Research Room
Meetings & Events

Become a member

Join today

Volunteer and jobs

Discover more
October 23, 2024

Oxfordshire Family History Fair

We will be taking our stall and expertise to the Oxfordshire Fair at Cherwell School (North Site), Marston Ferry Road, OXFORD, OX2 7EE. There will be experts and advisers from various organisations in Oxfordshire and further afield, including our neighbouring family history societies from Devon, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset & Dorset and Wiltshire. There will be hot and cold food and drinks available to buy. More information from the Oxfordshire FHS website.
October 22, 2024

Personal Stories from Portrait Photographs – our next Bath meeting

On Monday 28 October we are presenting a talk by Stuart Burroughs entitled “Face-to-Face: from the exhibition at Bath@Works”. A collection of 400 photographic negative plates were donated to the Museum of Bath at Work in 2018. The subjects were identified only by their surname, written on the back of each plate. Using costume historians, public records and other archives the life stories of some of the subjects were revealed. The talk is online only and begins at 7.30pm and is available to members only (joining details sent by email). We look forward to “seeing” you!
October 9, 2024

Bristol Blitz – in-person meeting next Monday

We invite you to join us live at BAWA for our October members’ meeting. The talk, entitled “Bristol Blitz”, will be presented by Robert Pritchard who is the Co-Leader of The Bristol Branch of the Historical Association. Date and time: Monday, 14th October 2024 at 7-30pm (doors open 7-00pm).This event is in-person only at BAWA, Conference Room 1 (upstairs).
September 20, 2024

Discover your Family History in the Bath Record Office

A Bath Group talk by Anne Buchanan on Monday 23 September, 7-30pm. Computers and databases can only tell you so much. Archives and Local Studies collections are full of documents and ephemera that can help you fill in some of your family history background. This talk will introduce you to the type of material you might find in an archive, and suggestions on how to find it. This talk is online and available to members only (joining details sent by email).

Where your journey begins...
What will you discover?

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.