This talk was given on 26 July 2021. Oxford University’s Botanic Garden, the oldest in Britain, was founded in July 1621. Jacob Bobart, the ‘German Prince of Plants’, was the first keeper, famed both for his horticultural skill and his eccentricities. Some of the important visitors and events associated with the Garden will also be featured, including Ashmole, apes, aeronauts and ‘Alice’.
On 12 December 2022 via Zoom: Main theme “Who would you invite to Christmas Dinner and Why? However, if you have other topics you want to discuss e.g. Tips and strategies for searching for people; how you have proven/disproven the family "stories"; leasons learnt over the time you've been researching your family history; strange things found during your research or anything related to Family History you want advice on.
In this talk, delivered on 22 November 2021, Tim Healey created a vibrant portrait of Christmas in a turbulent age, describing Lords of Misrule, Twelfth Night revels, wassails, Boar’s Head feasts, frost fairs on the frozen Thames – and the Puritan ban on Christmas itself.
Recording of the talk: "A Gentleman would not like it:" The History of Restraint in Mental Health Care by Sarah Chaney given to the society on 25 January 2021.
On 7 September 2020 at a members' show and tell meeting Iain Fraser told us the story of two Williams and the family estate and Scottish castle, and includes the family involvement with the West Indian sugar plantations.
On 9 August John Vigar took us on a virtual tour of some of Oxfordshire Churches and discuss their architecture and furnishings.
On 13 September 2021 Ian Waller talked to us about the life and work of Agricultural Labourers.
This talk on the 27 September 2021 explored this extraordinary organisation from past to present with reference to the sites and casualties cared for across the world. It began by discussing the conception of the CWGC by its founder and the principles put into place at that time that continue to define what and how they do it.
On 9 May 2022, this step-by-step guide took us through how to best utilise the tools and facilities provided by Ancestry DNA to improve your techniques to find 3rd and 4th cousins and beyond. These techniques do not require an Ancestry subscription but will be enhanced with a subscription.
Given On 8 August via Zoom: Annoying Ancestors was an anecdotal story of how to search for your ancestors, highlighting the challenges they may knowingly or unknowingly have put in your way. New and experienced researchers will find this talk features obstacles to consider when tracing your ancestors. She hopes that her presentation, Annoying Ancestors, will inspire you to begin or will help reinvigorate your family history journey.
This talk, given on 10 January 2022, examined the village of Bletchingdon(ton) under the Annesley family from approximately 1750 to 1948 through records left in various archives. It showed how manorial, parish, tithe and land records can be integrated with village stories into a more rounded picture of an Oxfordshire village in the 19th century.
Monday 9 January 2023 - Via Zoom: A look at the program "Charting Companion" and how it can be used to tell your family history with great and original charts.
The VCH Oxfordshire team is currently researching Chipping Norton and its immediate area, for the next volume in the Oxfordshire series. In this illustrated talk Simon Townley will explore different aspects of Chippy's history, encompassing its medieval origins and castle, the famous Bliss tweed mill, and 19th-century struggles with sewage - along with some long-lasting family names.
On 7 December 2020 following the AGM Simon Fowler and Sylvia Levi told us about some of the food and drink historically linked to the Christmas period.
This talk was given on 12 July 2021. Your old photographs are valuable assets that should be cared for and preserved. But they should also be seen and appreciated. A good quality photo restoration saves the original by creating a new image and giving the new version pride of place. A restoration should be sympathetic to the original and bring it back to life.
Digital resources for Oxfordshire history Previously only available in Oxfordshire History Centre and Libraries, the refreshed website brings together, under a ...
Endell Street was unique. This talk, originally scheduled for 8 November 2021, has been rescheduled for 13 June 2022. It shows that it was the only hospital within the British Army to be staffed by women – all the doctors, nurses and orderlies were female apart from a dozen or so male helpers. The women of Endell Street treated 24,000 wounded soldiers who were shipped back from the frontline in France, Gallipoli and elsewhere throughout the war. After the war the hospital remained open to treat victims of the 1918 ‘Spanish’ flu pandemic. Endell Street became renowned as the most popular hospital in the First World War
This session, on 28 February 2022, discussed what ethics and morality mean, and what these have to do with genealogy. Ethical dilemmas in genealogy came to the forefront since law enforcement utilised information from GEDMatch to apprehend a suspected serial killer. These issues include exposing secrets and lies, and unexpected DNA results.
On 8 March 2021 Celia Heritage explained the different things to look out for when visiting a church and a churchyard.
The talk “Family Tree Drawing”, on 14 March 2022, looked at the differences between using a genealogy program and a dedicated drawing package to draw out a family tree, the plusses and minuses of both programs and a look at some variations David have done in the past
Discount code for FHF Really Useful Show
On 10 July 2023 -via Zoom. This talk will consider the types of roles women undertook on the Victorian and Edwardian railway, their recruitment, their working conditions and the limitations that were placed on their advancement. It will also consider the broader social forces and factors that shaped their employment. The talk will be appealing to those interested in railway history, railway work and women's employment in Britain in this period.
This talk, on 11 April 2022, focused on sources that can be used to put flesh on the bones of our ancestors, highlighting clues that might point towards unusual records and other images.
On 9 November 2020, Malcolm Austen gave us a talk about GENUKI detailing what it is and how it can help you find sources of information.
