The South Cheshire Family History Society was formed in July 1990

In 2003 we merged back with the Family History Society of Cheshire to become their Crewe Group.

• The encouragement of the study of Family History Research.
• The preservation, collection and indexing of various public records.
• The assistance of members in their own research.
• The establishment of a research centre to cater for the needs of Local as well as Family Historians.

A variety of speakers at our meetings take you from the initial steps of starting your research through to the more advanced and lesser-known records.

What do we have to offer you?

Computer Databases, Members' research interests index, visits to various Record Offices, microfiche records and readers for members to borrow, mutal aid and guidance, meetings with research facilities and speakers, a quarterly journal - the "Cheshire Genealogist and Family Historian", a comprehensive selection of books for sale, including our own publications, an on going programme of projects and activities in which members are encouraged to take part. An extensive and ever growing library.

On the World Wide Web we have been continually enhancing this web site and are in partnership with the Family History Society of Cheshire to produce the Cheshire BMD births, marriages and deaths indexes web site. Are you able to help with web site skills ? Transcribers are always required to help on the BMD project. If you can spare an hour or two a week please contact us. The search code produced by the SCFHS for Cheshire BMD has now been successfully used to create several more BMD sites, including Yorkshire BMD and Lancashire BMD.

Why join a society?

You can of course research your family tree without the benefit of joining a society. However, it would be most beneficial for you to join at least one Family History Society, to help and guide you towards your goal of compiling your Family tree. (It must be emphasied that the work of compiling your Family Tree is yours, unless you can afford a professional researcher. Please do not expect to be presented with a ready made Family Tree on your first visit.)

It is recommended that you should join a society in the area in which you live, and also one within your area of research.

Membership of your local society will provide the benefits of talks by experts in their field, the knowledge of others who may have experienced similar problems that you may encounter and a wealth of information from the society's own library.

Membership of a society within the area you are researching will provide contact with the people who know the area and may be able to assist you in your research.

If you have given any thought to finding out who your forefathers were, you will find something of interest and help as a member of the Family History Society of Cheshire.

How you can Help the Society!

Whether you join the society or not, you can still help!

Projects:

We have a number of projects under way. Transcribing and compiling indexes of Monumental Inscriptions, Census Returns, Parish Registers and other records is on going. We always require volunteers for this work.

Publications:

Books of Local and Family History interest are published by the society. Any work that you can offer to the society will be considered for publication, either as a separate publication or as an article in the society's journal - the "Cheshire Genealogist and Family Historian".

Library:

Our library depends to a great extent upon donations or loans of any items, such as:

• Books on Local History, Family History, Genealogy, Heraldry, Topography etc. Directories, Old Newspapers, Parish Newsletters, as well as
• Photographs, Copies of Wills, Births, Marriage and Death Certificates, In Memoriam Cards, and any other miscellaneous family papers and documents.

If you can help by donating anything then please do so. We will also consider the purchase of items offered for sale. If you have any doubt about the material being suitable, please do not hesitate to contact the society. We will be pleased to advise you.

Donations / Sponsorship

Due to the expense of some items (Microfilmed copies of the General Register Office Births, Marriage and Deaths Indexes, as an example, where we need to raise £10,000), we can only purchase these through generous donations or sponsorship. Please help in any way you can.