This book is unusual, in more ways than one, but not least in that its
author, who was at the forefront of local history research and methodology when
he first wrote it, over 35 years ago, has remained at the cutting edge of
developments ever since. He has taken the time to produce this completely
re-written and greatly enlarged new edition of 'Village Records'.
Dr West's book is also unusual in its skilful and seamless combination of
'how to do it' advice with a comprehensive work of reference. To illuminate his
detailed, practical guidance, the author has used a series of landmark documents
relating to one particular village, Chaddesley Corbett; all of them available
for virtually any locality. He then, through up-to-date, county-by-county source
lists and bibliographies, makes it easy for the reader to local and use similar
sources - ranging from Saxon charters and place names to turnpike trust records
and commercial directories - covering over a thousand years of history.
The book offers invaluable assistance to the searcher, whether a school or
college student of a mature student pursuing local history in retirement.
Indeed, it is the amateur, working from home who will, perhaps most of all, find
Dr West's clear, step-by-step approach the shortest cut available to locating
the material and then making sense of what, at first sight, appears
unintelligible to all but an expert. The great Professor W.G. Hoskins, who wrote
the Foreword to the first edition in 1962, regarded John West as the best
practical teacher of method and approach to have 'taken the reader by the hand'.
It is no surprising that the book became a classic, nor that it has continued to
grow in popularity despite a proliferation of other guides in recent years.
This new, third edition will keep 'Village Records' the searcher's guide of
first choice for many more years to come. Its appearance will be warmly welcomed
wherever local, or family history is taught of researched.
Contents:
List of Illustrations
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
1. The Approach to Local Documents
2. Saxon and Early Norman Documents
- Saxon Charters and Place-names
- The Domesday Survey
3. The Middle Ages
- Manorial Court Rolls
- Lay Subsidy Rolls
- Inquisitiones Post Mortem and Manorial Extents
- Monumental Brasses
4. The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century
- County Maps and Other Surveys
- Parish Records
- Quarter Sessions Papers
- Probate Records: Inventories and Wills
- Hearth Tax Returns
5. The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
- Enclosure Awards and Maps
- Land Tax and Tithe Records
- Turnpike Trust Records
- Commercial Directories
Appendix 1. Time Chart
Appendix 2. Elementary Word Lists
Appendix 3. Suggestions for Teachers and Amateur Study Groups
General Index
Index of Places
