Researching Local History

Researching Local History written by Stuart A. Raymond and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £16.99 - Softcover - Pages 240

How has the place we live in changed, developed, and grown over the centuries? That is

the basic question local historians seek to answer. The answer is to be found in the sources

of information that previous generations have left us. The records of parish, county, and

diocesan administration, of the courts, of the national government, and of private estates,

all have something to tell us about the history of the locality we are interested in. So do old

newspapers and other publications. All of these sources are readily available, but many

have been little used.

Local historians come from a wide diversity of backgrounds. But whether you are a student researching a dissertation, a family historian interested in the wider background history of your family, a teacher, a librarian, an archivist, an academic, or are merely interested in the history of your own area, this book is for you. If you want to research local history, you need a detailed account of the myriad sources readily available. This book provides a comprehensive overview of those sources, and its guidance will enable you to explore and exploit their vast range. It poses the questions that local historians ask, and identifies the specific sources likely to answer those questions.

This has to be said that as someone who has done lots of different jobs in my time involving local history, I can highly recommend this book. Why should I start with this stark statement? This book does exactly what you want when you want to learn about doing local history research, this book shows you how to research people, local government, agriculture, trade, business and leisure records and occupations. Of course one of the best things this book and the series does, is present a wide array of sources and links for you to get direct to the records system you need both via ‘old’ communications or via the internet. The book is well written and presented and fits in nicely to this series dedicated to the local history or genealogy world.