Membership
Newbury Branch membership comprises 65 who live within the geographical area, now expanded to 102 by including those who live elsewhere (several overseas) but who have ancestral interests in the Newbury area. By registering this on their online membership profile they have ensured that they are kept in touch with projects, events and family history news from Newbury.
Around two-thirds of our geographical members have been members for 10 or more years. In the past year we have lost two members and gained four.
Meetings programme
Our policy is to hold Zoom meetings in the winter months (starting at 19.30), and afternoon face-to-face meetings at West Berkshire Museum (starting at 14.00) from March to November. July and August are kept free for holidays.
10 May 23 Quaker ancestors Simon Burbridge (F2F)
14 Jun 23 Practical introduction to tracing WW1 soldiers Mike Cooper (F2F)
13 Sep 23 Camp Hopson Jonathan Hopson (F2F)
08 Nov 23 History of motoring in West Berkshire Tim Green (F2F)
10 Jan 24 Researching Welsh ancestry Eilir Daniels (Zoom)
09 Feb 24 Pinpointing the origins of your surname John Titterton (Zoom)
13 Mar 24 Craven family Clive Williams (F2F)
10 Apr 24 Education in Thatcham: thirst for knowledge Sue Ellis (F2F)
There have been two combined branch meetings (CBM) on Zoom (23rd October 2023 and 14th March 2024).
Planned for the rest of 2023-24:
08 May 24 History of Thames Valley Police + BAM Dave Stubbs (F2F)
02 Jun 24 That summer: a wartime evacuation to Kintbury Sarah Roberts (F2F)
11 Sep 24 A nice quiet life Robert Chicken (F2F)
16 Oct 24 The earl and the pharaoh Lady Carnarvon (CBM)
11 Nov 24 The Cope Hall Colony Carol Brindley (F2F)
Outreach
Since May 2023 18 queries have been handled from people needing help with finding their West Berkshire ancestors.
Advice sessions at Newbury Library take place on an on-demand basis. Library staff forward family history queries to Judith Thomas, who is also a regular library volunteer at the library. This year seven people have been helped, with an average of three sessions per person.
In August 2023 Nick Prince, Penny Stokes, Reg Ward and Judith Thomas were invited to visit Falkland Grange Care Home to chat to the residents about their family histories. Although the event was a mixed success in terms of family history, the care home reported that everyone enjoyed the afternoon.
Projects
Transcription of St Mary’s Shaw parish registers is due to be completed by the time of the branch annual meeting. All transcribed entries have been passed to the society’s projects co-ordinator, by whom they will be thoroughly checked before publication. This will take some time.
The project began in April 2019, and has been made possible by several volunteers. We are very grateful to Ian Ward, Julia Ward, Hilary Baic, Sylvia Green, Clare Challis, Paul Bryant and Eric Saxton for their contributions.
Finances
Due to the small amounts of cash now handled, a branch treasurer is no longer formally required, although the requirement for someone to take responsibility for branch petty cash continues. Jenny Peet does this, and when the balance exceeds £100, a transfer is made to the society’s bank account. The branch-held cash balance is used to meet occasional speaker expenses.
Publicity
Reg Ward publicises meetings both within the society and externally by means of:
sending details to the Berkshire Family History Society website, including an image and text description;
producing a poster which is placed in West Berkshire Museum, town council (Newbury and Thatcham) noticeboards and libraries, and the Berkshire Family History Society noticeboard at Royal Berkshire Archives;
posting on the Berkshire Genealogy Facebook page;
sending details to West Berkshire Heritage Group, Berkshire Local History Association, Newbury District Field Club, Newbury Weekly News What’s-On section, Roundandabout, and Pennypost.
Reg also produces the regular branch newsletters. Since October 2023 he has co-written (with other committee members) and distributed five issues.
Looking ahead
In 2025 the society will mark its 50th anniversary. Events to celebrate this are under consideration, and include a possible branch outing, probably in July, to a local museum or other heritage site. More details will follow in the society and branch newsletters in coming months.
Nick Prince (chair)
Judith Thomas (outreach and projects)
Reg Ward (publicity)
Jenny Peet (treasurer)
Penny Stokes (secretary)
