In article <3.0.1.32.20030730074755.00be86b0@connexus.net.au>, maureen <maureenf@connexus.net.au> wrote: > Hi Listers, > My husband and I will be visiting UK next month and I have been > "allowed" one day in Bradford to do my family research (1700 - 1900) > and I want to know how to make the most of my precious time and where I > could get the most benefit. > Thanks, > Maureen in Australia Hello Maureen I would suggest spending your day in the Local Studies section of Bradford Central Library, which is at Princes Way, near the Town Hall. For a map go to http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ and search on the postcode, which is BD1 1NN. The Local Studies library has lots of useful records, far more than you could possibly look at in one day : there is a list at http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/bfhs/bfdlibry.html . I would suggest starting with the card index for the 1851 census and the newspaper index of death notices. Details of opening times are in the Central Library Guide at http://www.bradford.gov.uk/council/libraries/central_page.html . The library is open till 19.30 on Monday to Friday. Drinks and some snacks are available from machines on the ground floor of the Library but some sandwiches would be very useful if you are going to stay all day. Good luck with your research. Robin -- Robin Illingworth, Leeds (illingworthr@argonet.co.uk) -----------------------------------------------------
Robin Illingworth <illingworthr@argonet.co.uk> wrote..... > In article <3.0.1.32.20030730074755.00be86b0@connexus.net.au>, > maureen <maureenf@connexus.net.au> wrote: > > Hi Listers, > > > My husband and I will be visiting UK next month and I have been > > "allowed" one day in Bradford to do my family research (1700 - 1900) > > and I want to know how to make the most of my precious time and where I > > could get the most benefit. > > Thanks, > > Maureen in Australia > > > Hello Maureen > > I would suggest spending your day in the Local Studies section of > Bradford Central Library, which is at Princes Way, near the Town Hall. > For a map go to http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ and search on the postcode, > which is BD1 1NN. > > The Local Studies library has lots of useful records, far more than you > could possibly look at in one day : there is a list at > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/bfhs/bfdlibry.html . I would > suggest starting with the card index for the 1851 census and the > newspaper index of death notices. > > Details of opening times are in the Central Library Guide at > http://www.bradford.gov.uk/council/libraries/central_page.html . The > library is open till 19.30 on Monday to Friday. Drinks and some snacks > are available from machines on the ground floor of the Library but some > sandwiches would be very useful if you are going to stay all day.< I MUST heartily endorse Robin's suggestion of Bradford Local Studies Library - it is a fantastic resource and I rarely miss going there when I visit my home town. But as he says, a day is nowhere near sufficient time! As well as the 1851 census index and the newspaper index (it carries many other things than just deaths), you should also look at the famous Blackburn Registers of Monumental Inscriptions (literally, a monumental piece of work by one man, Arthur Blackburn, in the 1920s and '30s, comprising thousands of MIs from all over the Bradford area) and the books of burgess rolls and electoral registers dating well back into Victorian times. You will also find printed parish registers and much local history material. There is also a branch of the West Yorkshire Archives in Canal Road, Bradford, but this is rather more specialist and I would not particularly recommend going there unless you know of something specific that they have, and it's best to phone and make an appointment first. Roy Stockdill (Editor, Journal of One-Name Studies) SoG Executive & Director of Projects, FFHS Guild of One-Name Studies:- www.one-name.org Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History:- www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html Never ask a man if he comes from Yorkshire. If he does he will tell you, if he does not why humiliate him? - Canon Sydney Smith