Past Events

Monthly talk - Simon Fowler: Christmas food and drink through the ages

Tue, 20/12/2022 - 19:15

Simon will join us give an enertaining talk that is likely to show that everything you thought you knew about seasonal food and drink is probably wrong. 

Monthly talk - David Thornycroft: A Shropshire Squire

Tue, 18/10/2022 - 19:15

David will join us to talk about about a Shropshire Squire, Mad Jack Mytton of Halston 1796 -1834. 

Monthly talk - Ian Waller: Using Family Search

Tue, 20/09/2022 - 19:15

Ian will join us to explore how to use the Family Search website to help build your family tree.

Currently the situation with Covid-19 and the impact on being able to hold our monthly meetings at the normal location in Cross Houses continues to be uncertain so the SFHS committee is still looking into how future talks will be delivered. It is hoped that there will be the opportunity for combined face to face meetings and Zoom as soon as possible.  Further details of how the meetings will be organised will be made available as soon as they are confirmed. 

Monthly talk - Graham Bradbury: The good, the bad and the spooky

Tue, 05/07/2022 - 14:00

Graham will join us at Cross Houses to talk through his experiences whilst researching his family history. 

He will cover resources, methods and tips that make family history come alive such as old maps, quarter session records, police and criminal records, divorce and rail records to name but a few. 

Please note this talk is part of an afternoon meeting at Cross Houses and will not be available on Zoom. 

Monthly talk - Nick Barrett: The future of Family History

Tue, 21/06/2022 - 19:15

Nick will join us to review the way research is changing as a result of technology and the media and will consider how this might provide opportunities for future activity. 

Monthly talk- Graham Hollox: John Doughty & son

Tue, 17/05/2022 - 19:15

In this talk Graham will follow the fortunes of three generations of the Doughty family. Faced with a decline in the need for river traffic, Theophilius Doughty took the challenging decision to start manufacturing bricks and roofing tiles. His son, John developed the business and the family became wealthy pillars and benefactors of the community. Competition, wars and recession led to the failure of the company in later generations, a fate to befall all other similar companies which had played a major part in the economy of Jackfield and Broseley for over a hundred years.  

Monthly talk - Gill Blanchard: Crimes on record - Prison and Criminal Court records

Tue, 19/04/2022 - 19:15

Gill will join us to talk about the wealth of documents which can be searched for details of our ancestors' misdemeanours, from Petty Sessions to Assize courts. 

Monthly talk - Dr John Baker: The place names of Shropshire - recent work

Tue, 15/03/2022 - 19:15

John will join us to talk about some of the things that may not always be apparent from some of the interesting place names to be found around Shropshire. 

Monthly talk - John Hanson: Census substitutes

Tue, 15/02/2022 - 19:15

John will join us to talk about where else it might be possible to find details of our ancestors if they can't be found in the Census records. 

Extra talk - Mary McKee: Findmypast and the 1921 census

Tue, 25/01/2022 - 19:15

Mary, who is Head of Content Publishing Operations for Findmypast will join us on Zoom to talk about the 1921 census. Following the release of the 1921 Census for England and Wales on the Findmypast website, scheduled for 6 January, Mary will be explaining all!