North West Kent Family History Society

Member Peter COCKER asks:

I would be pleased to hear from anybody who has an interest in the Cocker family or associated families, as I am collating a family history and any information they can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Please get in touch and I will pass on your details

#NWKFHS

Can you help run our Society? We urgently need to fill a number of volunteer roles within the Society including a Chair, further details can be found on what’s involved below. Please feel free to contact the Society if you are able to help in any way #NWKFHS

The September 2025 issue of @familytreeplus.bsky.social has just dropped through my door.

My FT Academy piece is a case study featuring one of the most remarkable stories I’ve ever researched. If Bryan Dean was dead in 1881, how come he appears in the 1911 census?

Read all about the Life of Bryan…

Please spare a couple of minutes to help Lindsey....

I'm off to Canterbury later to do a talk for the Kent Family History Society @kentfhs.bsky.social

I think this is my sixth (maybe seventh?) time with the Canterbury branch and it's always a pleasure.

Apart from anything else, I get to visit my favourite bookshop... www.chaucer-bookshop.co.uk

Useful information for anyone researching #FamilyHiistory #LocalHistory or ##HouseHistory in #Yorkshire especially the dedicated East Riding Deeds Registry @balhnews.bsky.social @oneplacestudies.bsky.social @federationfhs.bsky.social

Sevenoaks Branch August Talk: The Fabulous 50s. Do You Remember? with Delia Taylor
Saturday 9 August Doors open 10.45am meeting starts 11am

A fun look back at the decade of the 1950s.
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

Your local #FamilyHistory Society will always be looking for volunteers. Consider helping out to keep your society running. buff.ly/3Qmm3R0

Thanks Jane for clarifying that important piece of information

Note that this records release includes parish registers for Huntingdonshire as well as Cambridgeshire. Historically, they were separate counties. While they’re now a single administrative county, there’s still two separate archives. Cambs records are now at Ely while Hunts are in Huntingdon.

It’s always wonderful to see more and more releases online especially for those who are miles away from the parish in question

Member Peter COCKER asks:

I would be pleased to hear from anybody who has an interest in the Cocker family or associated families, as I am collating a family history and any information they can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Please get in touch and I will pass on your details

#NWKFHS

Sevenoaks Branch August Talk: The Fabulous 50s. Do You Remember? with Delia Taylor
Saturday 9 August Doors open 10.45am meeting starts 11am

A fun look back at the decade of the 1950s.
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

Millions of historic records released helping families trace their roots Fans of Who Do You Think You Are? will soon be able to trace their own family histories and find out more about their ancestors after historic records were released to the public

Ancestors in Cambridgeshire?

Member Alice Richardson thought some readers with ancestors in Cambridgeshire might be interested in this www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/history...
#NWKFHS #Genealogy

Shown here is a trolley in our Search Room filled with de-accessioned books for sale. Our current titles cover everything from nature and railways to pubs and firefighting. Our team is regularly adding to the trolley, so please feel free to browse each time you visit — you might find the perfect title to aid your research...

De-accessioned books for sale in our Search Room 📚

No fixed prices – your donation will contribute towards the purchase of new books for our Local History Collection.

The titles on sale are duplicate copies, outdated editions or books which fall short of our collecting policy.

List of talks

Upcoming events not to miss !! #genealogy

6 August 10.30am Zoom Discussion Group: More Heroes and Villains, have you found them in your
family? with Ann Clarke
www.nwkfhs.org.uk/events/overv...
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

Robert CHURCHWARD Papers
A large binder containing a comprehensive history of Robert Churchward, born about 1807, who died in Bromley in 1887, has recently been donated to the Society.

There are Dartford, Woolwich and Orpington connections.
Please get in touch if this might be your family.
#NWKFHS

The latest Lost Cousins newsletter with some offers that are about to run out
#NWKFHS #Genealogy

www.lostcousins.com/newsletters2...

Dartford Branch Talk: Islands of the Medway Estuary by Adam Taylor

Event Information
Event Date 02-08-2025 10:30 am
Event End Date 02-08-2025 12:30 pm

#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

Dartford Branch August Talk: Islands of the Medway Estuary with Adam Taylor
Saturday 2 August: Doors Open 9.45am Meeting starts 10.30am

Quarterly Journals
Members, keep an eye on your letterbox the June edition of the Society Journal should be with you now. This issue features intriguing contributions, including 'Travels With My Family History Research', 'Passed Down the Generations' and 'A Bromley Stray in Herefordshire'.
#NWKFHS

Think census records and birth certificates are all there is? Think again. 👀 We explore some historical records that can break open a brick wall in your family tree. 🧬📜 For top tips and lots of family history banter, listen to the full podcast. 🎧 Link in comments below.

Shown here is a photograph of Kent Archives' Search Room at Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone. Overlaid is a graphic of multicoloured confetti, with text stating '98% customer satisfaction rating – based on feedback received from the Archive Search Room Survey coordinated by the Archives & Records Association'. Conducted in late 2024, the Archive Search Room Survey saw 193 readers contribute their thoughts about our repository – the second highest return out of 80 participating archives, surpassed only by The National Archives. Among the positive comments we received include: · 'The staff are so friendly and responsive. They are knowledgeable and really make one feel welcome. The catalogue is easy to use and the response time to emails is very fast. Always a pleasure to use this archive.' · 'I really appreciate being able to order documents throughout the day – it is so helpful. Very friendly staff.' · 'Spacious, and access to staff very good, I'll be back!'

We're delighted that our readers report such productive and enjoyable experiences of using our Search Room. Our thanks to @araukie.bsky.social ‬for coordinating the Archive Search Room Survey and all those who took part.

Have some feedback to share?
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Shown here is an extract from a seven-year lease of a messuage (i.e. a dwelling house with outbuildings and land assigned to its use) located on Warwick Lane, London. Owned by Jeffery Amherst of Gray’s Inn, it was leased to Richard Farshall, a skinner who was also from London. Dated 12th June 1691, the lease stipulates that Amherst was to receive an annual payment of thirty pounds and ‘one sound Cheshire cheese of twenty pounds weight’, or six shillings and eight pence in lieu of the latter. Whilst his proviso for the cheese to be ‘sound’ was likely just a precautionary inclusion, we can’t help but wonder if Amherst had previously fallen victim to a dubious dairy payment… Document reference: U1350/T83 Amherst Manuscripts Collection

It's #NationalCheeseAndWineDay!

We're taking notes from Jeffery Amherst of Gray's Inn, #London, who in 1691 leased for 7 years a messuage in Warwick Lane to Richard Farshall.

The rent per annum? £30 — oh, and a 20 lb Cheshire cheese! 🧀

☟ See U1350/T83: bit.ly/U1350T83

Zoom Scottish Interests Discussion Group with Pam Goddard: Occupation Records
Event Information
Event Date 30-07-2025 10:30 am
Event End Date 30-07-2025 12:30 pm
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

30 July 10.30am Library Scottish Interests Discussion Group with Pam Goddard
www.nwkfhs.org.uk/events/overv...
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

How to find a grave: discover your ancestors’ final resting places Finding your ancestor's grave can be an emotional experience, but can also help your family history research, potentially revealing new information about your ancestor and adding context to your…

Finding your ancestor's grave can be an emotional experience, but can also help your family history research. Discover how to find a grave, and what to do to ensure you make the most of a churchyard visit.
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

How to use AI for genealogy Artificial Intelligence is already transforming the way we explore our ancestry – and many family historians believe its impact could be as groundbreaking as the arrival of the internet. In this…

Artificial Intelligence is already transforming the way we explore our ancestry – and many family historians believe its impact could be as groundbreaking as the arrival of the internet. Find out more here;
www.family-tree.co.uk/how-to-guide...
#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy

Dartford Branch Talk: Islands of the Medway Estuary by Adam Taylor

Event Information
Event Date 02-08-2025 10:30 am
Event End Date 02-08-2025 12:30 pm

#NWKFHS #Kent #Genealogy