House History Tool – Local History
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2. Local Sources
Local History Museums
Many towns, villages or inner city suburbs have local history museums. These museums will generally be able to help with your research by providing you information on books, local groups and societies, websites and other information.
Local or County Record Offices
Local councils now make a great effort to preserve archives and material relating to the history of the area. While The National Archives and Ancestry.co.uk can provide you with useful information your local records office should be one of the first points of call in your local and house history research.
Local Research Groups and Societies
Most local councils or libraries will be able to provide you with information on local research groups societies. Alternatively use the message boards on this site and speak to fellow researchers - they might be members of a research group near you.
Ask Your Neighbours
Often this a source completely overlooked by researchers but neighbours can provide you with often first hand accounts of the events of your local area.
Local Libraries
These days there is often more to a library than just books. Libraries play an active part in the local community and hold books on local history as well as information about local history research groups and societies. Many libraries can now provide you with free internet access.
Regional and National Libraries
Libraries such as The British Library, in London receive a copy of everything that is ever published in the UK and Ireland. They hold over 150million items including documents such as the first edition of The Times in 1788 and The Magna Carta. The information they hold could provide you with an invaluable piece of information on the history of your local area.
Finding The Information You Need
DirectGov A government website Directgov brings together the widest range of public service information and services online. Produced by the Central Office of Information, Directgov provides information from across UK Government departments on topics ranging from local library information and information on your local community to advice on researching local and family histories and archeology.
Access to Archives This site will help you to identify the location of any specific documents which you may be looking for and allow you to search the holdings of various institutions.
