House History

If you are into genealogy, finding out about the  history of your house and its inhabitants may also intrigue  you.    Apart from asking your relations and neighbours what they know about it, it is mainly a matter of ‘book research’ and some of the sources are listed below:

Title deeds.

National  archives.  www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

In London, the Survey of London  http://www.westminster.gov.uk/libraries/archives/indexes/surveyoflondon/ 

http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/index1a.html  : the origins of suburbia as revealed through the history of south London:  see what it was like to live in the suburbs of London

http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/tudorhackney/  a virtual tour of Hackney in Tudor times: a reconstruction of Rectory House

www.rbkc.gov.uk/virtualmuseum :  a history of Kensington and Chelsea brought to life

 at your local Council offices: Rate books, Valuation books, drainage plans, Photograph collections, electoral registers, street  directories

Old maps,  www.old-maps.co.uk particularly Ordnance Survey maps    http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure/ItemDetails.jsp?item=os_historical   : for  London  www.motco.com/map  

Census records   from 1841 to 1901   http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/census/?homepage=fr-census

Old telephone directories www.btplc.com/archives 

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/  :  a digital library contining some of the sources of the medievil and modern history of UK

Books:  “ Home:the Story of Everyone Who Ever Lived in our House”   Julie Myerson http://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Story-Everyone-Lived-House/dp/0007148232

"Tracing the History of your House" Peter Bushell. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tracing-History-House-Peter-Bushell/dp/1851453156/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237467090&sr=1-3

or if you would like Peter Bushell to do some of the research dog-work on your behalf, contact him on parsloe2@yahoo.co.uk