Chorley Family History Research Centre have announced that their newly re-furbished Research Centre at the Astley Hall Farmhouse will be opened on Monday 10th November at 10am.

The Research Centre has been closed for 10 months whilst the Chorley Council have undertaken a major refurbishment of the Farmhouse.

The Research Centre now offers its visitors two Research Rooms one upstairs, one downstairs both equipped with Computers and Fast Internet Access enabling researchers to use the CD and Computer Resources as well as On Line Internet Family History resources.

A dedicated Research Library Room, houses all the data collections on Fiche, CD, Book, and Microfilm. The collection includes Parish Records, Census, Wills, Family History Guides, Occupations, Maps and Gazetteers, Directories.

Two Meeting / Training Rooms with full Audio Visual facilities enable the Research Centre to run in house, Family History Education classes, Day Seminars, Workshops, Evening Computer club, as well as having One to One Meet the Expert days.

The Training Rooms will also be used to run specially tailored events for schools and other visiting groups. These rooms will also be made available to other local organizations with an educational/charitable profile.

An in house Family History Shop will be selling Books, Acid Free Products, CDs.

The Research Centre will be introducing a Distance Research facility enabling those who cannot get to the Centre because of distance or incapacity to access the facilities and obtain help with their research. This will utilise technology solutions like Skype, Google + as well as email, telephone or even Snail Mail!

The Research Centre will be we working closely with Schools, Youth Groups, Church Groups, local Community Groups, Pensioner and Retired Groups, Special Needs Groups to organise visits and to provide courses tailored to their own specific requirements  

The Chorley Family History Research Centre is manned by knowledgeable, enthusiastic volunteer researchers who can provide all visitors with help and guidance.

The Research Centre will be open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 10am to 4pm, Saturdays (2nd and 3rd in the month) 12am to 4pm.

For more details see our website: www.cfhrc.com

Appointments when open: 01257 231600, when Centre is closed: 01257 262028

For Group/Room Bookings or general enquiries:

01257 262028 or email [email protected].

On Friday evening 17th October the  Astley Hall Farmhouse was re-opened by the Mayor of Chorley Councillor Roy Lees together with Council dignitaries.

The LFHHS Chorley Family History Research Centre is housed in part of the Astley Hall Farmhouse.

Pictures of the opening of the Astley Hall Farmhouse by the Mayor Councillor Roy Lees are available at the Chorley Family History Research Centre website. http://www.cfhrc.com/opening-of-the-astley-hall-farmhouse-17-october-2014.html

The Chorley Family History Research Team are working hard to get the Centre open as soon as possible. The big hold up is that we are still waiting for the broadband connection to be installed by BT. Early November now looks most likely but please watch this space.

This refurbishment will provide a Research Centre comprising an all purpose research room, a computer research room, a library room, a training/meeting room, kitchen, and toilet. All heating, lighting, electrics, carpets have been replaced and all the walls redecorated.

If you are intending to visit during October or November please contact us before visiting to make sure that it has reopened. Tel 01257-262028

My Dearest Girls – Helen's Story 
Francesca Millican-Slater

 Francesca Millican-Slater creates a brand new piece based on the real letters sent between a group of six Shropshire women between 1917-1920. My Dearest Girls – Helen's story is a 25 minute performance by Francessca Millican-Slater commissioned by Shropshire Archives. Against a background of war the women tell each other stories of their everyday life; as farmers, office workers, factory hands, nurses and teachers.

Helen's story tells the tale of one woman, a farmer's daughter in Much Wenlock. Through Helen's own words we hear about women working on the land, the impact of the war on family and farm and her own wait for news from The Front.

Lancashire County Council's Cultural Services in partnership with Spot On Lancashire, are delighted to bring this story to the Harris Library & Museum on Friday 10th October and Burnley Library on Saturday 11th October. Shows at 11am, 1pm, 3pm on both days.

Tickets          £2 per person

Suitable for ages 10+

Call into the Libraries to get a ticket or call Paul Kelly at the Arts Development Team on 07585 983967 and leave a message with: Date & Venue, your name, mobile contact number and how many tickets you would like. Please collect your tickets andpay in cash at the library. Alternatively just turn up on the day.