There are a variety of events coming up at Somerset Heritage Centre, including a new Silent Book Club, and Family History Day along with opportunities to hear stories from the archives at online talks.
Somerset Heritage Centre is hosting a new drop-in Silent Book Club on the last Friday of each month. Beginning on 28 February, participants will be given exclusive access to the library, and will have an opportunity to meet, sit and read with likeminded book enthusiasts in quiet companionship.
There is a series of morning ‘Coffee Time Talks’ that will highlight the diversity of Somerset’s archive collections. Starting on Valentine’s Day (14 February,) archivist Eve Bickerton will delve into and discuss a selection of heart-warming love stories and romance tales. On 21 March, archivist Esther Hoyle will be celebrating Somerset’s ‘green’ archives with a talk about trees, forests and landscapes, seen through an archival lens on the International Day of Forests. Tickets are £5 online.
On 12 April visitors to Somerset Heritage Centre can learn how to explore the archives for family history research. The event will include a drop-in opportunity for advice on researching family history in Somerset, led by experienced archivists and members of the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society. There is also a bookable morning talk that will shed light on the process of researching ancestral history using archival resources. Tickets for the talk are £5.
Head of Somerset Archives and Local Studies Esther Hoyle said: “We are especially delighted to announce our new Silent Book Club that we hope fellow book lovers will enjoy. We look forward to seeing some new faces and to welcoming people that may never has visited the archives before. There’s no assigned reading, so just bring along your current book, and join us for a cuppa!”
Booking is required for all talks. For more information about admission and booking go to swheritage.org.uk.
Venue: Somerset Heritage Centre, Brunel Way, Norton Fitzwarren, Taunton TA2 6SF.