People’s History Museum (PHM) is playing host to a very special Heritage Open Days experience on Saturday 19 September (10.00am to 5.00pm). Findmypast Live X PHM gives visitors the chance to meet Findmypast’s team of genealogy experts and to uncover the stories and history of their own family. The event also features interactive activities and a programme of topical heritage and genealogy talks, taking place in PHM’s historic Edwardian Engine Hall.
Findmypast specialises in UK and Irish family history, and visitors to PHM will be able to explore its extensive online archive of historical records and newspapers, build their family tree in minutes, and discover more about their ancestors’ lives and the world in which they lived. It’s the perfect way to explore this year’s Heritage Open Days theme, ‘Everyday Histories’, and to uncover the stories of your family – from feats of activism to journeys of migration, moments of social change, and more.
As one of seven special ‘flagship’ sites, Findmypast’s team of genealogists worked alongside People’s History Museum experts to delve deeper into the stories behind the objects and individuals represented in the museum’s nationally significant collections. These stories will be shared in a series of free, bookable talks that will bring visitors closer to the individuals behind some of the country’s most significant campaigns for political change.
The Peterloo Massacre: Remembering everyday local heroes
Featuring Jen Baldwin, Findmypast Genealogist, Jenny Mabbott, PHM Head of Collections & Engagement, and Eleanor Whitehead, PHM Collections Manager
One of the centerpieces of the research carried out by Findmypast and PHM is the story of William Cheatham, a Lancashire weaver who was caught up in the Peterloo Massacre in August 1819. Cheatham survived a brutal cavalry attack, suffered a severe sabre wound to the neck, and then spent years pursuing justice through the courts and Parliament. His extraordinary story forms the basis of the recently launched podcast series, A Family History Of Peterloo: Britain’s Forgotten Massacre, hosted by Jen Baldwin and historian David Olusoga OBE. Find out about the research that took place, the role of PHM’s collections in revealing this story and how you can use it to inspire your own research.
Talks take place at 11.30am–12.15pm and 3.00pm–3.45pm.
Votes for Women: Discovering the Manchester suffragette banner
Featuring Helen Antrobus, National Trust Assistant National Curator (Social History), Jen Baldwin, Findmypast Genealogist and Jenny Mabbott, PHM Head of Collections & Engagement
Hear about the research connected to one of PHM’s suffragette banners, revealing the lives of the women who campaigned for the right to vote and the communities they represented.
At the heart of this is the story of Elizabeth Chatterton, born in Salford in 1881, who began working as an Embroiderer at Manchester drapers, Thomas Brown & Sons in the early 1900s. She helped to create the iconic WSPU banner, which was unfurled at the demonstration at Stevenson Square, Manchester, on 20 June 1908 carrying the words ‘First in the Fight’. Notably, she is absent on the 1911 Census – and newspaper reports reveal plans for Manchester suffragettes to stage a massive “No Vote, No Census” boycott during the enumeration.
Talks take place at 12.30pm–1.15pm and 4.00pm–4.45pm.
Find your past: How local history brings family stories to life
Featuring Jen Baldwin, Findmypast Genealogist
Join Findmypast genealogist and A Family History Of podcast host, Jen Baldwin, to discover how the places your ancestors lived can help you reveal their stories. With illuminating Manchester examples, this introduction to family and local history reveals how records like censuses, parish registers, and newspapers bring everyday histories into focus.
Talks take place at 10.30am–11.15am and 2.00pm–2.45pm.
Book your free place at Findmypast Live X PHM here
Lee Wilkinson, Managing Director at Findmypast, says, “The story of democracy is often told through legislation, political leaders and landmark events. What this research shows is that those moments were made possible by thousands of ordinary people whose names are rarely remembered. Through newspapers, census records and family history documents we’ve been able to uncover the lives behind the movements, whether that’s a Peterloo survivor seeking justice or women whose campaigning helped win the vote. These are exactly the kinds of stories that Everyday Histories is designed to celebrate, and we’re proud to support People’s History Museum as one of our flagship Heritage Open Days events.”
The project forms part of Findmypast’s sponsorship of Heritage Open Days’ 2026 theme, Everyday Histories, which celebrates the ordinary people whose lives shaped Britain’s history. Alongside supporting seven flagship sites and events across England, Findmypast is providing participating organisers with free access to its extensive archive of historical records and newspapers to help uncover new local stories and hidden histories.
Heritage Open Days is the largest festival of heritage and culture in England, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations who celebrate their heritage, community, and history by opening their doors to the public for free.
Entry to People’s History Museum is free, with most visitors donating £10. Opening hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm, every day except Tuesdays. Gather café is open 10.00am to 5.00pm, every day except Tuesdays, serving hot food until 3.00pm. PHM has a Changing Places toilet and lifts to its galleries. For further information about PHM, its latest programme of events and visiting the museum visit phm.org.uk, and you can keep up to date with the latest news by signing up to receive PHM’s e-newsletter.
ENDS
For further information about PHM, to arrange a visit or interview please contact Fido PR:
laura.sullivan@fidopr.co.uk / clare.short@fidopr.co.uk
Notes to editors:
About People’s History Museum
People’s History Museum (PHM) in Manchester is the UK’s national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future. Through an eclectic and colourful mix of historic and contemporary collections, featuring banners, badges, posters, photography and more, the museum celebrates the radical stories of people coming together to champion ideas worth fighting for.
Offering an engaging programme of exhibitions and events, collaborating with communities to create authentic content, the museum is Family Friendly throughout – inspiring the next generation to be active citizens.
People’s History Museum encourages visitors to be empowered by the past to make a change for the future. We are all together in the fight for a fairer world.
About Arts Council England (ACE)
PHM is an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). The work of PHM is supported using public funding by ACE, the national development agency for creativity and culture. ACE have set out their strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 they want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where every one of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. From 2023 to 2026 they will invest over £467 million of public money from government and an estimated £250 million from The National Lottery each year to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.
About Findmypast
Findmypast is a UK-based technology-driven search platform and genealogy subscription service that helps those with British & Irish roots uncover their ancestors’ lives. Their clever and innovative technology enables members to delve deeper into their family history within billions of unique historical newspapers and records, to gain a greater understanding of their ancestors and the world in which they lived.
Rooted in British and Irish culture, Findmypast works with trusted partners like the British Library and The National Archives to digitise and publish an ever-growing online archive that offers access to over 1000 years of history.
Findmypast is wholly owned by DC Thomson, a historic family-run publishing company. We take pride in our passionate and expert team, united by our values of Honour History, Create Magic, Stay Curious and Be Human.
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