Researching in Northumberland & Durham

An introductory overview on English History and its effect on sources and repositories. Understand where to look for records and how to access.

Yorkshire was an area of great migration, those who moved within the county, those who moved in and out of the county and those who left Yorkshire and England. Most Europeans who emigrated travelled to America with more than 2 million English moving to America in the 1800s. The changes during the 1800s through the effects, and aftereffects, of the Industrial Revolution created great change in Yorkshire as well as the decline in lead mining and farming in rural areas and the Yorkshire dales. As people lost opportunities to earn a living in these areas they were pulled to the opportunities further afield, the mills towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire and Lancashire and further afield to America then later to Canada and Australia. As a member of a family emigrated this created a greater pull for friends and family to join them creating communities in another country. This was the case in New Diggings in Wisconsin where many people from Swaledale and Wensleydale left the declining lead mines to start new lives in the growing mines of America. This talk will explore the people who emigrated, the villages they left and the communities they joined along with the Yorkshire surnames which are now part of American life. Oral histories documented in the book ‘Those Who Left the Dales’ by the Upper Dales Family History Group are referred to as well as immigration records and original documents held at North Yorkshire Archives including the publication ‘History of New Diggings’ and a Dakota ‘recruiting’ lecture given in Wensleydale. The talk will provide an insight into the reasons for leaving Yorkshire, particularly the Yorkshire Dales, and the lives of those who emigrated.

Researching ancestry in Cheshire offers a rich journey through one of England’s oldest and most varied counties. Cheshire’s past, shaped by agriculture, salt production, Roman settlements, and later industrial growth, provides valuable context for understanding ancestors who lived and worked here. The county is well-served by resources for genealogists, both online, from the main commercial websites, to the numerous archives and museums that serve the county including Cheshire Archives, the Grosvenor Museum, the Lion Salt Works, the Cheshire Military Museum, Nantwich museum and the Catalyst Museum, not to mention the plethora of local heritage centres and history groups. Cheshire also boasts the oldest county-based family history society in the UK. Together, these collections of records, artefacts, and social history help bring Cheshire families’ stories to life and by the end of this talk you will be well informed to start your adventures in Cheshire!

Explore the essential resources for tracing ancestors in Warwickshire. This session introduces the major archives for the historic county, how to navigate their catalogues effectively, and where to find key collections online—both on the major commercial sites and the local, Warwickshire-specific platforms that many researchers overlook. We will also look at the county’s shifting boundaries, industrial history, and major historical developments that can affect where records are held. Finally, we’ll identify the best places to seek further help, including local societies and specialist collections. By the end of the talk, you will have a clear roadmap for beginning or advancing your Warwickshire research. This talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.

Why did some of our relatives made a choice to move half a world away and settle in a strange country? What motivated them to do this? There is no one simple answer: each person had their own reasons. This talk will look at the social, economic and political "push" factors that led to our ancestors starting a new life in another country.

Learn all about the key resources available for researching ancestors in Middlesex. Discover the key archives covering this county, situated right on the border with London, and how to use their catalogues and other resources. Find out where records for Middlesex can be found online both within the main commercial websites and county specialist sites. Learn about key historical events that may impact your research in Middlesex, including important boundary changes. Investigate where else you can get help such as the relevant family and local history societies. At the end of this talk, you will be set up for starting your research on your Middlesex ancestors. Note that the talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.

This presentation provides a brief history of marriage in the UK with a particular focus on Fleet marriages, that is those which were outside the normal rules of the Church prior to Lord Hardwicks Marriage Act 1753. The records can be found online but many may not be obvious. Understanding what they are can provide insight into our ancestors.

Devon is a large county with two coastlines and a diverse geography. The 420+ historic parishes embrace a varied history with fishing, maritime activity, agriculture and mining underpinning the economy. It also has an interesting religious history, featuring a strong element of several strands of Methodism. Emigration has been a key feature in the county’s history, so there are many people with Devon roots, spread across the world. Come and find out about the records, archives, organisations and websites that can help you with Devon research. Learn what is specific to trying to uncover your ancestry in this beautiful county.

A whistle-stop tour of some of the key resources for tracing land and property in England from the Domesday Survey in 1086 to today, using the case study of a 15th century farmhouse in Kent. From manorial records to title deeds, tithe records to Ordnance Survey maps, there is a vast range of documentation relating to the ownership, occupation and use of land and property in England, from tiny tenements to large estates.