Who am I and where do I begin?

HAVE you ever wondered about your family history - where does your family come from?  What were their occupations?  How many children did your great-great-great grandparents have?  What were their names?

A new and comprehensive guide to resources is now available to help you discover fascinating facts about your family and the local area. The guide, ‘What’s In Archives and Local Studies for me?’  has been produced by the staff of Barnsley Archives and Local Studies Department at the central library, Shambles Street, and includes details of a vast range of resources all available from the department.

This new 110 page guide includes more well-known sources such as church registers and census returns, but also those which are less well known by researchers, such as taxation records and poll books.

The guide is now available for sale in the department, which is situated on the top floor of the central library. The department also has a specialist family history adviser who can advise on how to go about starting to research your family, so there is no better time to start this new and fascinating hobby. 

Cllr Roy Miller, Cabinet Spokesperson for Customer and Neighbourhood Services, said: “The Archives and Local Studies department holds a wealth of information to help people trace their family history and this excellent publication is very timely for helping people start a new hobby over Christmas and the winter months.”

The guide is priced £7.50 and is available from the Archives and Local Studies Department, Central Library or any Barnsley Library.

For a photo opportunity contact Paul Stebbing, Archives and Local Studies Officer,   01226 773982, or email: PaulStebbing@barnsley.gov.uk

ENDS