Events from location : Zoom[View Map][Get Directions]

Domestic Service before the First World Wall 

Ian describes the living conditions of servants in big houses and the importance of having servants. He will move on to talk about the various jobs and the lives of these servants, the romantic opportunities, the ‘servant problem’ from 1901and how the Great War and Spanish Flu changed things. He mostly concentrate on indoor servants but outdoor servants are mentioned in passing.

Please note that this is an afternoon meeting and will start at 2.30 pm 

This event is for members only and registration is open, please press ‘Register [Individual]’ button above on the left, you will receive an email confirmation.

Registration will close on 10th February at noon and the links will be sent out that afternoon. 

Image Credit Launus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Andrea is a writer and researcher with an interest in the social history of the First World War. She has written a number of books, including British Widows of the First World War- the Forgotten Legion, on which this talk is based - see Pen and Sword Books: British Widows of the First World War - Hardback

Find out more about Andrea at her website - History Lass 

This event is for members only and registration is now open, click on the ‘Register [Individual]’ button which is in pink towards the top of this page,  you will receive an email confirmation. Registration will close at midnight on 16th February and the zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the day before the talk. 

If you run into any difficulties with this, then please contact us on the dedicated seminar email address – 

The Seminar series is co-ordinated by Margaret Spate, Jean Laidlaw and Margaret Roberts 

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT RECORD SEMINAR TALKS

FHSC Annual Quiz – Join the Fun!

Put your thinking caps on and join us for the FHSC Annual Quiz, an enjoyable evening of questions, laughter, and friendly competition. You don’t need to be a quiz expert (or even particularly good at quizzes!), just come along ready to take part and have a bit of fun with fellow members.

Attendees will be randomly placed into teams of 4 or 5 in breakout rooms - don't worry Zoom will do it all for you - and each team will have a question master.  All teams will be asked the same set of questions and then we shall come back together into the main zoom meeting to discover the answers and see which team is the winner. 

I'm hoping that many members will join us, last year's event was great fun and enjoyed by all who attended. 

You will need to register, registration is open and closes on 17 February 2026. Just press the pink/red 'Register [individual]' button above. 

Zoom links being sent out on the morning of the quiz - 19th February 2026

Clare Wilson is a Professional Genealogist with Treehouse Genealogy based in Central Scotland. Born into the RAF Family, through her own Family History Research Clare would discover a WW1 Ace who was awarded a D.C.M., a family member who was shot down over Germany during WW2 whilst serving with Bomber Command & more about her Fathers Service during the Cold War Period.

During WW2 Men from throughout the Commonwealth & beyond would sign up to serve with the Allied Air Forces. This often-dangerous job would take many of them across the world and would see them fighting alongside men from other nations. This being the case tracking down relevant records can often be tricky. During her presentation Clare will tell the story of a crew shot down over France in 1944, showing the sources and documents used to piece their story together, covering records such as where to find Service Records, records at the National Archives, Air Force Lists, researching Operations, publications useful in your research, Combat Reports, looking for memorials, evaders & POWs, oral histories and much more. Members  will be amazed at the level of information discovered in relation to this crew, meaning that you can replicate this to search for your own WWII airmen.

This event is for members only and registration opens on 1st May, when the ‘Register [Individual]’ button will show on the bottom left of the Event details on the FHSC website for you to click and then process your registration, you will receive an email confirmation. Registration will close on 18th May.

The zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the day before the talk.  If you run into any difficulties with this, then please contact us on the dedicated seminar email address – . The Seminar series is co-ordinated by Margaret Spate, Jean Laidlaw and Margaret Roberts and ALL correspondence, queries etc should be sent to the dedicated email address.

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT RECORD SEMINAR TALKS

Linda Hammond is a professional genealogist and member of the Register of Qualified Genealogists. She has been active in genealogy for over 35 years as both a researcher and a lecturer. She is a member of the University of Strathclyde genealogy course faculty, where she works as a tutor for their Masters program.

How many of the “facts” in your family tree are truly proven - and how many are just educated guesses? In genealogy, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of assumptions: a family story that must be true, an “obvious” connection that fits neatly, or a record that seems reliable at first glance. But without careful evidence analysis, we risk building a house of cards.This talk introduces you to the tools and methods that turn uncertain clues into sound conclusions. You’ll learn the difference between information, evidence, and proof; how to distinguish direct, indirect, and even negative evidence; and why the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) is your best safeguard against errors. Through clear examples, we’ll explore how to handle conflicting sources, weigh reliability, and avoid common misconceptions about records. You’ll also discover practical tools - like evidence tables and research logs - that make analysis manageable and effective. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned researcher, this talk will sharpen your detective skills, boost your confidence, and help you move from “I think” to “I know” in your family history research.

This event is for members only and registration opens on 1st June, when the ‘Register [Individual]’ button will show on the bottom left of the Event details on the FHSC website for you to click and then process your registration, you will receive an email confirmation. Registration will close on 15th June

The zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the day before the talk.  If you run into any difficulties with this, then please contact us on the dedicated seminar email address – . The Seminar series is co-ordinated by Margaret Spate, Jean Laidlaw and Margaret Roberts and ALL correspondence, queries etc should be sent to the dedicated email address.

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT RECORD SEMINAR TALKS

Together with Devon Family history Society, FHSC is delighted to welcome Professor Ronald Hutton to the Seminar Series. Prof Hutton has written over a dozen books and has appeared on numerous television and radio programmes from Ghosthunters and the Edward Farm to the Secrets of Great British Castles. Specialising in Early Modern Britain, Prof Hutton is an expert in historical paganism, folklore, and modern paganism and it is on that subject that he will be talking. Hutton will explore the history of British festivals from the earliest written records to the present day, covering a wide range of traditions including May Day, Midsummer, Hallowe'en, and the twelve days of Christmas. This is certain to be an excellent talk.

This event is for members only and registration opens on 1st July, when the ‘Register [Individual]’ button will show below the title of the event, click Register and you will receive an email confirmation. Registration will close on 13 July.

The zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the day before the talk.  If you run into any difficulties with this, then please contact us on the dedicated seminar email address – . The Seminar series is co-ordinated by Margaret Spate, Jean Laidlaw and Margaret Roberts and ALL correspondence, queries etc should be sent to the dedicated email address.

PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT RECORD SEMINAR TALKS