DIARY DATES
Essential family history dates for your diary coming up soon
Inspring Walter Scott, 6 August 2021 to 9 January 2022
On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him. This small exhibition explores how the iconic novelist drew upon real objects for inspiration, placing these alongside Scott’s words, and the stories in which they feature.
Exhibition Gallery 4, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF; tel: 0300 123 6789; website: www.nms.ac.uk
International Slavery Remembrance Day, 23 August
The National Maritime Museum presents an on-site and online commemoration of the lives lost and brutality people endured as part of the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies. The day acts as ‘a reminder of the resistance that enslaved people and their ancestors have continuously demonstrated throughout history and today’. Runs 11am to 4pm, free.
National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, London SE10 9NF; tel: 0208 858 4422; website: www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritimemuseum
1940s Day, 28-30 August
Enjoy a 1940s re-enactment day where, despite the Second World War, Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, are doing their best to host their guests at Eltham Palace. Join them as they make the most of life on the home front and have a go at a range of fun-filled activities. There may be a war going on but you can still have fun!
Event included in standard admission to the palace. Book at http://familytr.ee/eltham
Eltham Palace and Gardens, Eltham, Greenwich SE9 5NP
Gold and Glory: Henry VIII and the French King, until 5 September
Tudor fans will love this new exhibition at Hampton Court Palace, which reunites works of art, gold, weapons, manuscripts and clothing from the Field of Cloth of Gold, Henry VIII’S legendary encounter with his great rival François I of France in 1520. The treasures on display include a never-before-seen tapestry that sheds rare light on people of colour in the Tudor period.
Exhibition included in the price of admission to the palace. Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court Way, Molesey, East Molesey, KT8 9AU; tel: 0203 166 6000; website: http://familytr.ee/gold
Huguenot Footsteps, 29 August
The Huguenots of Spitalfields present their monthly walking tour, designed to highlight the Huguenots, who they were, where they lived, what they did and their skills. Meet at 2pm outside Christchurch, Spitalfields, London. Duration: 90 minutes. Donation: £10 person. Book at team@huguenotsofspitalfields.org.uk
Gala Day! until 22 March 2022
This new temporary exhibition at the National Coal Mining Museum recalls the excitement of gala day, with brass bands, union banners, beers and of course, the company of family and friends. Book your ticket at www.ncm.org.uk/book
National Coal Mining Museum, Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield WF4 4RH; tel: 01924 848806
ONLINE EVENTS
Tracing a house history, booking now open for October start date
House history expert Gill Blanchard is the tutor for this 15-week course that guides participants through the process of investigating a house history and what was there before, plus a presentation seminar one month after course completion.
Find further details and book your place at www.pastsearchlearning.co.uk/#tahh
Dating and Understanding Your Old Family Photographs, 21 July In this talk from Manchester & Lancaster FHS, Steve Gill will explain how we can get the most out of our family photographs, date them and learn from the past. Steve is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, with over 40 years’ experience in restoring and dating old photographs. Starts 7pm.
Book at https://mlfhs.uk/contact
Burying the body in England, 4 August
Legacy Family History Webinars present a talk by Helen V Smith, author of Death Certificates and Archaic Medical Terms, who will look at how to determine where a person might be buried if no burial place is mentioned on the death certificate.
Starts 2am GMT. Register for free at http://familytr.ee/smith
A merchant seaman in the family, 5 August
This online talk from the IHGS comprises a one-hour talk on the sources for exploring the life of your merchant seaman ancestor. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session. Starts 6pm. Tickets £10. Book at http://familytr.ee/merchant
Basic Latin for family historians, 5 August
In this practical two-hour Society of Genealogists’ tutorial, genealogist Caroline Gurney will help you learn the basic Latin words and phrases commonly found in family history documents. Participants will also spend some time working in small groups to transcribe a document. Cost £16 (20% discount for SOG members). Book at http://familytr.ee/latin
Creating a one-street study, 7 August
In this talk, Gill Thomas looks at using census returns, First World War records and church memorials, as well as rate books, electoral rolls, local newspaper cuttings and school records, to enable you to build a colourful picture of their surroundings, a process akin to recolouring a black and white phoho.
Runs 2-3pm. Tickets £10. Book at http://familytr.ee/onestreet
First steps to a one-place study, 25 August
This eight-week Pharos Tutors course by Janet Few is designed for those who are just starting on their one-place journey and for more experienced one-placers who would like guidance or inspiration, or want to take a more organised approach to their study. Discover common sources, further sources, how to analyse your data and how to put your findings into context and then publish your study.
Cost £49.99. Book at http://familytr.ee/one
Tips and tricks for finding elusive records, 24 August
Over 70% of the records on Familysearch are not yet indexed. Learn in-depth techniques to search Familysearch’s unindexed/image only collections for those elusive records that are not found from a basic search.
Although the event has reached its Zoom capacity, it is still available to enjoy at www.facebook.com/familyhistorylibrary which is the overflow option. Starts 10am Mountain Time (5pm GMT+1)
Mayflower International Genealogical Conference, 28 August An online Zoom conference commemorating the sailing of the Mayflower from Plymouth in September 1620. Topics include DNA and the Mayflower, Shropshire’s Mayflower children and a look at how local, national and international partnerships have changed perceptions of the ship, its passengers and the journey itself.
Tickets £5. Book at http://familytr.ee/mayconf
‘We don’t want any… master’s not in’… What really happened on census night, 10 September
Bedfordshire Family History Society have been holding their monthly meetings virtually since the first lockdown. Their next online talk features speaker Claire Moores and starts on Zoom at 7pm. Find out more and join the society at www.bfhs.org.uk/talks.html