At one time the Wirral was a mini-state with its own language - the old Viking language called Old Norse.  Eleven hundred years ago when the Viking settlers arrived in the Wirral they would have seen cranes on a sandbank.  "Tran" is their word for a crane and "mere" is a sandbank - hence Tranmere.  Were your ancestors really Vikings?  Professor Stephen Harding, Professor of Applied Biology at the University of Nottingham, will reveal the DNA connecting us with the…

Bernard Dennis, a member of the British Longbow Society, will be talking about Francis Egerton, the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater who commissioned the building of the Bridgewater Canal, often said to be the first true canal in Britain.  This canal was built by James Brindley from the estates of Francis Egerton at Worsley to carry coal to Manchester.  A pioneer of naval construction, Francis Egerton is famed as the "father of British inland navigation".

Dr Mike Nevell is the Head of Archaeology at the University of Salford and co-editor of the Industrial Archaeological Review.   He will be looking at the Roman past of Northwich that lies beneath our feet.

Mike Royden is a local historian and author who has been researching and writing about the local history of Liverpool, Merseyside, S W Lancashire and Cheshire for over 30 years.   He will be bringing signed copies of his latest book, Village at War, for you to purchase.

This month we have Michael Murphy, a former history teacher, giving a fascinating talk on ration books.

Our talk this month is given by Professor Graeme White, Emeritus Professor of Local History at Chester University, Editor of the Journal of Cheshire History and President of the Chester Society for Landscape History. Professor White has written many books on medieval history including one on Cheshire's own Magna Carta.