Monday 25 March 2013

Derry's archive and genealogy collections: talks

This Thursday will see the first in a series of talks which will examine Derry's historical archive and genealogy collections. The lunchtime lectures, hosted by Derry City Council's Heritage & Museum Service, will feature guest speakers, each presenting a topic which promotes greater awareness of the history and cultural heritage of the Derry City Council area. Each lecture will be followed by an opportunity for discussion and light refreshments will be available.

Lecture details are as follow:

Thursday 28 March: All at Sea, with Dr Anne McVeigh. A look at the wide range of sea-related sources, including photographs and documents, held by the Public Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). Time: 12:30pm.

Thursday 25 April: Sources for studying the Ulster Plantation, with Dr William Roulston. The talk will identify some of the documents that can be used to explore early seventeenth-century Ulster, and will highlight and explain records including port books, muster rolls, estate papers, plantation surveys and maps.

Thursday 30 May: Genealogical collections in the Linen Hall Library, with John Killen. The talk will explain the uniqueness of the Linen Hall Library (founded 1778) while focusing on its genealogical collection and its Derry connections.

Speaking ahead of the lectures, Bernadette Walsh, Archivist with the Heritage & Museum Service said, “This lecture series presents a fascinating insight into how our archive and genealogy service in Northern Ireland is achieved by collecting, recording, conserving and curating evidence from the past, and will explain how these unique collections are made available to the public. We hope the talks will help to maintain the legacy of Derry's year as the City of Culture and we would love to see the series develop into a regular feature in Derry’s cultural calendar. The talks vary in content and subject, so they should appeal to a wide audience.”

All lectures in the series will take place in the Tower Museum. Register by phone on 028 7137 2411 or email.