Celebrating all things history ….. today at Central Ref

Today was one of those history days in Manchester when the Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society hosted a heap of organizations and individuals all of whom are engaged in making our city’s past more accessible.*

The Lord Mayor & Liverpool and South West Family History Society, 2026 

There were individuals like David Harrop who is a “Postal and Military Historian", representatives from the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport,  Elizabeth Gaskell House, Northwest Film Archive, Manchester Archives, and plenty more, added to which there were a series of talks from the Manchester & Lancashire Family, and the Lancashire Archives History Society.

And along the way I bumped into some old pals, as well as making new acquaintances and discovering a load of regional new historical societies including the Liverpool and South West Family History Society.

Meeting and swapping history stories, 2026

David Harrop, 2026

So, a good day, made better by the appearance of our own Lord Mayor, Cllr Carmine Grimshaw who made his way round the events much to everyone’s pleasure and resisted the temptation to advertise his book of poems, which is available from the book shop in Central Ref for a donation to the Lord Mayor’s charity.**

Now I say he resisted the temptation, but I couldn’t having heard him recite one at Chorlton Arts Festival last year,

Location; Central Ref

Pictures; the Family History Fair March 26th, 2026 from the collection of Andrew Simpson 

Martin Logan and bus ticket machine, 1900

Selection of ticket machines, 1900-1960s

Elizabeth Gaskell House, 2026

The Lord Mayor sharing stories, 2026

* Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society, mlfhs.uk

**Lord Mayor’s Rattlebag of Poems, Cllr. Carmine Grimshaw, Lord Mayor of Manchester 2025-26

And to ensure I don't short change anyone, here is the full list of attendees, Anglo-Scottish FHA (MLFHS stand), Archives+Belle Vue Circus Clown Artist, Pamela Armstrong, Elizabeth Gaskell House, Family and Community Historical Research Society, David Harrop, Postal and Military Historian, Dean Kirby, Local historian - Angel Meadow and Research, Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society, Lancashire Records Office, Liverpool & South West Lancs Family History Society, Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society (MLFHS), Manchester Helpdesk (MLFHS), Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society, Manchester Statistical Society, Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester, North West Film Archive, Oldham & District FHS,  (MLFHS stand), Police Scam Squad, Salford Cemeteries Trust, Swinton & Pendlebury Historical Society, Tameside Local History Centre, Victoria Baths