About Us

Founded at Lowestoft in 1975, we are a group of keen amateur genealogists whose objectives are to promote and encourage the study of family history, genealogy, heraldry and local history with particular reference to Suffolk; and to promote the preservation, security and accessibility of archive material.

The Society is a registered charitable company, run by its elected Trustees and Elected Officers with the support of Honorary Members and other volunteers and is a member of the Federation of Family History Societies.

This page contains information about the society and its organisation.

 Our Groups

The Society has four groups, based in the major population centres in the County.

Monthly meetings are held in:

A warm welcome awaits you at any of our group meetings. Each group organises its own programme of talks, walks, open days and events. Advice is always available for those just starting their family tree, or those who are looking for a missing 'branch.' For more information click on the required Group name above.

The Society has a comprehensive programme to publish local material including indexes and transcripts of records. Members are encouraged to take part in projects such as recording gravestone inscriptions, indexing and transcribing parish and other archives.

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Current Projects

The society organises a number of projects to collect and index information relevant to family history and makes this available for purchase via our online shop.. The work at the record offices uses transcribers and checkers where the original registers are available. For those working at home, copies of parish register pages on microfiche are provided . 

Marriage Index

 The project aims index all the marriages registered in the parish churches in the county. The registers are being transcribed in phases starting at the earliest and going back to the earlier ones. The first two phases, 1813-1837 and 1754 to 1812 has now been completed and are published and available for purchase . The third phase 1650 to 1753 is now under way with some indexes already published. To see what indexes are available and the information they contain see here. If you would like to help and want to know more please contact our Marriage Index Co-ordinator 

 Baptism Index

The project aims to index all the baptisms recorded in the parish registers in the county.  The registers are being transcribed in phases starting at the latest and going back to the earlier ones. The first phase, 1813-1837  has now been completed and is published and available for purchase . The second phase 1754 to 1812 is now almost complete with some indexes already published and available for purchase. The third phase 1650 to 1753 has been stated again with some indexes available for purchase. To see what indexes are available and the information they contain see here. If you would like to help and want to know more please contact our Baptism Index Co-ordinator 

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Publications

We publish the results of our indexing and they are available to buy to support your research. We also publish a quarterly journal, Suffolk Roots which is provided as part of membership. See publications page.

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Fairs

We send representatives of the society to family history fairs outside the county where, if you don't live in the county is an opportunity to meet the society or possibly examine and purchase the societies products.

The society also holds its own Family History fair where there are many family history stalls, and lectures. Many of the society's officers will also be there so it will be an opportunity to meet them.

The fairs visit programme is here and the programme for our fair is here.

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Elected Officers

Chair

Andy Kerridge
8 Wyvern Close
Broughton Astley
Leicester LE9 6NH
chair@suffolkfhs.org.uk

Vice Chair To be appointed
Hon Secretary Ken Finch
65 Churchill Avenue
Ipswich
Suffolk IP4 5DT
secretary@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Hon. Treasurer Carolyn Alderson
65 Churchill Avenue
Ipswich
Suffolk IP4 5DT
treasurer@suffolkfhs.org.uk

Co-ordinators

Membership Secretary

 

[Changes to membership details

should be sent here]

David Horton
26 The Crescent
Slough
SL1 2LQ
membership@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Publications Officer Jean Licence
publications@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Publicity officer

publicity@suffolkfhs.co.uk

Roots Editor Roots Editorial Team
editor@suffolkfhs.org.uk 
Baptism Index Search Service Provider Arthur Bird
baptismsearch@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Baptism Index Co-ordinator Alan Bumpstead
baptisms@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Baptism Index Co-ordinator (1650-1812 West of County) Christine Palmer
baptisms@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Baptism Index Co-ordinator (1650-1812 East of County) Diane Kirby
baptisms@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Marriage Index Search Service Provider & Co-ordinator Arthur Bird
marriages@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Burial Index Co-ordinator and Search Provider

Arthur Bird
burials@suffolkfhs.org.uk

Monumental Inscriptions Search Service Provider & Co-ordinator Arthur Bird
burials@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Librarian Jean Licence
publications@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Webeditor

For all contributions and website content including problems on the website or shop webeditor@suffolkfhs.org.uk

Webmaster webmaster@suffolkfhs.org.uk

Honorary Officers

Patron

  Mr. Douglas Howlett

Honorary Life Members

  The Lord Tollemache KCVO
  Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld Bt, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
  Mrs. Katherine Bardwell
  Mrs Margaret Barfield
  Mrs Pat King-Gardiner
  Mr. Harry Chesney
  Mrs. Elizabeth Arkieson
  Mr. Michael J Durrant
  Mr. Robert Brown
  Mrs. Ann Youngs
  Mr. Douglas Howlett
Mr. Alan Bumpstead
Mr. Derek Palgrave
Mrs. Pamela Palgrave
Mr. David Talmage
Mr. Derek Wright
Mr. Arthur Bird

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SOCIETY TRUSTEES

Andy Kerridge chair@suffolkfhs.co.uk

Vice Chair to be appointed

-
  Ken Finch treasurer@suffolkfhs.co.uk
  Joan Horton londontrustee@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Brian Thompson brian@suffolkfhs.co.uk
David Horton londontrustee@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Jean Licence publications@suffolkfhs.org.uk
Sue Flockton
Carolyn Alderson
Kevin Pulford