Richard Heaton's Family History Homepage

FAQ's

Back to Home Page - EMail



Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)




I receive a number of email enquries, mainly related to research in Windsor, general research in Wiltshire, and the use and location of newspapers as a source for research. With this in mind I have put together this page as a guide to help other researchers.



Tips on Searching this site using Freefind

My Ancestors came from Windsor, how can I find out more about them ?

My Ancestors came from Wiltshire, how can I find out more about them ?

My Ancestors came from Berkshire, how can I find out more about them ?

My Ancestors came from Buckinghamshire, how can I find out more about them ?

What Newspaper Indexes exist which I could search for my ancestor ? (non Digital)

Newspaper Digitalisation and Indexes

Where can I find copies of Local Newspapers ?

I hope you found the FAQ's helpful for your research, but, if you didn't find the information needed, please feel free to drop me an email.


































My Ancestors came from Windsor, how can I find out more about them ?

For any researcher interested in the history of Windsor, I'd always recommend
Windlesora, the annual Windsor local history publication

For the Best overall Site for Windsor The Royal Windsor Web Site must take some beating. Scroll down for some links to excellent pages of Historial Windsor and some very rare images (many of which I've not seen elsewhere)

Slough Local Studies Library have card index of names appearing in the Windsor and Eton Express (which cover largely different dates from my index) contact by email of telephone

Contact Berkshire Record Office for Windsor Records

And Contact Berkshire Family History Society for help in tracing your Windsor ancestors

Finally there are some excellent books on Windsor, but for me, the very best was written by Angus Macnaghten, published in 1976, and with the title Windsor & Eton In Georgian Times (no ISBN)
For example, his comment on the local domestic water supply, river versus well water !
"One merit of the river water was that it lathered better than the hard well water, on which most people depended. This too was a problem : on clay areas, as in Clewer, the wells yielded little water, while in the gravel of Windsor they tended to be replenished from adjacent cesspools...."

Another book "you just can't put down", published in 1999, is Windsor A Thousand Years a living history. A Windlesora Publication (see link above) - full of facts, wonderful illustrations, and great stories, its a real credit to Windsor and to Windlesora (ISBN 0-950556-75-0).


Back to Top of Page
















































My Ancestors came from Wiltshire, how can I find out more about them ?

I think anyone whose ancestors came from Wiltshire is very fortunate. Researchers are very well catered for with the exceptionally helpful Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office, currently located in Trowbridge. Contact either by Telephone 01225 713709 or by email to
WRSO. They have extensive holdings of Wiltshire Parish Records, Wills, Court and Manorial records etc.

Online there is the very interesting Wiltshire Community History, with descriptions and maps of many Historic Wiltshire Parishes, and an opportunity to post (and receive!) answers to your Wiltshire related questions.

Recently (2007) Wiltshire Record Office have made available on the web digitalised images of Wiltshire Probate Material, Wiltshire Probate Material, an exceptionally rich and valuable resource for the family and local historian alike, especially valuable is the ability to search by Parish and Occupation as well as name.

Wiltshire Family History Society has an excellent website, produces a stimulating quarterly journal (which I regard as essential reading!) and has transcribed and published a wide variety of Wiltshire Parish Registers and docuements of interest to family historians. Needless to say I've been a member (out of county) for several years.

Another Society I can recommend, several of who's publications could be a great assistance in Wiltshire research are those of the 59 Volumes of the Wiltshire Record Society

Looking for a Grave in Wiltshire ? Duncan and Mandy Ball's Website is the best I've seen on this subject on the Web, and well worth while exploring !

Should you have ancestors who lived in Marlborough, the Merchants House may be able to assist. It is amazing survivor from the C17th, which also houses a library of documents relating to Marlborough (which I discovered on a recent visit with the Wiltshire Record Society.

If you can't find the a baptism for your Wiltshire Ancestor, the White Horse Baptism Index, run by the very helpful Father Robert Marsh WHINDEX email [email protected] may well break down your brick wall.

Finally you can contact Wiltshire's Nimrod Indexes can also be useful, especially for their index to Wiltshire Wills.




Back to Top of Page
















































WILTSHIRE RECORD SOCIETY




The Wiltshire Record Society was founded in 1937, and publishes each year a hardback volume documenting aspects of the history of Wiltshire. Members receive a copy of the latest Volume in return for annual subscription of �15. Many of the 58 Volumes published between 1939 and 2006 are of great interest for Family Historians and copies of most volumes can be obtained from the the WRS, or can be found in several major libraries in the UK, and libraries in the USA, Australia and Canada (a detailed listing of titles is shown below).

The Society can be contacted by writing to



The Honorary Secretary,
c/o Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office,
Bythesea Road,
Trowbridge,
Wilts BA14 8BS.




List of WRS Titles 1939 - 2006.


Back to My Ancestors came from Wiltshire
















































LIST OF WILTSHIRE RECORD SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS 1939-2007


1.Abstracts of feet of fines relating to Wiltshire for the reigns of Edward I and Edward II, ed. R.B. Pugh, 1939.
2.Accounts of the parliamentary garrisons of Great Chalfield and Malmesbury, 1645-1646.H.P. Pafford, 1940.
3.Calendar of Antrobus deeds before 1625, ed. R.B. Pugh, 1947.
4.Wiltshire county records : minutes of proceedings in sessions, 1563 and 1574 to 1592, ed. H.C. Johnson, 1949.
5.List of Wiltshire borough records earlier in date than 1836, ed. M.G. Rathbone, 1951.
6.The Trowbridge woollen industry as illustrated by the stock books of John and Thomas Clark 1804-1824, ed. R.P. Beckinsale
7.Guild stewards book of the borough of Calne, 1561-1688, ed. A.W. Mabbs, 1953.
8.Andrews and Dury's map of Wiltshire, 1773 : a reduced facsimile, ed. Elizabeth Crittall, 1952.
9.Surveys of the manors of Philip, earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, 1631-2, ed. E. Kerridge, 1953
10.Two sixteenth century taxation lists, 1545 and 1576, ed. G.D. Ramsay, 1954.***[This is an excellent source for Family Historians now Class E179 at the National Archive]
11.Wiltshire quarter sessions and assizes, 1736, ed. J.P.M. Fowle, 1955.
12.Collectanea, ed. N.J. Williams, 1956.
13.Progress notes of Warden Woodward for the Wiltshire estates of New College Oxford, 1659-1675, ed. R.L. Rickard, 1957
14.Accounts and surveys of the Wiltshire lands of Adam de Stratton, ed. M.W. Farr, 1959.
15.Tradesmen in early-Stuart Wiltshire : a miscellany, ed. N.J. Williams, 1960.
16.Crown pleas of the Wiltshire eyre, 1249, ed. C.A.F. Meekings, 1961
17.Wiltshire apprentices and their masters, 1710 - 1760, ed. Christabel Dale, 1961
18.Hemingby's register, ed. Helena M. Chew, 1963
19.Documents illustrating the Wiltshire textile trades in the eighteenth century, ed. Julia de L. Mann, 1964
20.The diary of Thomas Naish, ed. Doreen Slatter, 1965
21-22.The rolls of the Highworth hundred 1275-1287, 2 parts, ed. Brenda Farr, 1966, 1968
23.The earl of Hertford's lieutenancy papers, 1603-1612, ed. W.P.D. Murphy, 1969
24.Court rolls of the Wiltshire manors of Adam de Stratton, ed. R.B. Pugh, 1970.
25.Abstracts of Wiltshire inclosure awards and agreements, ed. R.E. Sandell, 1971
26.Civil pleas of the Wiltshire eyre, 1249, ed. M.T. Clanchy, 1971.
27.Wiltshire returns to the bishop's visitation queries, 1783, ed. Mary Ransome, 1972
28.Wiltshire extents for debts, Edward I - Elizabeth I, ed. Angela Conyers, 1973
29.Abstracts of feet of fines relating to Wiltshire for the reign of Edward III, ed. C.R. Elrington, 1974
30.Abstracts of Wiltshire tythe apportionments, ed. R.E. Sandell, 1975
31.Poverty in early-Stuart Salisbury, ed. Paul Slack, 1975
32.The subscription book of Bishops Tounson and Davenant, 1620-40, ed. B. Williams, 1977
33.Wiltshire gaol delivery and trailbaston trials, 1275-1306, ed. R.B. Pugh, 1978
34.Lacock abbey charters, ed. K.H. Rogers, 1979
35.The cartulary of Bradenstoke priory, ed. Vera C.M. London, 1979
36.Wiltshire coroners' bills, 1752-1796, ed. R.F. Hunnisett, 1981
37.Two justicing notebooks of William Hunt, 1744-1749, ed. Elizabeth Crittall, 1982
38.Two Elizabethan women : correspondence of Joan and Maria Thynne, 1575-1611, ed. Alison D. Wall, 1983c
39.The register of John Chandler, dean of Salisbury, 1404-17, ed. T.C.B. Timmins, 1984
40.Wiltshire dissenters meeting house certificates and registrations, 1689-1852, ed. J.H. Chandler, 1985
41.Abstracts of feet of fines relating to Wiltshire, 1377-1509, ed. J.L. Kirby, 1986
42.The Edington cartulary, ed. Janet H. Stevenson, 1987
43.The commonplace book of Sir Edward Bayntun of Bromham, ed. Jane Freeman, 1988
44.The diaries of Jeffery Whitaker, schoolmaster of Bratton, 1739-1741, ed. Marjorie Reeves and Jean Morrison, 1989
45.The Wiltshire tax list of 1332, ed. D.A. Crowley, 1989
46.Calendar of Bradford-on-Avon settlement examinations and removal orders, 1725-98, ed. Phyllis Hembry, 1990
47.Early trade directories of Wiltshire, ed. K.H. Rogers and indexed by J.H. Chandler, 1992
48.Star chamber suits of John and Thomas Warneford ed. F.E. Warneford, 1993
49.The Hungerford cartulary : a calendar of the earl of Radnor's cartulary of the Hungerford family, ed. J.L. Kirby, 1994
50.The Letters of John Peniston, Salisbury architect, Catholic, and Yeomanry Officer, 1823-1830, ed. M. Cowan, 1996
51.The Apprentice Registers of the Wiltshire Society, 1817-1922, ed. H.R. Henly, 1997
52.Printed Maps of Wiltshire 1787-1844 : a selection of topographical, road and canal maps, in facsimile, ed. John Chandler, 1998
53.Monumental Inscriptions of Wiltshire (facsimile of Sir Thomas Phillipps Monumental Inscriptions in the County of Wilton), ed. Peter Sherlock, 2000 [Excellent publication for family historians]
54.The First General Entry Book of the City of Salisbury, 1387-1452, ed. David R. Carr, 2001
55.Devizes income tax assessments, 1842-1860, ed. Robert Colley, 2002
56.Wiltshire Glebe Terriers, 1588-1827, ed. Steven Hobbs, 2003 [A very interesting and helpful volume for Family Historians]
57.Wiltshire Farming in the Seventeenth Century, ed. Joseph Bettey, 2005 [Very informative if you've traced your ancestors back to C17th]
58.Early Motor Vehicle Registration in Wiltshire 1903-1914, ed. Ian Hicks, 2006 [If your Wiltshire ancestors may have owned a Car or Motor-cycle - or built their own !, this latest volume will be interest]
59.Marlborough Probate Inventories 1591-1775, ed. by the late Lorelei Williams and Sally Thomson, 2007 [This is excellent book, with a very helpful glossary, how else would we know what a "broche" or "pothangles" were]



Back to Wiltshire Record Society
















































What Newspaper Indexes exist which I could search for my ancestor ? (non Digitalised Newspapers)
There isn't a huge amount of material I'm aware of on the Web, I've picked out a few links which might help

Paul Mansfield has indexed C18th copies of the
Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury (and other later West County newspapers)

Keeping to the West Country there is a growing index to The Bath Chronicle, lead by Dr Donald Straughan, which has taken as its source, Bound Volumes of originals covering the years 1770 to 1800.

For Victorian Northamptonshire there is a useful index for the Northampton Mercury

Another useful index for Kentish newspapers including the Maidstone Journal

For Cumbria and Westmoreland newspapers there is very impressive site with a variety of titles including the Carlisle Patriot, The Cumberland Paquet etc.

Lincolnshire has a partial index to surnames appearing between 1891 and 1959 in the Star

And there is an impressive list of local newspaper indexes held in various Yorkshire libraries, including dates covered and scope of the indexes at Newsplan

Ireland old news with numerous abstracts from Irish Newpapers is well worth exploring.

I can also recommend a very useful summary of of Indexes of Irish Newspapers located in Ireland.

Slough Local Studies Library are well worth contacting, as they have a long established card index of names appearing in the Windsor and Eton Express (which cover largely different dates from my index)you will need to contact by email of telephone

Newspaper Abstracts An excellent easy to use Website, well worth and family historian visiting on a regular basis, you never know what might turn up !


Back to Top of Page
















































Newspaper Digitalisation and Indexes

Newspapers offer a unique opportunity for us to step back in time to the world into our Ancestors world. However access to copies of the newspapers has been limited, and even once you've located a title which may help, finding your ancestors on a microfilm, has been very much the "needle in a haystack", or a needle in a stack of haystacks ! . Digitalisation overcomes these well known problems of accessibility, the software compiling its own index of the scanned pages, allowing easy surname and location searches, which take you directly to the reference(s) of interest.
The Times Newspaper 1785-1985 by Thomson Gale, is an outstanding example of a very high quality index, which outperforms all other attempts to index the Times (don't waste your time on anything else). I'd recommend contacting your local library to see whether they have access (but do ask for Thomson Gale !) or take advantage of the occasional Free Access via your PC. Also I can recommend The Scotsman 1817-1950 you can pay for view, or check whether your library has access, or take advantage of occasional free access (in 2005 this was very appropriately around St.Andrews Day).

Another great resource is the The London Gazette Archive 1665-1979. There are related indexes to the Belfast and Edinburgh Gazette's through this site.

British Library Digitisation Project 1800-1900

There is a major step change in access around the corner, the British Newspaper Library at Colindale intends to make available Digitalised searchable copies of a number of London, and Regional Titles, from its unparalleled collection in September 2007.

I've listed below (in Bold) 41 Titles and Dates (where possible) which I believe will be included in the September Launch, and also (unbolded) those which were considered, and might still make the launch. There is mix of London, Political, and Regional Titles, with some very specialist and rare Titles eg. the Era (a superb publication if your ancestors were involved in the Theatre). And if this wasn't enough, the outstanding resource, the Burney Collection, may also become available (C17th and C18th), allowing easy access to some of the character of the day such as Blackbeard, Captn. Kidd, Hogarth, and Handal.

Back to Top of Page

ABERDEEN JOURNAL 1844-1857
ARMAGH GUARDIAN 1844-1900
BELFAST NEWS LETTER 1828-1900
BELFAST WEEKLY NEWS 1855-1900
BIRMINGHAM DAILY POST 1857-95, 1900
BIRMINGHAM DAILY GAZETTE 1862-1900
BIRMINGHAM JOURNAL 1825-1849, 1851-69
BLACK AND WHITE (LONDON) 1891-1900
BRIGHTON PATRIOT
BRISTOL MERCURY
CALEDONIAN MERCURY (EDINBURGH) 1800-1867
CAMARTHEN JOURNAL 1817-1900
CAMBRIAN DAILY LEADER 1861-95, 1897-1900
CHAMPION
CHARTIST CIRCULAR
COBBETS WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER
COUNTY CHRONICLE (ESSEX, HERTS, KENT & SURREY) 1818-73, 1875-97, 1899-1900
COUNTY HERALD AND WEEKLY ADVERTISER 1818-1873
COURIER AND EVENING GAZETTE 1801-1842
CLERKENWELL NEWS/DAILY CHRONICLE 1856-1900
DAILY GRAPHIC (LONDON) 1890-1900
DAILY NEWS (LONDON) 1846-1900
DAILY POST, (LIVERPOOL) 1855-1900
DERBY MERCURY 1800-1900
DEVON & EXETER GAZETTE 1827-1895
DUNDEE ADVERTISER 1861-1900
DUNDEE COURIER 1844-1900
EASTERN DAILY PRESS, (NORWICH) 1870-1900
ECHO (LONDON) 1868-1900
EDINBURGH ADVERTISER 1800-14, 1816-24, 1844-47, 1849-59
EDINBURGH EVENING COURANT 1800-86
ERA (LONDON) 1838-1900
EVENING CHRONICLE, (OLDHAM) 1880-1900
EVENING NEWS (LONDON) 1881-1900
EVENING NEWS (PORTSMOUTH) 1878-95, 1897, 1899-1900
EXAMINER 1808-1881
FREEMAN'S JOURNAL 1820-21, 1830-33, 1837-1900
GENEDI CYMREIG (CAERNARVON) 1877-1900
GLASGOW COURIER 1844-1866
GLASGOW HERALD 1800, 1820-27, 1845-1900
GLOBE 1811-12, 1815, 1818-1900
GOLEUAD (CAERNARVON) 1869-1900
GRAPHIC
HALIFAX GUARDIAN 1832-50, 1852-96, 1899-1900
HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE 1829-1900
HAMPSHIRE TELEGRAPH (Portsmouth) 1800-1900
HERTS. MERCURY 1825-1830
HIGHLAND NEWS 1883-1900
HULL ADVERTISER & EXCHANGE GAZETTE 1801, 1826-67
HULL PACKET 1800-01, 1803-19, 1823, 1826-86
HULL ROCKINGHAM 1808-19, 1823-24, 1826-40
ILLUSTRATED POLICE NEWS 1867-91, 1893-1900
IMPARTIAL REPORTER 1825-72, 1880-1900
IPSWICH JOURNAL 1800-28, 1830, 1833-86, 1888-1900
IRISH WEEKLY (BELFAST) 1891-1900
JACKSON'S OXFORD JOURNAL 1800-95, 1899-1900
KENT AND SUSSEX COURIER 1873-1900
KENTISH HERALD 1802-03, 1824-1900
LANCASHIRE EVENING POST 1886-1900
LANCASTER OBSERVER AND MORECOMBE CHRONICLE 1860-97, 1899-1900
LEEDS EXPRESS 1857-69, 1871-73, 1875-95, 1898
LEEDS INTELLIGENCER/YORKSHIRE POST 1800-09, 1819-48, 1850-51, 1853-1900
LEEDS MERCURY 1803-05, 1807-17, 1819-35, 1837-41, 1843-95, 1900
LEEDS PATRIOT 1829-33
LEICESTER CHRONICLE 1812-1900
LEICESTER MERCURY 1874-94, 1896-1900
LIVERPOOL MERCURY 1811-1900
LLOYD'S ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWSPAPER 1842-1900
LONDONDERRY STANDARD 1836-68, 1870-1900
LONDON DESPATCH
MANCHESTER TIMES / ADVERTISER
MORNING ADVERTISER 1806-10, 1818-1900
MORNING CHRONICLE 1801-1862
MORNING POST 1801-11, 1813-1900
NEWCASTLE COURANT 1803, 1805-07, 1819-22, 1824-85, 1887-1900
NEWCASTLE DAILY CHRONICLE 1858-1900
NORTH BRITISH MAIL (GLASGOW) 1847-1900
NORTH CHESHIRE REFORMER 1836-1842
NORTH LINDSEY STAR 1889-1900
NORTH STAR (DARLINGTON) 1882-96, 1899-1900
NORTH WALES CHRONCILE
NORTHAMPTON MERCURY 1800-1900
NORTHERN DAILY EXPRESS, (NEWCASTLE) 1855-1886
NORTHERN DAILY EXPRESS, EVENING EDITION 1869-1874
NORTHERN ECHO 1870, 1873-97, 1899-1900
NORTHERN EXPRESS REVIEW & ADVERTISER (DARLINGTON) 1855 Only
NORTHERN LIBERATOR
NORTHERN STAR
NORTHERN WHIG (BELFAST) 1832-1900
NOTTINGHAM EVENING POST 1878-95, 1899-1900
NOTTINGHAM JOURNAL 1800-12, 1815-17, 1827-87
OBAN TIMES AND ARGYLLSHIRE ADVERTISER 1867-1900
ODD FELLOW
PALL MALL GAZETTE 1865-1900
PERTHSHIRE COURIER 1844-1900
POOR MANS GUARDIAN
PORTSMOUTH TELEGRAPH 1800-1900
PRESTON CHRONICLE 1831-93
PRESTON GUARDIAN 1844-97, 1899-1900
PULLMAN'S WEEKLY NEWS 1857-1900
REFORMER 1834-1900
REYNOLDS'S NEWSPAPER 1850-1900
SALISBURY AND WINCHESTER JOURNAL 1801-05, 1814-15, 1817-1900
SCOTS OBSERVER (EDINBURGH THEN LONDON) 1888-1897
SCOTTISH BORDER RECORD 1881-1900
SHEFFIELD INDEPENDENT 1839-93, 1895-6, 1898-1900
SHEFFIELD WEEKLY INDEPENDENT 1884-98, 1900
SHERBORNE MERCURY/WESTERN FLYING POST 1800-
SOUTH WALES DAILY NEWS 1872-97, 1899-1900
SOUTHERN ECHO 1888-95, 1897-1900
SOUTHERN STAR
STAMFORD MERCURY 1800-1900
STANDARD (LONDON) 1827-1900
START (LONDON0 1888-1900
TREWMAN'S EXETER FLYING POST 1807-1900
WAKEFIELD AND HALIFAX JOURNAL 1828-1834
WARWICK AND WARWICKSHIRE ADVERTISER 1824-1900
CRESSWELL & BURBAGES NOTTINGHAM JOURNAL 1800-12, 1815-17, 1821-87
WEEKLY DISPATCH (LONDON) 1801-04, 1817-1829, 1831-1900
WEEKLY TIMES (LONDON) 1847-1855
WENSLEYDALE ADVERTISER 1844-1848
WESTERN MAIL (CARDIFF) 1869-71, 1873, 1875-85, 1900
WESTERN MORNING NEWS (PLYMOUTH) 1860-1900
WESTMINSTER GAZETTE 1893-1900
WHARFEDALE AND AIREDALE OBSERVER 1880-96, 1897-1900
WHITBY TIMES AND NORTH YORKSHIRE ADVERTISER 1869-95, 1897-1900
WORCESTER POST MAN 1808-14, 1816, 1818-1900

Back to Top of Page
















































Where can I find Copies of Local Newspapers ?

The British Library holds over 52,000 Titles, obviously it will be many years, if ever, that they all become available Digitally. The British Library Catalogue can be accessed via this link its a very flexible database, search by location if you are unsure of the title.


However, for Local Newspapers, there are a number of Titles which the British Library only has partial coverage, so I would also recommend buying a copy of "Local Newspapers 1750-1920 England and Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man," Second Edition, complied by Jeremy Gibson, Brett Langston, and Brenda W. Smith, and published by the Federation of Family History Societies ISBN: 1 86006 157 5. Its a great guide, well researched, but remember early local newspaper distribution would be quite wide, and so you may need to consult a map of the UK to help. Examples I've come across include Windsor and Eton Express, (early C19th) has quite good coverage of East Middlesex, while the Salisbury and Winchester Journal (early C19th) has good coverage of Southampton and reasonable coverage of the Isle of Wight.

Back to Top of Page
















































Tips on Searching this Site using Freefind
Sometimes when using Freefind to search my site, the basic search facility will find too many possible matches. For example you wish to search for the surname "Gaines". The basic search will pull up references not only to the surname "Gaines", but also to the more common words "Gain", "Gained" etc.

The solution - click on the advanced search option (available from the basic search), AND change "word stemming" from automatic to "none". This limits the matches found to the exact spelling of the search criteria

Hope this helps - and good luck searching !



Back to Top of Page


























































































My Ancestors came from Buckinghamshire, how can I find out more about them ?

I've belonged to
Buckinghamshire Family History Society for a number of years - and occasionally I get chance to attend the monthly Southern Group meetings. The Society produces a high quality, quarterly Journal called Origins, which is always an interesting read. They have some excellent indexes to Bucks Baptisms, Burials, and Marriages - which I've personally found useful for my ONS and family history research, so I can recommend membership this Society as essential for those with Bucks Ancestors.

Another Society which might be of interest is the Buckinghamshire Record Society, a list of whose publications can be found here, and some of which can be downloaded from the Bucks County Council WebSite here.

A Link to the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies and Record Office can be found here.

Finally there is a second family history society, the Buckinghamshire Genealogical Society, again well worth while contacting.




Back to Top of Page
















































My Ancestors came from Berkshire, how can I find out more about them ?

With a one name study which has a foot firmly planted in Berkshire, and family connections to the Windsor area, I've done a fair bit of research at the very helpful
Berkshire Record Office over a number of years. It holds an excellent collection of transcripts and indexes to parish records, including Marriage Licences and Bonds, and the Brooks Marriage Index.

I have a number of publications from Berkshire Family History Society, and particularly value their Burial Index, and always make a point of checking their stand whenever I'm at a Family History Fair.

Another great resource are the publications from Berkshire Record Society, which I have found exceptionally helpful.

Finally highlighting a key source for family history - Wills, while Berkshire isn't so well served as say Wiltshire there are details of 1000 wills online from Hungerford and Wantage on Genuki, there are the Snell will transcripts and abstracts at the Society of Genealogists of which I'm a member; and the Wiltshire Wilts Project itself as many Berkshire Wills were proved in Wiltshire Courts




Back to Top of Page