2025 Forum Players PantoIt is once again time for families to come and enjoy the annual pantomime performed by Forum Players. This year’s panto is Robin Hood and will be at the Community Centre in January.

Laughing Chilli LogoThe next Laughing Chili Comedy Club will be on Saturday 14th December in the May Woollerton Hall at the Community Centre.

 

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For our November meeting Mike Dewey will talk about ordinary people from Wycombe who have led extra-ordinary lives. This meeting is on Tuesday 12th Nov starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30) in the Eghams Room at Bourne End Community Centre..

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For our October meeting Dave Foster will show us family history software that enables your family members to contribute to the research. This meeting is on Tuesday 8th Oct starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30) in the Eghams Room at Bourne End Community Centre..

Cabaret Poster thumbnailJoin the Bourne End Musical Players for a Cabaret Evening on Sunday 27th October at the Community Centre.

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Paul Carter will be talking us through publishing our Family History Research Online at our meeting on Tuesday 10th Sep starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30) in the Eghams Room.

BEBOPSS Logo Due to illness we are unable to hold the meeting on Tuesday 24th September. Anyone who has purchased a ticket will be contacted. The next meeting on 22nd Oct will go ahead as planned.

 

 

The Forum FactorJoin the Forum Players for an evening of light hearted fun with "The Forum Factor" on Fri 6th and Saturday 7th Sept at the Community Centre.

Bucks Advertiser newspaper title page

For our summer home grown talks this time the theme is Newspapers. Come along and give a short talk on something from your family history that made the newspapers. Or just come along and listen to the varied talks. Bourne End Community Centre starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30) on Tuesday 9th July.

BEBOPSS Logo The first talk by the Bourne End Bucks One Place Study Society will be on the History of Shortlands on 15th August at the Community Centre.

 

 

Julian Hunt - History of Marlow

Julian Hunt makes a welcome return to the Buckinghamshire Family History Society on 11th June to talk about the History of Marlow. Meeting held at Bourne End Community Centre starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30).

quiz 75pxForum Players are holding a fundraising quiz night on Saturday 20th July at 19:30. Why not come and join us for an evening of fun?

BEBCA Logo 180Every year The Short Mat Bowls Section holds a friendly competition between the highest scoring members of our Monday night bowlers and Tuesday night bowlers.

Richard Holt - Apprenticeships

In a change to our published program Richard Holt will be talking about Apprenticeship Records at our meeting on Tuesday 14th May the location for which is Bourne End Community Centre starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30).

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Nicholas Dixon will be showing us how to identify the location where our old family photographs were taken at our meeting on Tuesday 13th Aug starting at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30) in the Eghams Room.

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The Buckinghamshire Family History Society hosts KIrsty Gray making a return visit this time to rummage around in The Parish Chest on Tuesday 9th April in the Eghams Room.

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The Buckinghamshire Family History Society hosts "how to demolish your family history brickwalls". This talk with Ian Waller is on Tuesday 12th March in the Eghams Room and starts at 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

202401 ForumPlayers Panto 100pxCome along and join Forum Players for their annual pantomime which guarantees lots of fun, laughter & songs that you can sing along to. Can our hero Prince Ferdinand rescue Snow White from the poisonous Queen Avarice? Panto is at the Community Centre in January.

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At the Buckinghamshire Family History Society meeting on 10th October Donna Rutherford wil talk about using DNA in your Family History research. This Southern Branch meeting is at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

The National Archives

At the Buckinghamshire Family History Society meeting on 8th August Simon Fowler wil talk about Making Best Use of The national Archives. This Southern Branch meeting is at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

Old film

At the Buckinghamshire Family History Society meeting on 11th July Kathy Chater wil talk about Film and Sound Archives for Family Historians. This Southern Branch meeting is at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

old photo of postmen

The Buckinghamshire Family History Society meeting in June is a talk by Alan Ruston about the lives and records of Postmen, Customs Officers and others of that ilk. This Southern Branch meeting is on Tuesday 13th June at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

Forum Players present Soul MatesCome and join Forum Players for a fun filled evening of comedy and laughter whilst enjoying a 3 course meal. "Soul Mates" is on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th July 2023.

BucksFHS 20230509 Brick Walls

The Buckinghamshire Family History Sociiety meeting in May is all about brick walls - those blockers to research. This Southern Branch meeting is on Tuesday 9th May at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

BEBCA Logo 180Every year The Short Mat Bowls Section holds a friendly competition between the highest scoring members of our Monday night bowlers and Tuesday night bowlers. Throughout the year, members have their scores tallied after each session and a running total is kept. At the end of the year, the highest scoring man and woman from each evening then play against each other for the winners shield. This is called our end of year round robin competition.

BucksFHS 20230411 Dating Old Photographs

Unfortunately Tom Doig who was to talk about dating your old family photographs is unwell and cannot make it. As a late replacement Tony Sargeant has stepped in to talk about Charity and the use of WIlls. The Tom Doig talk will be rescheduled. This Southern Branch meeting is on Tuesday 11th April at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30)

BucksFHS 20230314 My Average Ancestor

In March Ian Waller will be talking to the Buckinghamshire Family History Society about "My Average Ancestor" which looks at the records our typical, average ancestor would be expected to have left behind (their genealogical footprint). This Southern Branch meeting is on Tuesday 14th March at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45 (Doors open at 19:30) Visitors very welcome.

BucksFHS 20230214 Mind the Gaps

David Annal returns to talk athe Buckinghamshire Family History Society about Gaps - those steps missed in research that will catch you out much later. The meeting is in the Eghams Room at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at 19:45.  Visitors very welcome.

BucksFHS 20230110 Searching for Surnames

We start 2023 with a talk from the ever popular Kirsty Gray. On 10th January she will be discussing "Searching for Sunames". The meeting is in the Eghams Room at Bourne End Community Centre and starts at on 19:45. 

202201 ForumPlayers Panto 100pxSongs are being sung – words are almost there - costumes being created for all the characters, including the cat – this is the January regular for Forum Players. This is panto and it's Dick Whittington, both are on their way to delight Bourne End audiences.

Eton Union WorkhouseBucks Family History Society Southern Branch meeting in October is titled "The Workhouse and Poor Law Union" with Colin Oakes. The talk is at Bourne End Community Centre on Tuesday 11th October at 19:45

BucksFHS 20180109 StartingYourFamilyHistory 100Using the key records for family history research and examples from his own family and research, Dave Foster builds a family tree using census, parish registers, birth, marriage and death certificates, newspapers, wills and monumental inscriptions. This talk is on Tuesday 8th November in the Eghams Room.

20220510 IanWaller ReadingOldHandwriting 100pxFor our May talk we welcome back Ian Waller to talk about reading old handwriting. This is at Bourne End Community Centre on Tuesday 10th May 2022

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We restart our monthly branch meetings at Bourne End Community Centre with a talk by Cathy Soughton on "House Histories". If you’ve been inspired by the BBC’s A House Through Time, come and find out how to uncover the history of a property on Tuesday 12th April at 19:45

202201 ForumPlayers Panto 100pxDue to the current steep rise in COVID cases the panto has been postponed. New dates will be published later. All tickets purchased will be refunded.

20200310 Surnames CensusSurnames 100pxLes Mitchinson asks when did Smythe become Smith and Ap Richard, Pritchard whilst exploring the origins and development of surnames.

202001 ForumPlayers Panto 100px"Beauty & The Beast, The Pantomime" is our very own Forum Players panto this January. Come and join us for a great 'sing along' to fabulous songs brought to life by Belle, Glaston, Beast, and the wonderful furniture, Cutlery, Mrs Pots and her 2 little chips. The story is told by our 2 fabulous narrators who are joined by a very jolly cast and a fearful Beast!"

20200211 BFHS FMP 100pxFindmypast is one of the major genealogical data services in the UK and has played a significant role in digitising records. This talk will provide an overview of the wide range of Findmypast's records

20200114 BucksFHS TracingLIvingRelatives 100

Antony Marr tells us how to move our research forwards to find elusive living relatives - methods of research and ethical issues.

20190704 Don Quixote Flyer Be prepared to be taken back to 16th century Spain, and the world of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza – with a 21st century twist. Wandering through La Mancha: A Quixotic Tale by Aaron M. Kahn is a rehearsed reading by Forum Players of a play based on Miguel de Cervantes' masterpiece. Free admission.

20191210 BucksFHS CuriositiesInTheChilterns 100px

A whistle-stop circular tour with Alan Copeland of the Chilterns looking at the odd, rare and unusual aspects of life many years ago.

BucksFHS The British In India

The India Office Records and Private Papers are held in the British Library and their most extensive archives (14 kilometres of shelves!) relate to the East India Company and the British
Empire in India.

BucksFHS Enclosure

An illustrated talk about enclosure by Richard Churchley, focussing on Buckinghamshire, Northants and the Midlands

Old Photographs

Old Photographs - their care and conservation. With pollution and modern materials, our photographs are at an increasing risk. In this talk Tom Doig considers how they should be stored, and methods of ‘safe’ display.

BucksFHS Coroners Inquests

The coroner holds an inquest if a death has been sudden and unexplained, when the cause is unknown, or the death is unnatural. Requiring no legal or medical knowledge until more recent times, the Coroner was an elected official.

20190611 Opening The Dore

John Grearson tells the truth behind a pre-WW1 friendship between two Wiltshire farmers’ sons, and one’s marriage to the sister of the other.

20190514 Family History and Education Records

This talk is by Colin Chapman. Although many school records have been lost or destroyed, many still exist and are extremely useful for family historians

Acts Of Parliament thumbnail

The Letter of the Law - Legislation for Family Historians. The records that we use to research our family history are largely the result of a variety of Acts of Parliament

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Bodgers - skilled itinerant wood-turners - used to be confined to the Buckinghamshire Chilterns. Working in a hut constructed over a framework of trees, they formed chair legs for Wycombe's
furniture industry using a shave horse and pole lathe, and were active until the middle of the last century.

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Tony Eaton has a special interest in unravelling the unresolved mysteries of WW2, particularly where the authorities are still refusing to open up files. In June 1940, the Germans seemed ready to invade and defeat Britain.

201901 ForumPlayers Panto Aladdin lampJoin Aladdin for a fun filled magical adventure as he bids to save the beautiful Princess Jasmine from the clutches of the wicked Abanazar! Expect all the traditional panto ingredients - toe tapping tunes, a laundry-full of laughs, loads of audience participation - and a very, very badly behaved panda! It's a genie-us of a pantomime!

Fraud Forgery FeudingThis talk by Gwyneth Wilkie will focus on the difficulties experienced before the introduction of civil registration in proving age, identity, lineage and entitlement - and the opportunities which arose for false claims to be made. It will also demonstrate how an understanding of the way data was recorded, transmitted and indexed can help resolve problems with the GRO indexes.

Imperial War MuseumThe Imperial War Museum was established in 1917, and the library has always been an integral part of it. This talk by Sarah Paterson provide a historical survey and highlights some key resources for family historians.

All Drawn By HorsesThis talk by Ian Waller looks at the horse drawn transport age from the mail coaching networks to transport on the estate or farm. A huge number of carriages, carts and wagons existed and we look at the regional differences, the types of transport and the horses which pulled them.

Parish RegistersParish registers are the most important resource for family history before the start of civil registration in 1837, and there are increasing numbers of indexes, transcriptions and images online.

marlow church yard thumbnailMany of us wander around churchyards and cemeteries, tracing family members or just out of interest. This illustrated talk by Kevin Varty explores the sometimes hidden meanings of the symbols which are often carved into the headstones, revealing a lost language from the past. The talk also shows how these symbols have been used by the funeral business, especially during Victorian times.

Wooburn Green War MemorialEvery community was affected by the war. The thousands of war memorials all around the country, including many in workplaces and schools, are evidence of this. Drawing on a wide variety of documents, in record offices, libraries and online, Audrey Collins shows us how we can discover the ways in which a particular community was affected.

Short Mat Bowls thumbnailGreat fun was had at our end of year celebrations with an afternoon playing skittles, hoops and target bowls.

Family Tree When someone dies without leaving a will and with no immediate kin, the value of the estate is held by Her Majesty’s Treasury Department, allowing time for the rightful heirs to make a claim.

Kirsty Gray will talk about tracing the family tree of the deceased to locate individuals who are potential beneficiaries.

20180213 CookhamDeanViewWe welcome the return of Richard Poad who will describe the life and times of the Cookham doctor in the 1920s and 1930s, which are brought vividly to life by a box full of documents donated to Maidenhead Heritage Centre.

BucksFHS 20180109 StartingYourFamilyHistory 100Using the key records for family history research and examples from his own family and research, Dave Foster builds a family tree using census, parish registers, birth, marriage and death certificates, newspapers, wills and monumental inscriptions

BucksFHS 20171209 HighWycombe MurraysPerhaps you have done most of your Christmas shopping online - but can you remember how it used to be?  Local historian and journalist Mike Dewey will tell us about ‘The Shopping Experience in Wycombe, 1945 to 1970’.

Forum Players Peter Pan Auditions“It’s time to fly with Forum Players’ next production – Peter Pan the Pantomime by Emma Houldershaw, Samantha Cartwright & Louise Archer which will be directed by Jill Hyde & Jill Dady. Casting starts with a read through of the script on Monday 25 September at Bourne End Community Centre at 8pm. Auditions will follow on Wednesday 27 September and Wednesday 4 October, again in the Centre from 8pm. We would love to see lots of new faces as well as existing members, whether or not you have had any stage experience before or not. Youngsters are also welcome – they will need to be 8 by the time of the performances.

 

20170920 ForumPlayers AgathaCrustyAngela Telfer takes on the role of Agatha Crusty (pronounced Croosty), who is a crime novelist. She's also pretty adept at solving crimes. When her sister-in-law, Alice, invites her to spend a few days with her in the village of Chortelby, it's not long before she gets caught up in a series of murders which seem directed at members of the All Saints Village Hall Committee.

BucksFHS 20171010 magic lantern WWI This is a Magic Lantern presentation by Kevin Varty which shows how the illustrations of the Great War were heavily censored as a result of the Defence of the Realm Act. All of the slides are shown in their original format. Included in the presentation is a rare selection of uncensored American slides.

 BucksFHS 20170912 NewspapersReports, reviews, articles and advertisements in newspapers and periodicals published during the past 300 years and more offer opportunities to discover otherwise unknown facts about our ancestors.  This illustrated talk by Colin Chapman describes many examples.

BucksFHS 20170613 London DocksJeremy Batch tells the story of London’s Docks (East India, West India, London, Royals, Surreys etc.) and also covers some of the other history of ‘London River’

BucksFHS MarriageRebecca Probert explores how easy (or difficult) it was to end a marriage by obtaining a divorce at different periods, the longevity of marriages, how the law dealt with disappearing spouses and the extent to which individuals resorted to bigamy.

bfhsThe enumerators first went to work on the UK census in 1841 and have performed a vital role in every one since. It hasn’t always been an easy ride: confronted by hostile householders and at the mercy of the decisions made by the census authorities.
Note the date of this talk has changed from 13th to 20th June

201705 SouthernBranch oldrailwaysDavid Turner looks at the careers and lives of early railway workers between 1825 and 1870. Why did they join the railway? From what industries did they come?

bfhs100It is a fairly sure fire thing that most of us originate from foreign blood, even if we cannot prove it until Anglo-Saxon times. Ian Waller returns and examines the roles and importance that the many immigrant communities that have arrived in Britain over time have played in both industry and civic life.

MarlowPostcard circ 1900 thumbnailTalk on March 14th 2017. The river has always been important to Marlow now-a-days it's use is almost entirely for leisure and sport. However in earlier times

WWII Female spitfire pilots thumbnailFebruary's monthly Family History talk is by Richard Poad and is a forgotten story of the courage, skill and sacrifice of WWIIs female spitfire pilots. The talk is on Tuesday 14th February 2017

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