| Status: | Active, full but can join waiting list |
| Coordinator: | |
| Group email: | Family History group |
| When: | On Thursday mornings 10:30 am-12:00 pm Second and last Thursday |
| Venue: | St George's Church |
It's here Episode 1 of the Family History Group Genealogy Podcast...
Cornish Miners, U boat encounters, Fighting Uncles and 'Boarders, Chairs and Theatre Performers'
Thanks to all involved for the family stories from Joan, Bill, Sue F and Margaret, co-hosted by Sue B, Liz, Ken and John and introduced by Hilary.
Watch out for Episode 2 - to be released at later date.
Please click above link to listen or the button to download.
Diary dates for Autumn 2026*
| 8th October | Workshop | 10.30 am |
| 29th October | 10.30 am | |
| 12th November | Workshop | 10.30 am |
| 26th November | 10.00am | |
| 10th December | Christmas | 10.30 am |
*Please Note: A new venue - St George's Church (NE38 9AH) as we are now unable to meet at the Washington Arms
Thursday 28th May 2026 - Podcast Recording
The members of the group gathered at Washington Town Centre Library... everyone prepared for their part.
Jordy from the Culture House in Sunderland was there to help and guide us through the process during the session. His assistance was invaluable and made the recordings go very smoothly! John at the mixing desk working the controls and Hilary ready to introduce the gang. Joan's account was already recorded so Bill was up first to the microphone to enlighten us about his family history story with Liz in conversation with him.
Next up was Sue F. with Ken getting the details of her story followed by Margaret chatting to Sue B. about her family history findings. Phew! Four completed and four more to go. We definitely got more professional as the recordings went on... time for a well earned coffee break.
Back to the microphones, we started with Sue B. chatting with Bill about her surprising discoveries. On a similar ancestry theme, Ken was interviewed by Sue F.
On to John's short story about his forthcoming book... Sue F. getting all the details from him. Finally Liz was in conversation with Margaret about her journey down the rabbit hole.
Various family history topics and DNA testing were covered in our recordings. Everyone had certainly put in some extremely hard graft to make this possible. Well done everyone.
We have enough material and stories for two podcasts. Now the hard part, editing and publishing. Until then, topics will be kept under wraps until the release date!
So keep your eyes peeled for Episode 1 of Wessington Washington u3a Family History Podcast.
What has Family History Group been up to during 2025/2026?
Read the AGM the review 'A Rhyme Through Time' by John
Our meeting on the Thursday the 26th February 2026 was a visit to 'Redhills' in Durham City. Known as the 'Pitmans Parliament'
Redhills Durham Miners Hall and Offices is an Edwardian Baroque – styled building, now a Grade II listed building, built in 1915 to equal the grand houses of the mine owners, built to be the new HQ of the Durham Miners’ Association. At the peak of coal production in Durham County in 1913, it looked after the interests of 250,000 pitmen and 400 pits.
THE PAST WE INHERIT, THE FUTURE WE BUILD
Margaret has kindly written a history and a review of our tour...a very interesting and enlightening documentary.
The Pitman’s Parliament is located on floor one of Redhills. Designed as a debating chamber, and modelled on Methodist Chapels of the area with a nod to their Sunday observance, it has Art Deco windows, decorated plasterwork, is wood panelled using Austrian oak, and leather covered seats for the delegates. Seats are set in a semicircle, a seat for every elected delegate from the miners’ lodges in the Durham coalfield, 298 downstairs and 60 upstairs. Seating was randomly allocated.
The Committee Room was the Executive Office where the Cabinet met ‘the heartbeat of the building’ where BIG decisions were made…ex-Committee delegates were nominated by collieries for one year post…6-month change? Hung on the wall a map of County Durham collieries…the area covered was from Tyne to Tees, drift mines more common in the west, underground/water collieries to the east. Coal was taken to the staithes at Newcastle…for London?
The Muniment Room…otherwise known as numerant room or ruminant room (our guesses) Muniment means a vital document, the room used for storing historical documents has to be secure.
FHG Members planning our project 'Mapping our Family History' - It came together quite nicely, with a lot of of hard work from all the group members. September 2024.
Our next project started 2025 and is 'An Ancestor Timeline' hopefully followed by a podcast in 2026...Watch this space!
Also for 2026 a visit to Redhills, Durham City in February. Anne & Hilary
Thursday 26th June 2025
This was our last Family History meeting before the summer break, it was a real brain teaser quiz and research exercise - how much do we know? and what have we forgotten!!
We used Parish records and Civil Registration certificates to show how they can help us build our family trees and verify our research results.
After the summer break we will be in touch with dates when we intend to restart the group sessions. Until then have a really enjoyable summer. Anne & Hilary
May 2025
VE DAY and WW2 Family History memorabilia sesion. Including medals, the National Identity Card, St John's Ambulance certificates, an important telegram, Navy, Army and Air Force war records, a war time baby baptism certificate and some fantastic family photos of those ancestors who served their country in many different ways - 1939 to 1945.
Wonderful memories of our parents, grandparents etc and an important part of our Family History research.
Why am I researching my Family History?
Exercising the brain, far superior to crosswords, sudoku etc. and can be very rewarding tracing ones generations past with present time leaves a legacy for following generations...
Joe Soulsby - Group Member
Reviews and photos of previous meetings can be viewed here: