Saturday, 11th January, at 2pm
So Notorious a Prisoner : The Nine Lives of Mina Jury
An illustrated presentation to be given by Claire Moores.
This talk explores the extraordinary life of Mina Jury, from her origins in Northern Ireland, experiencing transportation to Australia for stealing jewellery and her involvement in one of the most celebrated impersonation cases of the Victorian Age, to her persistent criminal career in later life, despite repeated punishments in many locations in the UK.
Learning about her life experiences, can make us challenge our ideas about women's experiences of the criminal justice system but also familiar narratives of women's lives in general.
A Zoom only meeting, online.
Booking for zoom attendance is essential and will be free to everyone, on Eventbrite.
All are most welcome.

Saturday, 8th February at 2pm
Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida
An illustrated presentation to be given by author Ann Hanson
Anne Hanson’s new book, Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida, is a real-life mystery about her quest to discover the hidden past that her grandparents Frank and Ida took to their graves. When she finally unearthed their real identities, she learned that their tales were lies invented to conceal disturbing facts. Buried Secrets is both a suspenseful drama and a true story about love, sacrifice, and family relationships. Its target audience is readers of suspense, memoir, and social history.
A Zoom only meeting, online.
Booking for zoom attendance is essential and will be free to everyone, on Eventbrite.
All are most welcome.

Saturday 8th March, at 2pm
Heirlooms : Bring and Share Your Stories
We all have things that are important, because of their family connections, regardless of value, big or small.
Join us for an informal meeting to share the stories behind some of the items we hold most dear. If you don't have an heirloom of your own to share, even so, please join us, to hear the stories and share in discussions.
We would like to invite anyone who has an interest in family and local history to join us for this meeting.
Our normal charge of £5, for non-members, will be waived on this occasion.
This is a library only meeting and was to have been in the Education Suite however, because of circumstances beyond our control, the meeting will now be held in the BIPC space at the end of the Research Space. I'm informed that it's up the stairs, turn left and go right to the end.
Refreshments on arrival.
Booking not necessary. 
Please check back here, for any other last-minute changes, before travelling, especially if weather conditions are poor.

Saturday, 12th April 2pm
Brief Annual Reports Meeting
all welcome and followed by :
Oldham's Coal Mines
an illustrated presentation, given by Kelly Anderson
Oldham has a rich history when it comes to coal. From primitive fourteenth century mines in Werneth right up to Oak Colliery – one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, coal mines in Oldham, men, women and children worked long hours in very difficult circumstances to haul it out of the ground and into our homes.From how and when coal was formed, to miners strikes and great feasts, and a potential future use for the remaining coal mines lying beneath Oldham, come along to find out more about this fascinating part of Oldham’s history.
Please Note : This was to be a hybrid meeting, in person in the Library and online, on Zoom. However, owing to circumstances beyond our control, the Library have double booked the room, again. This meeting will now be held on Zoom only.
* Booking for zoom attendance is essential and free to everyone, on Eventbrite. 
All are most welcome.

Saturday, 10th May at 2pm
A Manicurist in Cowboy Country :
the Remarkable Adventures of Edith Alice Crosby, 1882-1968
an illustrated presentation
given by Alan Crosby
Alan pieces together the life of his great aunt.
A Zoom only meeting, online.
Booking for zoom attendance is essential and is free to everyone, on Eventbrite.
All are most welcome

Saturday, 14th June 2pm
Manorial History of Chadderton Part 2 - Foxdenton Hall
an illustrated presentation given by Mike Lawson
The story of an ancient Hall, originally built in the mid 15th century.
A library-only meeting in the Performance Space at Oldham Library.
MLFHS members free; visitors £5.
Refreshments on arrival.
Booking not necessary.

Saturday July 12th at 2pm
The Archers of Ossett : A Family History talk.
An illustrated presentation given by Chris Widdall.
This is the story of one family, the author’s direct ancestors and is situated in the small West Riding town of Ossett.
The talk begins with the history of archery, the occupation which gave name to her family. The main line is followed down from her earliest traceable ancestors who were the village blacksmiths and through their progression to textile machine manufacturing in the shoddy and mungo industry.
It follows the family’s fortunes and misfortunes, their successes and failures, from bankruptcy to industrial espionage during the Napoleonic Wars, their misdemeanours and madness and the story ends with her grandfather, George Archer, and his experiences on the battlefields of Europe, at Passchendaele.
This is a hybrid meeting, in person in the Library and online, on Zoom.
* Booking for zoom attendance is essential and will be free to everyone, on Eventbrite. 
All are most welcome.
* In the Library, MLFHS members free, visitors £5. 
Booking not necessary. Refreshments on arrival.

Saturday, August 9th at 2pm 
The Secret World of the Victorian Lodging House
an illustrated presentation given by author Joseph O'Neill
Criminals, drifters, beggars, the homeless, immigrants, prostitutes, tramping artisans, street entertainers, abandoned children, navvies, and families fallen on hard times - a whole underclass of people on the margins of society passed through Victorian lodging houses. These places were to be found in almost every city and town and they were central to working class life. Labelled seedbeds of infectious disease, they were seen as training schools for criminals and conmen of every description. The reality, however, was more complex as lodging houses also provided for those scratching a living, and sheltered those who refused to enter the workhouse.
Joe flings open the door to the 19th century lodging house, central to working class life, and tells their forgotten stories.
A Zoom only meeting, online.
Booking for zoom attendance is essential and will be free to everyone, on Eventbrite.
All are most welcome

Saturday, September 13th at 2pm
Great-Grandad's War
an illustrated presentation given by Carol Talbot
In 1914, Great-Grandad Edward was sixty.
His three eldest sons served in the war in different parts of the world.
But what was Edward's part in the war, and why was he awarded medals when he was too old to enlist?
The talk will include information about where to find records for WWI soldiers.
A library-only meeting in the Performance Space at Oldham Library.
MLFHS members free; visitors £5.
Refreshments on arrival.
Booking not necessary.

Saturday, October 11th at 2pm
Manchester, Oldham and Lancashire Portraits
An illustrated presentation given by Brian Groom.
The stories of 20 key people who built the region’s history will be told by Brian Groom, author of bestselling 'Northerners: A History' and 'Made in Manchester: a People's History of the City that Shaped the Modern World'. This includes figures from in or around Oldham such as William Walton, Annie Kenney and J.R. Clynes, plus others from the first Roman soldiers to Samuel Crompton, L.S. Lowry, Elizabeth Gaskell, Gracie Fields, Alan Turing and Victoria Wood.
This is a hybrid meeting, in person in the Library and online, on Zoom.
* Booking for zoom attendance is essential and will be free to everyone, on Eventbrite. 
All are most welcome.
* In the Library, MLFHS members free, visitors £5. 
Booking not necessary. Refreshments on arrival.

Saturday, November 8th
An Irishman Missing in Manchester - The Paper Trail
An illustrated presentation given by Carol Lee
A family member who disappeared in 1870s Manchester and how I managed to track him down following a paper trail he left behind.
A real-life story of genealogical detective work.

A Zoom only meeting, online.
Booking for zoom attendance is essential and will be free to everyone, on Eventbrite.
All are most welcome

NO

MEETING

PLANNED FOR

DECEMBER