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February 20, 2025

This Saturday – Ridgeway Park Cemetery Working Party

Join us at Ridgeway Park Cemetery (on Fishponds Road, in the North-East part of Bristol) this Saturday, 22 February from 11am to 1pm. We are back to clearing graves and cutting grass around graves so please bring trowels and shears with you if possible. Parking is available and there is a cafe and toilets nearby. Contact Clare Hayward (secretary@bafhs.org.uk) for further information. Please bring your own tools and a drink if required.
February 18, 2025

Turning an OS Map into History

We invite you to join us next Monday (24th) for the February Bath Group meeting when Giles Darkes will talk about the general processes that the Historic Towns Trust goes through, using Bath as an example of a project, to create one of its town and city historic maps. Giles will cover how the Trust assembles the map and, as with all historical mapping, some of the issues that go with it. The talk is online and begins at 7.30pm and is available to members only (joining details sent by email).
February 6, 2025

Know Your Place – Bristol Historic Street Names

Bristol City Council has added a new layer to the KnowYourPlace maps of Bristol, giving street names which are now lost. Go to https://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition%3D, then click on the menu top right, then Information layers, then scroll down to Historic Environment Record, then Historic Street Names. Currently under construction.
February 4, 2025

“Smuggling: That Infamous Traffik”

We invite you to join us for our next Bristol group meeting and talk on Monday 10 February. Chris McCooey will be talking about the history of open smuggling from the ‘owling’ of wool to the Continent and importing illegally and distributing huge quantities of tea, tobacco and spirits. The meeting is on Zoom at 7.30pm – the link will be sent to members by email.

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About BAFHS

Founded in 1975, we are a well established Family History Society focussing our activities on Bath, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (the former county of Avon 1974 to 1996) and its constituent predecessor and successor counties. We are also frequently referred to by our initials - BAFHS. The hub of our activities is our Research Room where enthusiastic volunteers give their time for the benefit of the Society.

What we do:

  • Encourage the public study of family history with reference to the historic county of Avon and its successor counties.
  • Publish a quarterly Members' Magazine (available in digital or paper format).
  • Transcribe and publish source material of interest to family historians.
  • Hold regular in-person and online meetings with a programme of illustrated talks and lectures.
  • Operate a Research Room where advice and resources are freely available.
  • Operate this website which is dedicated to family history.
  • Organise outings to places of interest.

Members:

Members are at the heart of our Society. By becoming a member, you will be joining a like-minded group of people who support our work. There is also the opportunity to become actively involved with a wide range of activities - you'd be surprised what it takes to run a modern family history society. It is quick and convenient to join online.