Cumbria FHS

The Cumbria Family History Society was founded in October 1976 to help Cumbrians, and people with Cumbrian ancestry, to carry out their family history researches. Our area of interest is the modern county of Cumbria, which consists of the whole of the pre-1974 counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, together with the part of Lancashire lying to the north of Morecambe Bay (North Lonsdale) and the West Riding parish of Sedbergh. Our membership comes not only from Cumbria and other parts of the British Isles, but from Australia, New Zealand, the United States - in fact worldwide.

Members with the same family interests are able to get in touch through our quarterly Newsletter, which is sent by post to all members. As well as research interests, the Newsletter carries contributed articles on all aspects of family history including: biographies of individuals, short family histories, record sources, tips on research techniques, extracts from and short transcripts of documents, information about record offices and other news items. The Editor welcomes articles of interest and any suggestions to help further the aims of the society.

Members advertise in the Newsletter for help with their researches. The maximum is 35 words plus name and address. The Society's publishing programme does not end with the Newsletter. It includes lists of "Strays" (reference to Cumbrians connected with places outside the county, including some 9,000 living in the Liverpool area in 1851), transcripts of parish registers, memorial inscriptions, the 1851 census for the whole of the county, Carlisle Marriage Bonds, tax returns, probate and burial indexes Details of new publications are given in the Newsletter in May and November. Click here for a listing of available publications with pricing and ordering information.

In order that members can meet and exchange information, we hold regular weekend and one day conferences at various locations in Cumbria. Quarterly meetings are held in London for those members in the South East.. Most of these meetings feature a guest speaker on a topic of interest, followed by questions or a discussion. Other meetings are strictly social affairs - such as our "Eat and meet" evenings held in local pubs. Details of all meetings appear in the Newsletter.

Members of the Society are involved in a number of long term projects, some in conjunction with other organisations. Many have assisted with the full transcription and indexing of the 1851 census for Cumbria, which is now complete. The results have been published as a series of booklets. Others took part in the nationwide 1881 Census Project, which was organised by the Mormon Church and is now available on their website. Some members checked transcripts of North Lonsdale Parish Registers against the originals before publication by the Lancashire Parish Register Society. Two members compiled the Cumberland & Westmorland volume of the Society of Genealogists’ National Index of Parish Registers. The current focus is on the publication of Memorial Inscriptions.

The Society is a member of the Federation of Family History Societies, the North West Group of Family History Societies, the Association of Scottish Family History Societies, the Lancashire Parish Register Society, and a founder member of the Friends of Cumbria Archives. Indeed we have close ties with the County's archivists who speak regularly at our meetings, seminars and conferences; we are also represented on the Cumbria Archives Advisory Panel.

Publications

The Society has prepared many publications, some of which have been described above. A listing of available publications is available with pricing and ordering information.

Membership

Annual subscriptions (January 1st to December 31st) are £10 for single membership in UK, £11 Family UK membership (two pedigrees may be registered, but only one Newsletter is sent). Overseas rates are £11 Sterling Single or £12 Sterling Family (Newsletter by surface mail) or £13 Sterling Single and £14 Sterling Family (Newsletter by Airmail).

To join the Society, just return the membership form, together with a cheque or Postal Order for the appropriate amount to the Secretary, details are on the form. Or you may join or renew on line at Join On Line [There is an additional 50p per year fee when joining or renewing on line].

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