Each year the Society has a get together at some interesting venues, usually the second weekend in September.  These used to be called Reunions, because most of those attending did so every year and were mainly those members who had come together to form and grow the Society as part of their endeavours to trace their Bliss ancestors before the days of internet coverage of family history information.

This year’s Annual Bliss Gathering will be held on Saturday 10 September 2022 at Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

We meet for coffee at 11.00 am in a local hotel before going to the glorious Manor House and Gardens. There is a bus from the car park to the house, which is at least 20 minutes walk away, with hills. After touring the house, lunch will be either in the restaurant in the house or at less formal venus at the stables. Exploring the gardens in the afternoon will make an excellent end the day. Many thanks to our Vice Chairman, Jenny Bliss for arranging this event.

The past venues were:-

1983 & 1984 – Delapre Abbey, Northamptonshire.

1985 – 1990 – Nether Heyford, Northamptonshire.

1991 – Stoke Bliss, Worcestershire.

1992 – Naseby, Northamptonshire.

1993 – Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

1994 – Sulgrave Manor, Northamptonshire.

1995 – Frampton Mansell, Gloucestershire.

1996 – Kings Lynn and Sandingham, Norfolk.

1997 – Stockwood Craft Museum and Lutton Hoo.

1998 – Ironbridge’s Blist Hill, the Ironbridge and Darby’s Blast Furnace.

1999 – Warwick Castle.

2000 – Royal Windsor Castle and Eton.

2001 – York’s Historic Walls, the Minister, River Cruise and the Shambles.

2002 – Dudley’s Industrial Museum, West Midlands.

2003 – Bletchley Park and Grafton Regis.

2004 – Chatham’s Historic Dockyard and Rochester.

2005 – Oxford University Press, Bodleian Library, talk on William Henry Bliss DCL and Blenheim                                         Palace at Woodstock.

2006 – Gloucestershire’s Chedworth Roman Villa, Bell-ringing display at Barnsley, St. Mary’s                            Church Fairford, Gloucester Cathedral and Corinium Museum at Cirencester

2007 – Portsmouth Dockyard’s HMS Mary Rose, HMS Victory, Museums and Spinnaker Tower

2008 – Stratford upon Avon’s William Shakespeare’s and his families’ homes,  Narrow Boat                      Cruise on the River Avon and  the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Co’s Courtyard Theatre

2009 –  Greenwich Old Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House

2010 – City of London Guildhall, Bank of England, Southwark Cathedral and the Globe Theatre

2011 – National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Tamworth Castle, the National                                                         Brewery Centre and Museum in Burton-on-Trent and                                                                                        Shugborough Hall, all in Staffordshire.

2012 – Blists Hill and Ironbridge, Shropshire (spoken as Bliss Hill)

2013 – The Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and a visit and buffet at                                                     Charterhouse.

2014 – Hampton Court Palace, dinner at an Esher Restaurant, Kew Gardens and Kew                                              House.

2015 – London – BBC Broadcasting House, lunch and visit to the Wallace Gallery and                                               Kenwood House.

2016 – London – The Inner Temple, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, dinner at the                                          Tower Restaurant and the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.

2017 – Cambridge – The American Cemetery, Duxford Imperial War Museum, a dinner at                              a riverside restaurant in Cambridge and Cambridge University’s Clare College

2018 – Richmond – the Poppy Factory, lunch at an Italian Restaurant and Syon House.

2019 – Constable Country – Melford Hall, Flatford Mill, St Mary’s Church, Dedham and dinner at                                The Angel Inn, Stoke Nayland, The Beth Chatto Gardens at Emstead Market