WHERE AND WHEN WE MEET

Burntwood Family History Group holds two meetings each month. They take place on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.

The first meeting, on the 2nd Monday in the month, is normally a formal, speaker-led meeting on a topic related to family, local or social history. These meetings take place at Burntwood Memorial Institute from 2.15 p.m. to 3.45 p.m. The draw for the monthly raffle prizes takes place after the talk.

On the 4th Monday in the month we hold a Drop-In/Research Evening at the Erasmus Darwin Academy which runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. These evening meetings are for members and non-members who are investigating their family history or seeking help with their genealogy research. Visitors to these “surgeries” have access to the ICT facilities in a specialist computer classroom at the Erasmus Darwin Academy, which includes use of the Group’s subscriptions to Ancestry All Access and Find My Past.

At both meetings, members may also book items they wish to borrow from the BFHG Members’ Library.

Maps are provided below showing how to reach the two venues.

Refreshments are provided for members and visitors at our meetings. Non-members may attend their first meeting free of charge, and for subsequent meetings have the option of either joining the Group or paying £3.00 admission.  

A full list of forthcoming meetings is given below.

Please note that alternative Monday dates are scheduled when there is a clash with a Bank Holiday.

The maps below show how to reach the room we use at Burntwood Memorial Institute.

The maps below show how to reach the room we use at the Erasmus Darwin Academy.

 
 
 
 

Formal meetings normally take place on the 2nd Monday in the month at Burntwood Memorial Institute

2027

Monday 11 January
James Porter (by Zoom)
Bismarck and Dorsetshire – a Tale of Two Ships

Monday 8 February 
Mick Byrne & David Bardell 
Warriors All - Tales of bravery by individuals and animals!

Monday 8 March
Ian Bott
A Grave Subject? 

Monday 12 April
Keith Stanley
This Sceptred Isle – How we moved from a casual to a more serious attitude to defence in the 1930s.

Monday 10 May
Rodney Paul
Captain Scott and the Race to the South Pole

Monday 14 June
Steve Booth
Lidice 1942 - its destruction and the part played by Staffordshire people in its re-birth.

Monday 12 July
Caroline Wilhelmssonn (by Zoom)
Minton tiles in the Chapel of St John

Monday 9 August
Mary Bodfish
Mad Dogs and Maria Marten

13 September
Annual General Meeting
followed by Members’ 10 Minute Talks

Monday 11 October
Emma Barran-Scott 
Sweet Heritage 

Monday 8 November
Mike Haynes
Getting Rid of the Stink - The Public Health Revolution

Monday 13 December
BFHG Christmas Social with a Buffet and Quiz

 

Drop-In Research Evenings normally take place on the 4th Monday in the month at the Erasmus Darwin Academy

2027

Monday 25 January: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 22 February: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 22 March: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 26 April: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 24 May: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 28 June: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 26 July: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 23 August: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 27 September: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 25 October: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 22 November: Drop-In Research Evening

There is no Drop-In Research Evening in December

 
 

Formal meetings normally take place on the 2nd Monday in the month

2026

Monday 12 January
James Porter (by Zoom)
Disaster at Isandlwana

Monday 9 February
Ian Bott
The Midlands Zeppelin Outrage

Monday 9 March
Linzi Cook
Public perceptions of Victorian Prostitution in Lichfield

Monday 13 April
Keith Stanley
The Sparrow and the Spitfire

Monday 11 May
Paul Jacques
An armchair guide to the first world war - a tour of the battlefields looking at some of the men and the memorials that honour them

Monday 8 June
Steve Booth
Local Democracy in the 18th Century

Monday 13 July
Mary Bodfish
The Baby in the Locket

Monday 10 August
Bruce Tocher
Operation Freshman

Monday 14 September
Annual General Meeting
followed by Members’ 10 Minute Talks 

Monday 12 October
David Cole
Inn Signs

Monday 9 November
Ben Gamble
Cuttlestone Antiques

Monday 14 December
Christmas Social with a Buffet and Quiz

 

Drop-In Research Evenings normally take place on the 4th Monday in the month at the Erasmus Darwin Academy

2026

Monday 26 January: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 23 February: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 23 March: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 27 April: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 18 May: Drop-In Research Evening
N.B. This meeting has been brought forward by one week to avoid Spring Bank Holiday Monday

Monday 22 June: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 27 July: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 24 August: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 28 September: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 26 October: Drop-In Research Evening

Monday 23 November: Drop-In Research Evening

There is no Drop-In Research Evening in December

 
 

BFHG Meetings that took place in 2025

Monday 13 January
Mick Byrne & David Bardell
The Unknown Warrior

Monday 10 February
Fred Handley
The Royal Yachts

Monday 10 March
Peter Bates
Who Won the Boer War?

Monday 14 April
Clive Garner
The History of Silk

Monday 12 May
Linzi Cook
Public Perceptions of Victorian Prostitution in Lichfield

Monday 9 June
David Cole
Inn Signs

Monday 14 July
Mary Bodfish
The Baby in the Locket

Monday 11 August
Dr. Penny Walters
Demystifying DNA Results

Monday 8 September
Annual General Meeting
followed by Members’ 10 Minute Talks 

Monday 13 October
Ian Bott
Lost Mansion Houses of the Black Country

Monday 10 November
Paul Handford
Ambulance Service During WWI

Monday 8 December
Christmas Social with a Buffet and Quiz

 

BFHG Meetings that took place in 2024

Monday 8th January
Steve Booth
Staffordshire and the Coming of the Tudors  

Monday 12th February
Mary Bodfish
Smethwick in the Second World War

Monday 11th March
Peter Bates
The History of English Churchyards

Monday 8th April
Danny Wells  
The English & Gardening

Monday 13th May
Bob Marsh
The Dancing Marquis (The 5th Marquis of Anglesey)

Monday 10th June
Steve Geale
Mrs Fitzherbert  

Monday 8th July
Tim Burgin
Waterloo – What Happened Next? 

Monday 12th August
Mike Kelly
King Alfred and What Made Him Great

Monday 9th September
Annual General Meeting
followed by Members’ 10 Minute Talks 

Monday 14th October
Rebecca Jackson
How to Use the Staffordshire Archives

Monday 11th November
James Porter
Agincourt                (Speaker joining us via ZOOM)

Monday 9th December
Christmas Social with a Buffet and Quiz 

 
 

BFHG Meetings that took place in 2023

Monday 9th January
Steve Booth
The Golden Age of Stagecoaches

Monday 13th February
Steve Geale
The Great train robbery 

Monday 13th March
John Hill
The history of the Padgets of Beaudesert and the first Marquis of Anglesey

Monday 17th April
Judy Hubble
A Servant’s Lot

Monday 15th May (Zoom talk)
Mike Kelly
The Fall of Saxon England 

Monday 12th June
Dr Javad Hashemi
The goodness of King George the Third

Monday 10th July
Tim Burgin
The Battle of Waterloo

Monday 14th August
Danny Wells
The City of a Dreadful Night (poverty and social reform in the late Victorian east end of London)

Monday 11th September
Annual General Meeting
followed by Members’ 10 Minute Talks

Monday 9th October
Mick Byrne & David Bardell
The Forgotten Army

Monday 13th November
Dying for a Rabbit – the Masfen Murder in Norton Canes
Antony Hunt

Monday 11th December
Christmas Social with a Buffet and Quiz