"David Tilsley is an archivist at Lancashire Archives, Lancashire County Council's archive service, where he have worked for 14 years.

"My talk will look at sources that tell us about the schooldays of our Lancashire ancestors in the nineteenth century. Who went to school? How did elementary education develop? Which sources contain information about individuals?"

• Date: 6th October 2021
• Wednesday 7.30pm
• Online via Zoom
• Speaker: David Tilsley
• Booking Eventbrite booking details

'Dr Penny Walters has been a University lecturer for 30 years. Penny's interest in genealogy started after having her first child and then wondering about her biological parents, as she was adopted. Penny has 6 mixed race children who have all enjoyed discovering their roots through DNA ethnicity results. Penny lectures internationally in-person, writes articles, and is sought after for a wide range of webinar topics. Penny has authored the books: 'Ethical Dilemmas in Genealogy,' and ‘The Psychology of Searching’ available on Amazon in paperback or on kindle www.searchmypast.co.uk

'This session will start with a historical overview of life in Wales, looking at maps, counties, 1720 and 1833 gazetteer descriptions, the Welsh language, traditional dress, Welsh dragon and patron saint. We will look at the steady heavy industrialisation of the beautiful rural countryside, into coal mining and Merthyr Tydfil specifically. Emigration posters of the 1840s reveal the call to build a new and better life abroad. The crucial role of DNA testing with specified regions and surname distribution will be revealed, as will language, translation tools and scripts. Censuses in Welsh will be analysed and compared to English language censuses. A variety of resources and research strategies will be given to aid looking for ancestors and relatives in Wales. The feeling of connectedness, diaspora and homelands will be explored. www.searchmypast.co.uk'

• Date: 3rd November 2021
• Wednesday 7.30pm
• Online via Zoom
• Speaker: Dr Penny Walters
• Booking: Eventbrite booking details

Details to follow

• Date: 5th January 2022
• Wednesday 7.30pm
• Online via Zoom
• Speaker: Antony Marr
• Booking: Eventbrite

Our Meeting Rooms

We hold our meetings at the Montserrat Room, [First Floor], Bolton Old Links Golf Club, Chorley Old Road, Bolton, BL1 5SU. There is ample seating and also room for a helpdesk, and a stationery (for sale) table. Coffee and tea is available and the bar is open. The room opens at 7-00pm for the helpdesk and meetings start at 7.30pm.

Our Venue

Bolton Old Links Golf Club has ample car parking facilities but access to the first floor is by stairs only. The venue is easy to get to by car and meetings are always popular and well attended.