Nanaimo Family History Society

NFHS Executive Meeting
2026-02-02 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Denver)

SOS: Searches and Strategies for Your Research Challenges, hosted by Susan Bates, Bronwyn Frazer
2026-02-05 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-03-05 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-04-02 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-05-07 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-06-04 18:30 - 20:00
Join us if you have a brick wall you’d like us to tackle, or if you enjoy solving others’ puzzles, or if you just want to hear some new strategies that might apply to your own research.
Except for this session on January 8, these sessions will be held on the first Thursday of the month: February, March, April, May, and June. Please register once for this January 8 session.

Report on a Photo Workshop, Bronwyn Frazer
2026-02-12 18:30 - 20:00
Postponed from January 29

What are you planning to do with all those print photos you can’t bring yourself to throw away? Bronwyn will report on the highlights of a photo workshop she’s attending. Topics will include scanning and organizing your photos.

Annual General Meeting
2026-02-16 19:00 - 20:30
Annual General Meeting and Executive Elections
After our AGM, Ruth will talk about our new meeting location, change of dates and meeting times. She will also and discuss the benefits of the library, membership etc.
Once she has completed her update the meeting will be open to members to talk about their AHA moments during their recent or past research.

Zoom presentation only

NFHS Executive meeting
2026-02-23 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-03-30 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-05-25 13:00 - 15:00
Location and time to be determined.

Coffee Club
2026-02-26 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-30 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Smitty’s, 2980 Island Hwy N, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Come join our large table for fun and interesting conversation. Held on the last Thursday of the month, 10:00 am to 12 noon at Smitty’s, Rock City, 2980 Island Highway, Nanaimo. We send reminder emails about a week ahead of time and ask for RSVP’s to provide Smitty’s with a number to set up for.

Genealogy Book Club, Terry Hartley
2026-02-26 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-03-19 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-05-21 18:30 - 20:00
Repeated by popular demand! We’re studying Research Like a Pro with DNA by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthln, and applying their methods to our own research. Each participant will choose a “brick wall” ancestor and work through the techniques outlined in the book to make and document progress. Along the way, members will share updates, receive constructive feedback, and benefit from guidance from both fellow participants and the facilitator.
The book can be purchased online- available in paper or ebook.
The book club sessions will run monthly on the third Thursday through to June of 2026. Register once for all of them.

Eunice Robinson of Vancouver, BC – speaking on Ireland
2026-03-02 13:00 - 15:00 | VI Library, 6250 Hammond Bay Rd, Nanaimo, Canada
Additionally, information to follow.

Hybrid meeting.

The Scandal of John Bowman, Ardelle Holden
2026-03-12 18:30 - 20:00
Who doesn’t love a good scandal? Well, perhaps not the persons involved! Ardelle will tell the story of her great grandfather, John Bowman.

Coffe Club
2026-03-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Smitty’s, 2980 Island Hwy N, Nanaimo, BC, Canada

The Stone of Destiny, Aleda Spring
2026-03-26 18:30 - 20:00
Aleda will open a window to the story of Scotland’s royalty. You don’t need to have Scottish ancestry, to find this history fascinating.

Prison and court records by Andrea Lister
2026-04-06 13:00 - 15:00 | VI Library, 6250 Hammond Bay Rd, Nanaimo, Canada
Andrea Lister
Prison and court records can tell you a lot about your ancestors and their lives. Whether documenting legal battles or criminal activity these records will provide a wide variety of color and detail. We will look at records on everything from petty theft to illegal poaching to declaring someone’s husband dead. The scope includes Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.
Hybrid presentation.

The Work of a DNA Search Angel, Christol James
2026-04-09 18:30 - 20:00
Christol will tell us about her work helping people track down previously unknown family members using the results of their DNA tests and traditional genealogy.

Genealogy Book Club, Terry Hartley
2026-04-16 18:30 - 20:00
Please note that this session begins at 6PM.
We’re studying Research Like a Pro with DNA by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthln, and applying their methods to our own research. Each participant will choose a “brick wall” ancestor and work through the techniques outlined in the book to make and document progress. Along the way, members will share updates, receive constructive feedback, and benefit from guidance from both fellow participants and the facilitator.
It’s not necessary to register again if you’ve registered for the Book Club previously.
The book can be purchased online- available in paper or ebook.
The book club sessions will run monthly on the third Thursday through to June of 2026. Register once for all of them.

Pat Skidmore Monday May 4 @ 1:30PM Home Children
2026-04-30 08:00 - 17:00
A great presentation by Pat on Home Children, the youngsters sent on their own to Canada.

Join us in person at the Hammond Bay Road Library or on Zoom. Doors open at 1:15 and the meeting starts at 1:30 pm.

Coffee and tea will be available.
See you on Monday!

Pat Skidmore's talk on Home Children
2026-05-04 13:00 - 15:00 | VI Library, 6250 Hammond Bay Rd, Nanaimo, Canada
Pat Skidmore will talk about Home Children, the youngsters sent on their own to Canada.

Join us in person at the Hammond Bay Road Library. Doors open at 1:15 and the meeting starts at 1:30 pm. Or, watch the presentation via Zoom.

Coffee and tea will be available.

See you on Monday!

B Side: Thought Catcher, Jodi McGill
2026-05-28 18:30 - 19:30
This is a follow-up to Jodi’s presentation last year entitled A Side Unknown. She will describe the process and tools she used to extend last year’s research to both lines of her 3x great grandparents.

TBA
2026-06-01 13:00 - 15:00 | VI Library, 6250 Hammond Bay Rd, Nanaimo, Canada
TBA

Hybrid meeting.

My Ulster Sergeant Ancestors, Tony Green
2026-06-11 18:30 - 20:00
Tony has had some challenges researching his Sergeant family prior to their immigration to Australia. Records abound in family trees online, but few have credible sources cited.
