50th Anniversary Conference
The Victorians
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Saturday 7th June 2025
10.00 - 16.30
Wokefield Place
Book Conference Place Book accommodation (optional)In 2025, Berkshire Family History Society celebrates its 50th birthday. Over the course of this year, we will be celebrating this milestone in a number of ways, the most important of which is a celebratory conference on Saturday 7th June. It’s our first conference since 2014, so we are aiming to make it a very special experience. We hope to be able to welcome as many of you as possible.Â
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This important conference will span social and family history over the sixty-three years of the reign of Queen Victoria. Topics include Victorian records in The National Archives, factory work, death and the Victorians, crime and punishment, The Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Victorian soldier.Â
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The line-up of speakers, headed up by historian, author and TV presenter Professor Kate Williams, represents a wide range of expertise from the media and academia. Attendees may choose from a varied programme of talk and advice sessions and there will also be time to browse exhibition stands in the display area.Â
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To celebrate our anniversary, the Society has also organised a year-long programme of visits to interesting venues of historical significance. These are in addition to our usual events programme.
The Venue
Wokefield Place, Wokefield Estate, Goodboys Lane, Mortimer, Reading, RG7 3AE
Set in 250 acres of Berkshire parkland, and now owned by De Vere Hotels, The Wokefield Estate offers excellent conferencing facilities, and its hotel facilities include 376 bedrooms - so it’s also a great place to stay for those coming from further afield.
More info...The Display Area
During the extended lunch break, you will be able to visit a bespoke family history fair offering stands, exhibition boards and specialist advice desks. The Society will have a stand offering its range of books, CDs and maps – so it’s an ideal time to stock up, without incurring postage charges. External organisations present include the Royal Berkshire Archives. A full list of organisations and individuals will be available in advance of the conference so that you can make the most of your time.
The Speakers and programme
Welcome 10:00 - 10:15
Professor Kate Williams 10:15 - 11:00
Kate Williams, is a historian and broadcaster. A specialist in modern history, royal and constitutional affairs, she’s Professor of Modern History at Reading University.
She was the co presenter of BBC Two’s RTS nominated Restoration Home and has presented and contributed to many historical shows on TV, including her BBC Two Young Victoria and recent BBC One show on VE Day and travel and talked on shows from The Great British Bake Off to the history of TV election coverage. To accompany the major BBC Two Drama, Versailles, Kate co-presented two series of Inside Versailles, delving deeper into the history of the French court. She also presented The Stuarts for UKTV and Netflix.
Kate will present, The Victorians: Superspeed history? From Jane Austen's time to the twentieth century
Dr Jessamy Carlson 11:15 - 12:00 (option 1)
Jessamy is The National Archives’ Family and Local History Engagement Lead. She is currently working on the re-cataloguing of the records of pre-1939 military nurses, and on the history of the Home Office Research Unit, alongside other projects. Recently, she led public engagement for the release of the 1921 Census in 2022. She has worked at The National Archives since 2008.
Jessamy has a degree in Medieval Studies from Birmingham, and a Masters degree in Archive Administration from the University of Wales (Aberystwyth). She has been a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts since 2011. She recently completed her PhD in Sociology at the University of Essex, titled ‘Girls will be girls – Approved Schools in England, 1933-1973’.
Jessamy will present, A Guide to Using Victorian Sources at The National Archives as a Family Historian
Doug Irvine 11:15 - 12:00 (option 2)
Doug Irvine is a chartered engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
He has worked for both consulting engineers and contractors on a wide range of civil engineering and building projects and since retiring has taken an interest in the engineering and social history of the 19th Century.
Doug will present, The Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Crystal Palace
Lunch - followed by stands and advice desks in the Fair area 12:00 - 14:00
During the break some of our speakers will be available on an advice desk to answer your queries
Victorian era research queries – Simon Wenham
Military research queries – David Chilton and his colleague Martin McIntyre
Industry and railway queries – Richard (copies of his book will be available)
Personal research queries to Jessamy at The National Archives advice desk
There’s lots more to come – watch this space….
Dr Simon Wenham 14:00 - 14:45 (option 1)
Simon is a part-time tutor in Oxford University’s Continuing Education Department where he specialises in the Victorian period. His books include Pleasure Boating on the Thames: a History of Salter Bros 1858 – Present Day (2014, 2017) and Hobbs of Henley: a History (2020).
Simon is a regular speaker on historical topics and has also written a range of academic and popular-level articles. He is a regular contributor to Radio Oxford and has done interviews for a number of television documentaries (shown on Channel 4, Channel 5 and TBN), as well as providing advice for books and programmes on a variety of subjects.
Simon will present, Crime and Punishment in Victorian England
Dr Richard Marks 14:00 - 14:45 (option 2)
Richard is a published historian based in Berkshire who specialises in industrial, military, and railway history and also the history of science. His current areas of research are industrial development in the Victorian period, the development of the railway and canal systems in Britain in the mid to late 19th Century and the history of British Rail.
He has a PhD in economic history. His books A History of British Rail Engineering Ltd and The Wantage Tramway were both published in 2024.
Richard will present, Rivets, Cotton and Clay: The Story of the Victorian Factory Worker
Adrian Mackinder 15:00 - 15:45 (option 1)
Adrian is a writer, comedian and performer. He studied theology at Bristol University and Victorian Culture at Birkbeck College, University of London, and has been writing professionally for 25 years. His work can be found on TV, film, in print and online. His first book, Stan Lee: How Marvel Changed the World was published in 2021 through White Owl Books. His latest book Death and the Victorians: A Dark Fascination (2024) explores a period in history when the search for the truth about death was matched only by the imagination and invention used to find it.
He currently lives in Copenhagen with his Danish wife and kids, where he struggles with being an Englishman abroad.
Adrian will present, The Spectacle of Death in the Victorian Age
David Chilton 15:00 - 15:45 (option 2)
David is a Newbury lad, who had a 40 year career in the Army, in infantry and then logistics.
On early retirement, he became the manager and curator of The Wardrobe Berkshire & Wiltshire Regimental Museum in Salisbury for the next 9 years. He is now a front desk volunteer as well as responsible for creating and maintaining the 500 plus publications for Wiltshire FHS.
Davis will present, The Victorian Soldier
How to Book
The conference and associated visits are open to all.Â
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Conference attendance:
£55 for members/£65 for non-members
Early bird offer: £50 for members/£60 for non-members if booked by 31st March
Includes lunch in the restaurant, refreshments throughout the day, access to your chosen talks and to the Fair.Â
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Visit prices vary - see the individual event details.Â
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Once booked, conference attendees will be asked to select their choice of talks from the parallel programmes. Pre-booking is required for both the conference and all of the events. Don’t delay as places are limited to the capacities at each location.
Book Conference PlaceBook accommodation (optional)Associated Visits Programme
To celebrate our anniversary, we have organised a year-long programme of visits to interesting venues of historical significance.
These are in addition to our usual events programme.
Tours of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and St George’s Archives
Basildon Park House & Gardens
Pendon Museum
Thames Valley Police Museum, Sulhamstead, Tour & Talk
Fairmile Hospital – Tour of the former hospital site
