FIBIS Spring Open Meeting is to be held at 1.00 p.m. for a start at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday, 22nd May, 2010 at Hughes-Parry Hall, Uniiversity of London, 19-26, Cartwright Gardens, London WC1H 9EF. (Please note that attendance is now regularly approaching 100 and we have moved to this larger hall. This is quiet, air-conditioned and is slightly closer to British Library than our recent meetings. A map of how to get there is available on the FIBIS web-site at www.fibis.org/meetings.htm

The two lectures to be held are:
1. “The Holdings of the Centre of South Asian Studies, University of Cambridge, and their Relevance to British India Family History Research. This is to be given by their Archivist, Dr. Kevin Greenbank. The CSAS is a truly major repository of data which, in many cases, offers complementary sources to those of the British Library and includes, for example, a wide range of Indian Newspapers dating from the days of the Raj.

2. Life with Tea and India: Diaries of Life in the Cachar Area. This is to be given by FIBIS Member, Wendy Pratt and her nephew, Peter Bleakley. Although we are over eleven years old now, this is the first lecture to be devoted to one of the most important sources of the wealth of British India and will be of much wider interest than just to those who feature Tea Planters in their ancestry. ADDITIONALLY, on that morning – and at the same location – for any visitor with brick walls to jump in their ancestral research, a few experienced researchers will be available from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 a.m. – on a less formal basis – to answer questions and to offer advice. In response to many requests, we shall focus for part of the time on obtaining full benefit from the FIBIS web-site. There is a canteen on the premises, if required.

All interested are welcome to attend – and NO CHARGE will be made. We do, however, request that those wishing to attend would please advise Emma Sullivan, FIBIS Membership Secretary, on Membership@fibis.org as much in advance as possible, but in any case before Sunday, 16th May.

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it.
Good Hunting!………Peter Bailey, Chairman
Families in British India Society. www.fibis.org