Swanscombe, Kent, Community Forum with talk by local historian Christopher Bull-Free to attend. The Marriage Locator-Cracking the code of the GRO Marriage Index. Canterbury LDS Family History Centre to close for 8 - 12 months. Canterbury Cathederal Archives also to close for 7 months.

The Greening the Gateway Kent and Medway Innovation Centre is organising a Caring for Our Towns and Countryside Community Forum on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at Heritage Community Hall, Craylands Lane, Swanscombe DA10 0LP. Which includes a talk by Local Historian Christopher Bull  entitled An Armchair Guide to Swanscombe.

BOOKING IS REQUIRED: To reserve your free place, you can Email or phone 01634 337713

The event is supported by Kent County Council, Dartford Borough Council and Gravesham Borough Council.

The full Programme for the meeting is:

5.45pm-6.15pm:   Registration and refreshments
6.15pm-6.30pm:   Introduction to Swanscombe Heritage Park: Margaret Bull, Chair of the Friends of SHP
6.30pm-7.15pm:   Walking tour of Swanscombe Heritage Park: Led by the Friends of
Swanscombe Heritage Park
7.15pm-7.30pm:   Refreshments
7.30pm-8.15pm:   An Armchair Guide to Swanscombe: Local Historian Christoph Bull
8.15pm-9.00pm:   From Weeds to Green Flag in Four Years - How the Friends of Broomhill Engaged Communities and tackled Antisocial Behaviour: Odette Buchanan, Chair of the Friends of Broomhill Park, Strood
9.00pm-9.30pm:   Discussion and questions.

The Marriage Locator-Cracking the code of the GRO Marriage Index.

If you have the reference for a marriage quoting the reference (year, quarter, volume number and page) from the GRO Marriage Index this might help you save money.

This marriage locator can help you find the Anglican church where the marriage took place, and where the church Marriage Register has been deposited  in the local County Record Office. You can visit the appropriate CRO and look at the actual Marriage Register that your ancestors signed. Or if it is one of the Parishes available on Ancestry, findmypast etc and you have a subscription you can download the marriage certificate.          

Currently the present fee for ordering a marriage certificate from the GRO is £9.25 for each certificate. If you need more than one this site has the potential to save you a considerable amount. This is a developing site and more data is continuously being added, so far there are just under 270,000 records. So if your details are not yet covered it is worthwhile checking back on a regular basis. It can be found at The Marriage Locator

Canterbury LDS Family History Centre to close for 8 - 12 months. Canterbury Cathederal Archives also to close for 7 months.

The Canterbury LDS Family History Centre is to close at the end of August for 8 to 12 months to undergo refurbishment. The LDS Gillingham centre will remain open, their hours are now 10am - 2pm.

Canterbury Cathedral Archives & Library is to close to the public from 5th to 16th September 2011 inclusive. The closure is in order for them to undertake vital work on the collections. It will also close again on 31 January 2012 for approximately 7 months to carry out essential repairs.