Title deeds represent one of the largest groups of historical documents preserved in hundreds of archive repositories, both public and private, across England and Wales. And yet they are often overlooked or neglected by family historians because they are perceived as a particularly 'difficult' or 'incomprehensible' resource. In this publication, the author describes the most commonly encountered forms of title deeds and associated documents and provides a set of simple rules that allows the r... More Info
This practical handbook will be essential reading and reference for anyone who is keen to discover for themselves the secrets of our maritime past and of the crewmembers and ships that were part of it. What was a merchant seaman's life like in the past, what experiences would he have had, what were the ships like that he sailed in, and what risks did he run? Was he shipwrecked, rewarded for bravery, or punished? And how can you find out about an ancestor who was a member of the long British m... More Info
Interest in this, the bloodiest battle of the First World War, has never waned. The reason is not hard to find; no less than 616 infantry battalions took part and the total bill for the British came to an appalling 419,000 men, which means that there were few households in the land who did not have a relative involved. Over the years, Ray Westlake, a leading authority on the First World War, has received hundreds of enquiries from historians, from researchers, and, above all, from descendant... More Info
Whether you are interested in the career of an individual officer, researching medals awarded to a soldier or just want to know more about a particular battle or campaign, this book will point you in the right direction. Assuming that the reader has no prior knowledge of the British army, its history or organisation, Simon Fowler explains which records survive, where they can be found and how they can help you in your research. He also describes resources available online as well as books a... More Info
This book gives a fascinating insight into the history of the subcontinent under British rule and into the lives the British led there. It also introduces the reader to the range of historical records that can be consulted in order to discover more about the experiences of individuals who were connected to India over the centuries of British involvement in the country. Emma Jolly looks at every aspect of British Indian history and at all the relevant resources. She explains the information h... More Info
This book is an expert introduction for the family historian to the wealth of material available to researchers in libraries and archives in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. Full information is given on how to access the birth, marriage and death records which are only available in the islands and differ in format from those in England and Wales. Marie-Louise Backhurst covers the census, church records, nonconformist registers, rating lists, newspapers, wills and laws of inheritance, off... More Info
In the 1920's there were over a million coalminers working in over 3000 collieries across Great Britain and the industry was one of the most important and powerful in British history. It dominated the lives of generations of individuals, their families and communities, and its legacy is still with us today - many of us have a coalmining ancestor. Yet family historians often have problems in researching their mining forebears. Locating the relevant records, finding the sites of the pits, and... More Info
Did you have a criminal in the family, an ancestor who was caught on the wrong side of the law? If you have ever had any suspicions about the illicit activities of your relatives, or are fascinated by the history of crime and punishment, this is the book for you. Stephen Wade's useful introduction to this fascinating subject will help you discover and investigate the life stories of individuals who had a criminal past. The crimes they committed, the conditions in which they lived, the polic... More Info
Anyone who wants to find out about the history of their house - of their home - needs to read this compact, practical handbook. Whether you live in a manor house or on a planned estate, in a labourer's cottage, a tied house, a Victorian terrace, a twentieth-century council house or a converted warehouse - this is the book for you. In a series of concise, information-filled chapters, Gill Blanchard shows you how to trace the history of your house or flat, how to gain an insight into the lives o... More Info
This concise guide to naval history and naval records is essential reading and reference for anyone researching the fascinating story of Britain's Navy and the men and women who served in it. Whether you are interested in the career of an individual seaman, finding out about a medal winner or just want to know more about a particular ship, campaign or operation, this book will point you in the right direction. Simon Fowler assumes the reader has little prior knowledge of the Navy and its his... More Info
Of all family history sources, death records are probably the least used by researchers. They are, however, frequently the most revealing, giving a far greater insight into our ancestors' lives and personalities than those records created during their lifetime. *Highly accessible, authoritative guide to death records *Covers death certificates, burial entries, inquest records, obituaries, wills, gravestones, and other sources *Packed with information and research advice for family historians *An essential reference book for anyone undertaking family history research More Info
In this fully revised Second Edition, Phil Tomaselli explains which records survive, where they can be found and how they can help in your research. Each era in air force history is described, from the pioneering days of early aviation and the formation of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War to the creation of the Royal Air Force, its operations during the Second World War and its post-war development. *Revised and updated Second Edition *Comprehensive guide to tracing the caree... More Info
Simon Fowler outlines the course of the fighting around the city and he introduces the many historical resources that you can use to explore the history for yourself. *A practical guide to researching soldiers who served at Ypres during the First World War *Concise account of the three principal Ypres battles, including Passchendaele *Identifies and explains the key sources including The National Archives, Imperial War Museum and Commonwealth War Graves Commission *Recommends useful websit... More Info
This fully revised Second Edition of Rosemary Wenzerul's informative guide to researching Jewish history will be absorbing reading for anyone who wants to find out about the life of a Jewish ancestor. She provides a brief social history of the Jewish presence in Britain and looks at practical issues of research - how to get started, how to organise the work, how to construct a family tree and how to use the information obtained to tell the story of a family. She also describes the many resourc... More Info
This fascinating, fully illustrated volume is the definitive guide to every aspect of the workhouse and of the poor relief system in which it played a pivotal part. With hundreds of interesting anecdotes, plus priceless information for researchers – including workhouse locations throughout the British Isles, useful websites and archive repository details, maps, plans, original workhouse publications and an extensive bibliography – it will delight family historians and general readers alike. More Info
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