The Doncaster and District Family and Local History Fair, with crafts and music, takes place on Saturday 13th October from 10.00am to 4.00pm, at Doncaster Deaf Trust Sports Hall, DN2 6AY (opposite the racecourse). With something for everyone, this annual event features almost 50 exhibitors, including many family and local history societies from far and wide.
Advice and help desks, transcriptions, indexes, genealogy supplies, books, data CDs, postcards, map reprints and archives will be available, plus craft stalls, ‘Friends of …’ and so much more heritage of the area, including music will be at the event. Doncaster Family History Society’s own million plus name index will be at their own help desk.
There will be two free talks — Gary Brannan from the Borthwick Institute for Archives at York University will look at ‘Doncaster’s Scattered History’ using some of their records; Martyn Johnson, well known author, retired ‘Bobbie’ and raconteur, will look back on his time on the beat asking ‘What’s Tha Playing at Nah?’ Both promise to be well worth travelling miles to listen to, learn from and be entertained by. For the first time in a number of years there will be music too — on three occasions throughout the day, local singer and songwriter, Mick Jenkinson, and his writing partner, poet Ian Parks, will be giving live performances at the Sand House stand. They will perform two brand new songs about the Sand House and tracks from their album ‘Songs of Our Town’.
Come along and learn about how best to start or progress researching your family history with the experts and understand more about the development of the local area along with its heritage. Remember that Doncaster and District Family History Society has research facilities in town covering not only their own area but nationwide and even worldwide. So where ever you originate from there could well be something for you.
Admission costs just £2.00, under 14s free. For more details see www.doncasterfhs.co.uk.