Meeting dates and other special events for both Nanaimo Family History Society and other family history societies are included in this calendar. Our meetings are normally held on the third Monday of each month (except July and August).
If you hover over the event date, a pop-up will provide more information. Click on the date and a new screen will open, again with more information. To go back to the main calendar, click on “all events”.
Writing Your Family Story: Why It Matters and How Anyone Can Begin presented by Nancy Penrose
Writing Your Family Story: Why It Matters and How Anyone Can Begin by Nancy Haight Penrose of Brighton, Ontario
Nancy’s talk will show how family historians transform research into meaningful, engaging narratives that preserve the richness of ordinary lives. The session explains why documenting family stories matters for both emotional and practical reasons, reassures participants that they don’t need writing experience to begin, and offers simple steps for turning records and memories into vivid, readable scenes. Attendees will leave encouraged, equipped, and inspired to start writing—even one small story at a time.
Nancy Haight Penrose is an author and family historian whose work brings to life the extraordinary resilience of ordinary people.
Nancy has written two books about her family. Puritans, Quakers and Witches (2023), traces the spiritual convictions, conflicts, and courage of her paternal ancestors and Between a Rock and a Hard Place (2025), follows the Brown family across continents and generations, illuminating how hope, hardship, and determination forged a legacy of survival and belonging.
Beyond her research and storytelling, Nancy is a dedicated advocate for both people and animals. She volunteers as a wildlife transporter and is an active member of Women for a Humane Canada.
Nancy’s work is rooted in a simple belief: that every family carries stories worth preserving, and that writing them down is an act of honour, connection, and legacy.
In person at VI Library or by Zoom.
