The origins and roles of apothecaries are introduced by Helen, followed by a study of a 17th century Nantwich apothecary, Raphe Walley. Walley's interesting family history is discussed briefly. Many insights into the medicines and ingredients in his shop in Town Square were uncovered following the discovery of the probate inventory of its contents. The talk explores some of the remedies he would have supplied, and how efficacious, or otherwise, they would have been.

Contact email:

Entrance fees: 
£2.00 for Members
£3.00 for Non-members

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

Macclesfield Group: Grave Matters: Using Burial Records and Memorial Inscriptions

by Liz DeMercado

Admission: £2 members | £3 visitors (includes refreshments)

All Welcome!

For details: 

The June FHSC Cheshire Research Buddies topic of the month is Malpas and area  - Do you have ancestors in the area, or are you researching a local family and want some help, perhaps on the other hand you live in the locality and could offer help with photographing gravestones or buildings. This is the chance for members to help each other, I'm sure there are many members out there with knowledge of the area that they could share. 

You will need to register to attend, to do so please click on the 'Register [Individual]' button below on the left and process your registration, you will receive an email confirmation and the zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the morning of the helpdesk meeting.

If you run into any difficulties with this then please contact Margaret Roberts on 

NOTE that registration closes at 10am on the morning of the meeting.and the zoom links will be forwarded once registration is closed 

The July FHSC Cheshire Research Buddies topic of the month is Chester and area  - Do you have ancestors in the area, or are you researching a local family and want some help, perhaps on the other hand you live in the locality and could offer help with photographing gravestones or buildings. This is the chance for members to help each other, I'm sure there are many members out there with knowledge of the area that they could share. 

You will need to register to attend, to do so please click on the 'Register [Individual]' button below on the left and process your registration, you will receive an email confirmation and the zoom links/meeting protocol will be forwarded the morning of the helpdesk meeting.

If you run into any difficulties with this then please contact Margaret Roberts on 

NOTE that registration closes at 10am on the morning of the meeting.and the zoom links will be forwarded once registration is closed