Local History: A Handbook for Beginners

More and more people are discovering the pleasure and satisfaction to be gained from the study of local history. As the subject is probed more deeply, the beginner will soon feel the need for guidance in how to conduct local historical research. This study aims to equip the amateur researcher with the skill and knowledge required to make the best use of archival records in the pursuit of their local research, taking full account of the varying circumstances facing the local historian in different parts of the UK, for example the relative richness of records in the South-East as compared to Wales and the North. Beginning with a brief summary of the evolution of local history as a pursuit since the 16th century, the author goes on to give advice about making a start on research in a local studies library; using the resources of a local record office; the importance of maps; the evidence of landscape and buildings to supplement work on documents; the scope for local history at the Public Record Office and other national institutions; and the practicalities of getting one's work published and read.