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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *