Unlocking the power of probatee

Before the introduction of civil registration of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales in 1837, it is the parochial registers recording the baptisms, marriages and burials of our ancestors

This is one in a series of articles; the intention is to provide an overview of useful family and local history records in existence, covering the period 1066-1485. Each article can be enjoyed as a st

On 10 August 1948 Felix Hull became Berkshire’s first county archivist. He was working out of the basement of Reading’s old Shire Hall, now the Roseate Hotel, and collections under his care eventually

This is the first of a series of articles; the intention being to provide an overview of useful family and local history records in existence, with advice on where to find them. The articles will incl

As far back as medieval times, unmarried women in Scotland could take the fathers of their children to court to force them to pay maintenance towards the expenses incurred during birth and her subsequ

With its graceful columns and sweeping courtyard, the Piece Hall in Halifax could, if you squint, be mistaken for a grand Venetian piazza. The surrounding green hills (and not-so-Italian weather) prov