Research Room
Meetings & Events

Become a member

Join today

Volunteer and jobs

Discover more
July 30, 2024

Meetings: in-person, online or hybrid?

We are taking a break from meetings for August but will return refreshed in September! The first Bristol Group meeting will be on Monday 9th September at BAWA and will be in-person ONLY. As members will know, since 2020 our meetings have been either online only or “hybrid” – a mix of in-person at BAWA with online access for members at the same time. We have persevered with hybrid meetings as they open access to the largest number of people, but they have proved to be very challenging technically and it has been decided we will cease hybrid meetings until/unless this situation changes. Therefore, from September, Bristol Group meetings will either be in-person or online, but not both. Bath Group meetings will continue to be online only.
July 25, 2024

New database: Map Library

Did you know we hold over 100 maps of Bristol and the surrounding areas dating from the 17th to 20th centuries? These are available for reference in our Research Room and thanks to the efforts of our Mike Slucutt, John Buckley and Jane Buckley, are now indexed in our newly-added Map Library database. The Map Library is accessible through the above link or by going to the Data tab on the main menu of the website.
July 23, 2024

Tracing Long Lost Families: Exploring the Possibilities

Our final Bath Group meeting before the summer break is next Monday, 29 July, when Jen Baldwin will be talking about “Tracing Long Lost Families: Exploring the Possibilities”. Tracing long-lost family members can often feel like solving a complex puzzle, especially when ancestors seem to vanish without a trace. In this lecture, we’ll explore key social patterns throughout history and the invaluable resources available that can help uncover these hidden connections. Join us to learn practical strategies for piecing together your family’s past and discovering those elusive ancestors. Jen is a Research Specialist at Findmypast, She specialises in the British diaspora and social history, adding depth and stories to traditional genealogy. The talk is online and begins at 7.30pm and is available to members only (joining details sent by email). If you are not a member you can join BAFHS. Just visit https://bafhs.org.uk/support/join and enjoy this and many other talks and benefits of being a member.
July 20, 2024

Secondhand books – new additions!

We have just added some more secondhand books to our WebShop. Why not have a look and see what we’ve got? Many relate to Bristol and the surrounding areas, but there are also books of wider interest. Go to our website, email shop@bafhs.org.uk or post to Sales – the address is in the journal.

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.