About this event
A workshop combining ancestry and creative writing.
- Who is this event suitable for? For adults.
- Booking required: please book by 12noon on Friday, 19 September 2025. Book tickets through Eventbrite
- Directions: Get directions to this event on Google Maps
- Contact: library.service@rochdale.gov.uk
- Event organiser: Rochdale Borough Council
In this workshop, presented jointly by a published writer and a local history professional, participants are asked to come with a family story, historical event, interesting incident, or their own crazy, tragic, or heroic ancestors to share. Together we will talk about the tools, available resources (including online and those held locally), and perspectives for exploring missing pieces. We will investigate actual accounts, finding creative ways to approach and meld anecdotes into fruitful stories.
The workshop is suitable for storytellers of both the written and spoken word, and for those of every level of experience, or none.
About the presenters
Cynn Chadwick is an historical novelist with 25 years’ experience teaching Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina. Whilst she lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains, her ancestors originated in the north west of England. In 2020, she arrived in Rochdale to do research and investigate the history of her family and Rochdale in the late 1800s with Local Studies Assistant Jenny Driver at YourTrust. Last year, she gave a talk at the library about her novel, ‘The Incorrigible Rogue’, based on the life of her fiery Rochdalian great-grandmother, Martha Anne Ashworth, and she has returned to research her next novel, involving another fascinating historical figure – Dorothy Wordsworth, sister of the famed Lakes poet.
Jenny Driver is a Local Studies Assistant and Archivist based at Sparth Local Studies Centre, part of YourTrust Rochdale. She has over 15 years’ experience of helping people discover their family histories and the history of the Rochdale area, and holds a postgraduate certificate in Archival Studies, including a module on ‘Skills and Sources for Family History in England’.
Disclaimer
Events and activities are not organised by Rochdale Borough Council unless stated otherwise. Neither is Rochdale Borough Council responsible for the accuracy of the information provided. If you are under 18, ask your parent/guardian before taking part in any event or activity.