Run by local FHSC members this is weekly helpdesk held at the Wallasey Central Reference Library, EarlstonRd, Wallasey CH45 5DX every Friday between 10am and 1pm.

Step free access is available via a ramp and internal lift and all are welcome.

The Society's Computer Club is a Group within the Society and is open to all its members.

Its key objectives are to:

• Provide a forum where computer-using members can exchange views
• Keep ourselves up-to-date with the latest genealogical software and techniques
• Present alternative programs and computing methods
• Discuss computer administration and good-practice
• Untangle and learn to use new databases (e.g. 1939 Register, 1921 Census)

Club meetings take place only on Zoom.  A major benefit of Zoom meetings is that it allows non-Cheshire based members to join in.  It also enable use the ability to use full online broadband facilities, with members sharing their screen pages. If you want to bone-up on search methods and features in genealogy websites this is the place to be!

Informality is the order of the day and members are actively encouraged to bring along their current technical problems. Chances are that somebody will have an answer, but if not we have been known to spend big chunks of the meeting finding out!

Meetings and topics are seldom pre-arranged very far ahead.  Our general practice is to discuss new websites, members’ own current problems, or generally educating members on getting the best from their computers. We are here to help and learn from each other!  The proposed subject of each meeting is usually announced the week before, by email to Club Members.

The Computer Club plays a significant role in gathering information and presenting the computer section newsletter, Net that Serf. The quarterly Cheshire Ancestor incorporates this popular magazine. The editor is always in need of letters, requests or even full-length articles submitted for publication.

Meetings

The Computer Club meets regularly at 7.30pm on the second Wednesday of each month - on Zoom.  

We invariably decide meeting topics at short notice, always trying to meet the members' immediate interests. Requests for topics to include in upcoming meetings are always welcome.

The Group is led by Geoff Johnson; supported by Peter Rowley, Sue Ritchie, Ian Worthington and Ian Hough.

The Sale Group meet on the second Wednesday of the month, starting at 7.30pm for a 7.45pm talk. We meet at Sale Moor Community Centre, Norris Road, Sale M33 2TN

Visitors are always welcome and there is free parking in the Centre car park or on the road outside. We charge £2 for members of the FHSC and £2.50 for visitors. This charge includes light refreshments as you arrive. We are a friendly group and welcome visitors.

We try to arrange speakers on a wide range of topics - from specific family history research to more general local and social history topics. Sometimes we have meetings with no speaker but instead a forum where members share and talk round a theme, about aspects of their own research. We have found these meetings to be very enjoyable and useful. We learn useful tips from each other. 

Talks last about an hour giving time to chat to other members before and afterwards.

We are a group within Family History Society of Cheshire, which started in January 2017. Many of our members are experienced family historians who have previously belonged to other groups, alongside some new members. We are always pleased to help anyone get started if they are new to Family History.

Each year we arrange a visit to a place of social, local or family history interest. Previous visits have been to the Police Museum and Archives in Manchester; Manchester Central Library for a guided tour of resources for family historians; and to the beautiful historic John Rylands Library, Manchester. Also Walkden Gardens in Sale. In 2024, we visited Bramall Hall, Stockport - the hall is a superb example of a Tudor Manor House with origins dating back to the middle ages. In 2025 we visited Stockport Air Raid Shelters. These tunnels are as they were in WW2 and over 4000 people sheltered there during air raids. We had an afternoon guided talk which was thoroughly enjoyed by all those who attended.

We meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month (except January) at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Clifton Road West, Runcorn, WA7 4TE.

We start at 7pm and close at 9pm.

Members £2   Non-members £3

Free for first time visitors on research nights only.

The venue has Wi-Fi, during our research nights we have access to Ancestry, Find my Past, Geneanet, Puzzilla. These are all free to use on your own laptops or on our groups laptops during the meeting while inside the Church.  The Church also has two desktop computers in their research room for use, one is for disabled people the desk moves up and down which is most handy if you use a wheelchair.

Plenty of parking space and free cold refreshments and biscuits.