Thatcham Historical Society

For those who did not know, we, Thatcham Historical Society helped to organise the Peter Allen Memorial Lectures which ran throughout May and were put together in memory of the late Peter Allen who passed away in May 2009, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation and to promote National Local and Community History Month.

The first of two full day trips organised by Thatcham Historical Society took place on the 3rd July 2010 and saw members of the society, and guests from other societies including the U3A, visit Hampton Court Palace, home to King Henry VIII.

Hello, I am currently researching my family tree and am looking for information on Collins family Joseph Collins who married  Frances Goldfinch and lived with their family in Chamberhouse Farm Thatcham between 1810-1850 he was listed on 1851 census as a farm bailiff.  I know that Joseph Collins was born in 1783 in Kingsclere Hants and became farm bailiff the Collins family and a lot of other people in my tree had connections with Ufton Court in Berkshire his wife was born Frances Goldfinch and her parents were George Goldfinch and Frances Norris and a high percentage of my tree alternated between Hampshire and Berkshire.

I am researching the Lawes family and believe I may be related to Richard Lawes (son of William and Ellen) who was christened on 9 Aug 1835 in St Mary's Church. If anybody else is researching the Lawes family I would love to get in touch.

Kind regards,

Michael Lawes

June 11th sees the cinema release of Black Death, a new historical thriller starring Sean Bean.

Plague-ridden medieval England: Bodies lie scattered in their hundreds, the country is in turmoil.