Guild Conference Posted 27 February 2018 by W Paul Featherstone Join us at the ‘Gateway to the World’ conference – in Liverpool or remotely Friday 25th – Sunday 27th April 2025, Holiday Inn, Liverpool City Centre Liverpool has a place in the family histories of millions of people across the world. Between 1830 and 1930 around nine million people set out from Liverpool for new lives, mainly in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. These emigrants were not just British and Irish but included those who came from many parts of northern Europe, including Scandinavia and Russia. Perhaps someone in your research left from Liverpool? You may feel an affinity to the port even though you have never been there. The Guild’s 2025 conference will celebrate the city’s position as “Gateway to the World” and look at those who lived in or passed through the city in the past. Although Liverpool is no longer an important port, it remains a vibrant, exciting city. It’s a popular destination for visitors who are drawn to its mix of galleries, museums, shopping centres, and waterfront vistas. Why not bring a friend or partner to the event? They will find plenty to occupy them during the day and can join you for meals and our evening entertainment. Conference Topics The talks we have already arranged include: Irish migration and the Irish Emigration Database The ‘Liverpool Lambs’ involved in the Dublin Easter Rising Mariners’ lives and families The ‘Prize Papers’ project – papers obtained from captured ships The British ‘Home’ children sent to Canada Liverpool and the Transatlantic slave trade The ‘Earl Grey orphans’ sent to Australia Our after-dinner speakers will entertain you with the history of clog-dancing, including demonstrations, and the Lancashire Cotton Famine, accompanied by song. Venue and Accommodation The conference will take place in the Holiday Inn, a 4-star hotel located in the city centre with adjacent car parking and immediately opposite Liverpool Lime Street Station. The hotel is also just around the corner from the regular bus to/from John Lennon Airport. Remote Attendance This will be the Guild’s first hybrid conference and we look forward to welcoming remote attendees. We hope the conference itself will act as a gateway to the world for those in other countries or elsewhere in the U.K. Even if you live too far away to attend in person or have mobility issues that mean you cannot travel, you don’t have to miss out on the event. This is what we are planning for those who attend remotely: You’ll be able to view the talks in the main conference room, which will be live-streamed as they take place. They will also be recorded for you to view later. There will be special sessions for remote attendees to ask speakers questions directly. You’ll be able to chat online with other attendees via a special attendee hub. If you’re in a different time-zone, there will be extra live and pre-recorded sessions at times to suit you. You’ll be able to join in some of the social activities that will take place. Booking Your Place Registration is now open for remote attendees. You register through a special conference platform that will let you watch the talks and communicate with other attendees. We are currently finalising details and pricing for in-person attendees. Booking for those who want to attend the conference in Liverpool will open later this month. Sponsorship & Help A hybrid conference is far more complex than a normal in-person event, involving more work and expense. To help with costs we have asked for sponsorship and help from a number of organisations and companies. We are still in discussion with some of these but we have been fortunate to secure sponsorship from the Halsted Trust. We are extremely grateful to them for their support. To find out more about the Trust, click on the logo below. We will also benefit from technical advice and personnel from FamilySearch, who have considerable expertise in running events. We will keep you informed of other sponsorship.