York Family History Society

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York Family History Society

Discover your roots with the City of York & District Family History Society. Join us to explore your personal and local history. Hello and welcome! YO1 7DS.

Since 1975, we’ve offered expert speakers, newsletters, and a supportive community for genealogy enthusiasts of all ages. THE CITY OF YORK & DISTRICT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY. The Society was founded in 1975 in order to further the interest in Family History Research and is run by volunteers working in their spare time. Our aim is to bring together local people who share the same interest and to provide a point of contact for those members who, although not living in the area, have their roots within the modern archbishopric. The Society covers the modern Archdeaconry of York which stretches from Coxwold, Hovingham and Sherburn in Harford Lythe in the North to Ledsham, Birkin, Selby and Drax in the South. As well as from Bramham, Bilton and Sherburn in Elmet in the West to Huggate and Bubwith in the East. The Society’s area overlaps parishes covered in the West by the Yorkshire Archaeological Society Family History Section, in the East by The East Yorkshire Family History Society and in the North by Ryedale Family History Society. Research Room
BREAKING NEWS: CLOSED ON 20TH NOVEMBER 2025
However, from the second week of JANUARY 2026 and for a trial period of six-months, we will
continue to offer family history support at the following places:

Every MONDAY 10am to 4pm at THE FAMILY HISTORY ROOM at YORK CENTRAL LIBRARY, MUSEUM STREET, YORK. Every FRIDAY 10am to 4pm at THE BORTHWICK INSTITUTE FOR ARCHIVES at the UNIVERSITY OF YORK. YO10 5DD.

08/10/2026

Our October talk, "York in the time of James 1st" is now available on the members YouTube Channel. The link is in our Facebook Group and will shortly be available in the members area of the website.
Tony Morgan, explores how one northern English city weathered the upheavals of the early seventeenth century. From plague, frost and flooding to political tension, royal visits and the everyday struggles of its people.

05/10/2026

Two visitors, Heather and Paul came into our Family History hub at Explore York Archive today. They were following up our July talk on "Researching your WW2 Ancestors" and looking for assistance on Heather's grandfather, William Kendall.
Heather brought along William's photo album which showed some fascinating pictures which our volunteers identified were taken during his service in a Cavalry Regiment in India during the 1930's. Even more excitingly we were able to validate a family story. William was a founder member of the Special Air Service (SAS) and took part in their first mission in late 1941, during which he was captured.
The records of his stay in an Italian prison camp were located and so was the remarkable story of his two escapes and eventual return to the SAS in 1944, just in time for the unit to fight in France and Germany. The album also contained William's 1945 army release form which describes his conduct as "Exemplary" and was written by the legendary Blair "Paddy" Mayne, Commanding Officer of 1st SAS.
We were delighted to assist Heather and Paul in unearthing some of this remarkable man's story and suggested where their research could go next.
What can you discover about your family history? Why not come into York Explore on Monday or The Borthwick Institute for Archives on Friday and we can help you find it.

20/09/2026

Our September talk, 'A House, a Family and an Architect' is now available on the members YouTube Channel. The link is in our Facebook Group and will shortly be available in the members area of the website.
'A House, a Family and an Architect'. David Guyton describes a fascinating example of the intersection between family history and house history. In this case, a family and a house link to one of York's most prominent architects, Walter Henry Brierley, who died almost exactly 100 years ago.

27/08/2026

September 2026 meeting
Our next talk will be on Wednesday 2nd September from David Guyton: 'A House, a Family and an Architect'. David describes a fascinating example of the intersection between family history and house history. In this case, a family and a house link to one of York's most prominent architects, Walter Henry Brierley, who died almost exactly 100 years ago.

7.00pm for 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you can attend in person, we are at the Quaker Friends Meeting House, White Rose Avenue, New Earswick, YORK YO32 4AD.

We will be on Zoom from 7.15, the talk will start at 7.30. A link has been emailed to all members and is also on our Facebook Group page.

The talk will be available on our YouTube channel later in the month.

26/08/2026

Our Chair, Steve recently visited the Foundling Museum in London:

"At the weekend I visited the Foundling Museum established by Captain Thomas Coram in the 1730s after years of persuading leading people of the early 18th century to support him. He gained the support of people like Hogarth the artist and Haydn the classical composer.
It was an early attempt at child protection and had real success in rescuing abandoned babies in London. Amazing records. My ancestors in Low Catton received several of these children as apprentices.
Well worth a visit!"

24/08/2026

The August bulletin from Family History Federation has now been published.
There is always something useful there, this month has an article on "Tracing Your Irish Ancestors", last month was "A Practical Guide to AI in Family History Research".
Here is a link to all of the bulletins

17/08/2026

Title : 1880s – 1940s Hong Kong photos: 70 years of stories to tell
In this new talk for 2026, David brings us a selection of his favourite photos of old Hong Kong to enjoy. The excellent detail in these old photos, combined with high-resolution scanning and a modern projector, allow David to zoom in live and show us their minutest details. These details become the clues he’ll use to tell us the photos’ hidden stories.

We’ll explore views of Hong Kong’s people, the ever-changing city, and the effects of storms and the Second World War, using photos taken from the 1880s through to the 1940s. Eggs and gelatin also make an appearance, as key ingredients in that period's photographic revolution!

Date : Saturday 5th September 2026

Speaker : David Bellis BEM of Gwulo.com

Venue : The Main Hall, Clements Hall, Nunthorpe Road, York, YO23 1BW [map]

Time : 2:30 pm [2pm doors open, 2:30pm talk begins, 3:30pm Q&A, then refreshments and time to chat with David and guests.]

Booking is required : Email to Grace at [email protected]

Lecture cost : £12 (or £6 for full-time students), to include refreshments after the talk

The speaker : Originally from Wales, David lived in Hong Kong from 1992 to 2024. Since 2009 he has run the Gwulo.com website, providing an online meeting place where people from around the world meet to ask questions and share their knowledge about Hong Kong’s history. The site has grown to over 60,000 pages, including over 40,000 photos of old Hong Kong.

14/08/2026

Yesterday we received a message through the website from a person in Canada who is looking for help in researching the Lamb family. Unfortunately they have not given their name or a contact email address. If you see this message, please email [email protected] and we will try to help you.

11/08/2026

Romantics, Mystics & Revolutionaries
3rd September 2026
Doors 7pm, show starts 7.30pm
41 Monkgate, York YO31 7PB
Tickets £10-15, available here (plus booking fee)
A spoken word show about rebellion and imagination. The 1800s Romantic movement began as a rebellion: against empire, industry, and the mechanisation of the soul. Yorkshire became the epicentre of its rebellion. This storytelling show fuses history with music, comedy, and poetry. Witness a spellbinding history of riot, repression, and psychedelic experimentation. As we face this age of despair, find out what we can learn from past dreams of freedom and renewal. Expect enchantment, resistance and wild imagination.
“Remembering, reviving, and re-enacting the Romantics. We were all very moved.”
— Alfoxton House (home of William Wordsworth)

Address

York

Telephone

01904 412204

Website

http://www.yorkfamilyhistory.org.uk/

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