions prevailing at the time. Entitled ‘Jessie’s Journal’, it details the twenty-one day journey by sea and overland to a tiny island off the west coast of Canada. The talk, which lasts approximately 1¼ hours, is narrated and profusely illustrated with contemporary and modern pictures.

Previously in 2012

17th January - Cane Hill Hospital by Pam Buttrey
21st February - Theatre Buildings in Croydon by Richard Norman
The core of the talk is the development of the theatre buildings in Croydon with some reference to the performers. Presentations are based on Powerpoint and are therefore prominently visually illustrative.
20th March - Surrey in the 19th century by Dr Judy Hill Life of the poor and emigration in the early 19th century
17th April - My Average Ancestor by Ian Waller
During a lifetime most people left a large number of records (we all generate about 100 records). This talk takes a chronological tour of those records and explains how they can help put the flesh on the bones of our research, where they can be found and what we can find.
My average ancestor - Please refer to the details available on my website www.familyhistoryresearch.co.uk under the section “Lectures and talks”
28th April - The East Surrey FHS AGM, and supporting events. The theme of the day is ARCHIVES - USE THEM OR LOSE THEM.
15th May - William Morris and Liberty Printing - Meg Thomas, the curator of the Wandle Industrial Museum.
19th June - Irish Ancestry - Peter Christian
17th July - Members' Evening
August - no meeting
18th September - Croydon Families - Researching a Typical Croydon Road in 1911 by Brenda Hawkins
16th October - Industry in Southwark - A talk about the industries located in the riverside district of old Southwark in Bermondsey & Rotherhithe going west to east by Stephen Humphrey
Stephen writes and lectures on Southwark, on archives and sources generally and on church buildings and church history. Publications include Bermondsey & Rotherhithe Remembered (2004); Churches and Cathedrals of London (3rd ed. 2011. Presently writing a book on the Elephant & Castle.
20th November - Wills & probate by Celia Heritage
December - no meeting

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2013 Meetings - all on Wednesdays :-

January 23rd - Frosts, freezes and fairs – a thousand years of winters on the frozen Thames and other rivers - Ian Currie.

February - 27th - Suffragettes and the Oxted bomb - Janet Bateson

March - Members' meeting, but non members are very welcome - bring along your stories, ideas, and questions.

April 24th - Women in the 1800s - Tom Doig

May 22nd - Coram's Children - the story of the Foundling Hospital - Jane King
How the hospital became noted for its art and music at the time of Hogarth and Handel together with details of the lives of the children.

June 26th - How can memorabilia help with Family History - Elizabeth Owen

July 24th - The History of Parliament - the Palace of Westminster - Kevin Gordon

Previously in 2012

January 25th – Members' meeting – any questions, any answers.
February 22nd – Industry in Southwark, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe – Stephen Humphrey An insight into the many and varied industries in the area.
March 28th – Another chance to have our photographs identified and dated – Jayne Shrimpton
April 25th – The Civil War in Surrey - Laurence Spring. Although there were no big battles in Surrey, the talk explores the significance of the Protestant dissenting groups such as Diggers and Levellers founded by Gerrard Winstanley of Cobham.
May 23rd – A TITANIC STORY: THE UNKNOWN CHILD - Paul Blake The story of the Goodwin family, who lost their lives on 15 April 1912, and a mystery not solved for 95 years
June 27th – Mending Bodies, Saving Souls - Ian Waller A talk on the Victorian medical practices, hospitals and treatment of disease and injury.
July 25th – Researching Publican and Brewer history – Simon Fowler
August - no meeting
September 26th – Georgian London – Ian Bevan
October 24th – History of the Fire Brigade – Ken Divall
November 28th – History of Policing the Railways – Kevin Gordon
December - no meeting

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2013 Meetings - all on Saturdays :-

January 12th - Huguenot Ancestry - Dr Kathy Chater

March 9th - Child employment in 19thC Kingston - Dr Helen Goepel

May 11th - Members’ Meeting (Non-members very welcome) - Share successes and failures; ask for assistance or help others; or just have a chat over a cup of tea!

July 13th - Corsets & Cameras - Jane Lewis
An introduction to the history of late 19th and early 20th century fashion giving tips and techniques for dating or identifying old photographs.

September 14th - From Hops to Hats - Stephen Humphrey
Not just the Southwark and Bermondsey hop and hat industries, but many of the other old industries once found along the riverside from Blackfriars to Rotherhithe.

9th November - Who do you think they were? - Julian Pooley
Looking at the amazing variety of sources that can help us discover the lives and experiences of our ancestors.

Previously in 2012

14 January “Poverty and Madness: from Stepney to Colney Hatch” by Louise Taylor - This talk is based on a study of sixteen women from Stepney, who were admitted to Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum at Colney Hatch in the period 1877-1889. It draws on evidence from Booth’s poverty survey; Poor Law Union; and asylum records, to tell the story of individual women.
10 March “Markets and Fairs on the road to the West” by Andrea Cameron
12 May “Members’ Meeting” (Non-members very welcome). Share successes and failures; ask for assistance, or help others; or just have a chat over a cup of tea!
14 July “Upstairs, downstairs – Domestic Service” by Ian Waller
8 September “Manorial Records” by Paul Blake - Paul concludes his series of talks on property and land records, with two twentieth century sources: Lloyd-George’s ‘Domesday’ and the 1940s National Farm Survey
10 November “The Royal Surrey Gardens” by Stephen Humphrey - A lost aspect of life in nineteenth century Metropolitan Surrey - a pleasure ground and zoological garden visited by Queen Victoria, and later site of the Surrey Music Hall.

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2013 Meetings - PLEASE NOTE: Change of day - our Group meetings are now on the 2nd Monday of relevant months (previously 4th Mondays ).

February 11th - Music & Musicians in Southwark and Lambeth - from Vauxhall to Crystal Palace Talk by Len Reilly
Len is Archives & Library Manager at Lambeth Archives and was formerly on the staff at Southwark Local History library

April 8th - The Life, Times & Contents of Bishopsgate Library - to which the Bishopsgate Institute has offered free public access since 1895. Talk by Stefan Dickers
Stefan is Librarian & Archives Manager at the Institute - he will talk about the Library’s unique history & the collections he looks after relating to the history of London, the early labour movement, radicalism & co-operation.

June 10th - The Real Moll Flanders : 18th Century Criminal Trials & Punishment by Rhiannon Markless
Rhiannon has been called to the Bar & has an MA in Historical Research. She appeared as researcher on Davina McCall’s WDYTYA programme.

August NOTE CHANGE OF DAY & DATE
Saturday 17th
JOINT SOUTHWARK LOCAL & FAMILY  HISTORY OPEN  DAY – 10am to 4pm
Southwark Local History Library & East Surrey FHS

Our own ‘WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE’ team of experts are offering drop-in
help throughout the day on researching family history & using the Internet plus
the opportunity to discover what resources & records are held at Southwark LH Library
12 Noon ‘First Steps in Family History – and Beyond’ by KATHY CHATER

Kathy is a lecturer and author on family and social history.        

October 14 - Interesting and ScandalousThings We’ve Found in Southwark Archives - Peter SHILHAM & Sheila GALLAGHER

Previously in 2012

February 27th "My Ancestor was in the Police Force" - police history, records, uniform etc, including 'Specials', in British, Indian & Colonial forces Talk by Ken Divall - Ken served in the Army and has worked at the Society of Genealogists, Imperial War Museum & National Army Museum.
April 23rd "USEFUL WEBSITES FOR FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH" by Christine MULLETT - Christine is a recently retired Library Manager from Southwark Libraries where she ran Family History workshops & gave talks.
June 25th “THE SURREY GARDENS IN WALWORTH 1831-1878” – pleasure grounds, zoological gardens, public entertainment & later the Surrey Music Hall" - new talk by Stephen HUMPHREY on 19th century life in Metropolitan Surrey - at PULLEN’S COMMUNITY CENTRE 187 Crampton St, SE17
August 13th MEMBERS' MEETING: "ARCHIVES - discoveries which have helped my research"
October 22nd - ‘High and Low Estate’ – Costume & textiles in 18th century Surrey Society - Jane Lewis - Jane is on the staff of the Surrey History Centre and will use many illustrations to explore Surrey sources for the history of eighteenth century fashion.

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2013 meetings all on Thursdays :-

Jan 3 Paul Blake A Brief History of the Photograph - Paul is a professional Genealogist and President of the East Surrey FHS

Feb 7 John Hanson Understanding the Family Search Website - John is a lecturer specialising in IT and Family History

Mar 7 Ian Waller Pleasures and pastimes in Victorian Britain - Ian is a Family Historian who specialises in Social History.

Apr 4 Elizabeth Owen Hit a brick wall - where do you go next? - Elizabeth is professional genealogist and a member of the Society of Genealogists.

May 2 Peter Christen Irish Family History Resources on the Internet - Peter is an Author and Family Historian who specialises in IT and Family History.

Jun 6 Gordon Barnett Music, the theatre, cinema and television the Jewish flair for innovation - Gordon Barnett is a family historian specialising in the history of the Jewish people.

Jul 4 Gillian Rickard Probate Records - Gillian is an author and professional researcher for 30 years, specialising in Kent Records.She has written a regular column for the Kent FHS Journal since 1993.

Aug 1 Chris Pocock Scandals in Family History - Chris helps to run a family history drop in group in Sutton and is Secretary of the Sutton Group ESFHS

Sept 5 John Neal Prince Albert and the Crystal Palace - John is a Family Historian.

Oct 3 Ron Cox Local Railways. How, why and their effects - Ron is a family and local historian who specialises in Surrey.

Nov 7 John Phillips History of the River Wandle - John is a local historian and archaeologist. He was Borough Heritage Manager for the London Borough of Sutton.

Dec 5 Members Meeting Sharing your Family Christmas Photographs.
This will be followed by a Christmas Social. Contributions of food and drink invited.

Previously in 2012

January 5 Paul Blake - Military Records for World War One - Paul is a professional genealogist, lecturer, author and is the President of the East Surrey Family History Society.
February 2 Simon Fowler - Researching Publican and Brewer Ancestors - Simon is a freelance researcher and writer who worked in the National Archives for 30 year. He was an archivist at the Society of Genealogist and was Editor of the magazine Family History Monthly.
March 1 - Members’ Evening - Family History Quiz and Help Desk
April 5 Kathy Chater - London Labyrinth - Kathy is an author, lecturer and family historian. Her talk will be about helping us research our ancestors who lived and worked in London.
May 3 John Hanson - Using the Internet to Research Abroad - John is a lecturer and family historian specialising in IT and family history.
June 7 Ron Cox - "Sarah Huggett and Uncle Dan" - Low Life in Victorian Lodging Houses - Ron is an family historian and a local historian specialising in Surrey.
July 5 Jayne Shrimpton - Dating Family Photographs Jayne is an acknowledged expert in dating photographs and has an MA In History of Dress.
August 2 Chris Pocock - Cricket Ball Makers to Cotton Weavers The talk will look at different occupations that his ancestors had and how often current family members have similar jobs.
Chris teaches family history for Sutton U3A, helps to run a family history drop in group at Roundshaw Library and is Secretary of the Sutton Group of the East Surrey Family History Society.
September 6 Alison Gowans - What the Butler Saw - Victorian Life Below Stairs - Alison has a life long interest in the Victorians. She is a member of the Dickens Fellowship and edits their newsletter ”The London Particular”. She is a also a friend of the Charles Dickens Museum. Alison belongs to Sutton U3A and the Carshalton and District History and Archaeology Society.
October 4 Judy Davies - Suffer little Children - A talk about children working in Victorian Britain up chimneys and in factories etc. Judy is an author and historian specialising in family and social history.
November 1 Jeremy Harte - Suffragettes Jeremy is the Curator of the Bourne Hall Museum, Ewell
December 6 Ken Divall - Women at War
Ken served in the army and has worked at the Society of Genealogists, the Imperial War Museum and the National Army Museum.

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