New Armley Research Guide

This week Josh Flint will discuss the new Local and Family History Research Guide on Armley. This Research Guide will be of great use to anyone with an interest in the history of Armley and how that history is represented in the Leeds Central Library Collection. This article will examine interesting images highlighted in this…

Your Family History #1: Throstle Nest, Wortley

This week on the Secret Library we welcome guest author Tony Stead, whose personal research into his family tree and their connections to the Throstle Nest House of Wortley is reproduced below. This is the first in a projected new series, in which family historians will present the fruits of their labour. The Stead family…

Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes – A Beginner’s Guide

As part of a series examining family history resources for beginners, librarian Helen Skilbeck takes an in-depth look at one of the most useful resources for beginning your family history research: birth, marriage and death index records. You can find more information in our research guide.  One of the main resources you will use when…

Top Tips for Family Trees

Starting your family tree can be a daunting prospect but before you leap into action using Ancestry, here are some things you can do with your family to get your research off to a good start.  Dig out as many documents as possible especially birth, marriage and death certificates. Each paper certificate will cost upwards…

Ancestry for all!

As part of a series examining family history resources for beginners, librarian Helen Skilbeck takes an in-depth look at using our core genealogy subscription website, Ancestry.com… So, what is Ancestry…. Ancestry is one of the main genealogical websites in the UK. It has records that can help you to create your family tree and includes the UK census…

Working-Class Women in Early Twentieth Century Leeds

On Wednesday the 11th March we have a talk on ‘Working-Class Women’s Autobiographies and the History of Everyday Life.’ This talk will be given by Dr Claire Martin, a Lecturer at The University of Leeds. This article will highlight interesting items from the Leeds Libraries Collection that detail the everyday life of working-class women and…

Mining Genealogy Gold – A Hidden Gem in Leeds Central Library

This week we welcome guest author and family historian Jane Roberts, who explores how the Leeds Central Library Collection has shed new light on her own family history and the working conditions of children in mines and collieries.  As a family historian, I’m always on the look-out for sources which flesh out the lives of…

Fake News 21st August 1934

Fake News is a new project, by Tim Knight, which uses Local and Family History’s newspaper archive to publish a fictional front page every month. Curated from cuttings of The Yorkshire Post and The Yorkshire Evening Post—Leeds’ oldest continuous newspaper—Fake News will explore the goings-on, mishaps and miscellany of Yorkshire through the ages. Today’s edition, a…