Public Speaking

I’m available for public speaking or lectures to students, local groups or local/family history societies on a range of genealogy and house-history related topics. These could focus on stories and examples from my research, or aspects of methodology.

I’m a qualified lecturer and trainer of adults with more than fifteen years experience. Following discussion with the organiser, presentations will be tailored to the needs, requirements and prior knowledge of each individual group.

Here’s a sample of presentations that are ready to go:

Front cover of a presentation entitled Astonishing Tales our ancestors could tell by Janice Heppenstall. The image features fallen leaves on a cobbled street, with six monochrome photos from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, each in a gold frame, scattered on the leaves.

This presentation is intended as an introduction for a general audience (non-genealogists) to the kinds of things we can learn about our ancestry. Sometimes we find little more than names, dates and places, but other ancestors might have fascinating stories to tell! The presentation focuses on the truly astonishing stories of several of the ancestors of one of my grandmothers.

Duration is 30 minutes if this is a general interest presentation. It can be extended to 45 or 60 minutes if the audience is beginner or early intermediate level family historians, in which case more information about using sources will be included.

*****

Front cover of a PowerPoint presentation entitled A Genealogist's view of 17th century Woodhouse and the Manor of Leeds. The image features an engraving by William Lodge entitled Prospect of Leeds, made around1684-89
Featured image: William Lodge: Prospect of Leeds (c.1684-89); Source: Ralph Thoresby: Ducatus Leodiensis, 1715

This presentation relates to research I did into one of my own ancestral lines who lived in the then small hamlet of Woodhouse that was part of the Manor of Leeds. The focus of the talk is on the local and social history, the types of records available at this time and why an understanding of all this is important when researching in the seventeenth century. For family history groups, it can also include some research tips useful for the period.

Duration of presentation 45 minutes to 1 hour.

*****

Front cover of a PowerPoint presentation entitled Benjamin Lucas, transported: One Leeds man's experience of nineteenth century criminal justice. The cover features a painting of the ship Lady Penrhyn.
Featured image: Lady Penrhyn, painting by Frank Allen; public domain; Source: Wikipedia

Benjamin Lucas was born in Leeds in 1791, but an 1833 conviction for larceny and sentence to fourteen years transportation would change the course of his life for ever.  This talk follows Benjamin on a journey that starts with the nineteenth century criminal justice system in England, and ends up on the other side of the world.  It includes wider information about the history of transportation, an outline of official records personal to Benjamin’s story, and how information located in those documents can be expanded by memoirs and accounts written by others involved in the process. The presentation is of national relevance, and Leeds-specific details will be omitted if appropriate.

Duration of presentation 45 minutes to 1 hour.

*****

Some feedback from previous presentations:

“Fantastic speaker – really inspiring as I start to tackle earlier family history research.”

“Lots of little titbits of relevant information”

“Very enthusiastic and well informed speaker.

“Very informative and interesting.”

“Presenter was really personable and made the topic interesting by relating to all areas of Leeds as it progressed towards the city it is now.”

“Excellent speaker!”

“Completely absorbing, great story and super research.”

“I learned a great deal and gained in confidence.”

“Very interesting talk!”

“Talk, slides – wonderful! What a super talk!”

“Such hard work and research. Congrats on finding out an amazing story.”

*****

If you’d like to know more, or want to discuss the needs of your group, please contact me.

Janice in front of rows of bookshelves at Leeds Central Library in May 2023.