Before everyone rushes off thinking that they will find details of their families in the VCH, it should be made clear that most of the family information concerns the Lords of the Manor. It is the Manor descent rather than the family which is considered important here. That being said, the VCH is really the bible for the history of any parish or manor. I have used it many times. Regards Sandra tesmith40@comcast.net wrote: >In the Ancestry.com newsletter was the following article and I thought I'd share >it. I've never heard of this before. I hope this proves of interest to others. > >I was dissappointed to see only 13 counties are completed ( http://www.englandpast.net/completed_counties.html ) with 14 counties in progress ( http://www.englandpast.net/vch_counties.html ) > >Here's the link for the completed Hertfordshire VCH: >http://www.englandpast.net/hertfordshire.html > >Lots to read...but worth it! >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * >As the Records Show >VCH: Three Letters Spell Untold Riches >by Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA Scot > >Those of you who read my articles regularly may recall that from time to time I >make reference to the Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly >called the Victoria County History (VCH). > >Family facts, resource information and new insights into the lives of my >ancestors have all turned up in my numerous excursions through these volumes of >local history. In this article I tell you more about the VCH and, in particular, >about the project in the county of Essex, home to some of my ancestors and to >many who left England for America in the 1600s. > >The VCH was a visionary idea at the end of the reign of Queen Victoria, hence >the name. It set out to present an authentic and meticulous account of the >history of English places and people. The completed counties (twelve, plus North >Riding of Yorkshire) contain a history of all the towns and villages, which are >usually described under several topics including manors and estates, economy, >social history, religious activity, local government, and buildings. Preliminary >volumes or sections cover a number of themes for the whole county. > >Essex >Essex is an excellent example of the breadth and depth of material in the VCH. >The first three volumes examine: (I) natural history, archaeology, Domesday >Book; (II) ecclesiastical, political and economic history, and schools; (III) >Roman Essex. Three volumes of bibliography have also been published, and volumes >four to ten are topographical, each about a town or region. > >Volumes eleven and twelve continue the topographical accounts and are about >places in Tendring Hundred, which includes the seaside resorts of Clacton and >Frinton. Recently the Clacton VCH volunteer group produced Clacton at War, >1939-45, a story of transformation from seaside resort to frontline town. >Details of contents of all volumes, with the names of the hundreds and parishes, >are listed at the Victorian County History of Essex website. > >As you can imagine a project of this magnitude requires a huge amount of effort >from many agencies and individuals--a core of professionals and an army of >volunteers. Two wars and shortages of funds adversely affected the VCH up to >1950, when work resumed. Lately, changes in funding to county councils have >resulted in local government economies and reduced funding for the VCH in Essex >and elsewhere. In spite of all difficulties people remain dedicated, volunteers >step forward to help, research and writing continue. Fortunately, anyone can >show interest and support--I will explain about this in a moment. > >A Tool for Every Genealogist >Genealogists are not the only ones interested in the work of the VCH. >Historians, government officials, educators, and architects are among those who >find value in a detailed historical record. The background and general sections >provide context, the parish histories take us through the centuries, describing >how people worked, lived, learned, played and worshipped. The accounts are full >of names and precise document references. > >If we all researched the places where our ancestors lived in the same way >(outlined at the Victoria County Histories website), no doubt many genealogical >puzzles would be solved. In other words, the VCH is a source of research ideas >as well. > >It is easy to investigate what has been done for any county; fourteen have works >in progress, some projects are dormant, and some counties have had nothing done >as yet. The VCH website sets out the details overall, and the fourteen counties >with ongoing work have their own websites. (Links can be found at: >www.englandpast.net/vch_counties.html) The county sites include links to a >selection of online volumes and draft text of upcoming volumes. In addition, >these links go directly to British History Online ( http://www.british-history.ac.uk/ ) for a complete list of VCH volumes online. > >Recent News of the VCH >The Internet has been recognized as a way to inform people about the VCH and to >involve schools and communities in learning their local history. The Heritage >Lottery Fund recently made a grant of more than three million pounds for >associated programs in ten locations. The History Footsteps education resource >and online learning facility will benefit from this. Its website contains >materials to be used in schools. I recommend it for students of history of all >ages; the story of a farming village in Yorkshire is clearly presented, and >generated ideas for more research into the lives and surroundings of some of my >English ancestors. >These are the good news stories. The funding cuts are not, although the efforts >of staff and volunteers put a positive spin on the difficulties. They are >looking for innovative ways to keep the project work happening and for new >sources of support. > >Consider How You Can Help >I thought about how I might help. This article is one way, and making a >contribution is another. The VCH for any part of England is worth supporting and >for the county of one's ancestors, especially so. I hope you will visit the VCH >website, the Essex site, or any of the county sites, and consider joining me in >spreading the word and showing your appreciation of the efforts of all those >dedicated local historians throughout England and across the decades since 1899. >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * >Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA Scot is an author, teacher, and lecturer specializing >in English, Scottish, and Irish family history. She is the author of Your >English Ancestry (2d ed., 1998) and Researching Scottish Ancestry (2003), and >she is a contributor to several publications. Since 1996, she has been a study >tour leader, course coordinator, and instructor for the Institute of Genealogy >and Historical Research at Samford University. She teaches online at >MyFamily.com. Recently she served a two-year term as president of the >Association of Professional Genealogists. >* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > >==== ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE Mailing List ==== >To POST a message to this list use the address: > >eng-hertfordshire-l@rootsweb.com > >2) To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE send a message to: > >ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE-L-request@rootsweb.com (if you are in mail mode i.e. receiving >the messages individually or want them individually) or > >ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE-D-request@rootsweb.com (if you are in digest mode i.e. >receiving a digest of multiple messages or want this mode) > >In the BODY of the message (not the subject line) type the word subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > >