| Newsletter of 11/08/2004 |
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This news is sent to you by Midlands Historical Data http://www.midlandshistoricaldata.org ___________________________________________ Midlands Historical Data News : 11/08/2004
______________________________________________ 1. More about our project This month we are releasing three more sets of county pedigrees originally published by the Harleian Society - for Staffordshire, Worcestershire and a four volume set for Lincolnshire. In addition we are releasing Plot's Natural History of Staffordshire (1686) which was the source for many subsequent histories of Staffordshire, Drake's Road Book which is a very early description (1839) of the railway journey from London to Liverpool via Birmingham and three more fascinating local histories concerning Birmingham - the 1553 survey of Birmingham, which includes a "conjectural map" of Birmingham that was constructed when it was published in 1884, the transcripts of a set of lectures from Birmingham University describing the Institutions of Birmingham in 1911 and their history up to this point, and a book celebrating the centenary of the magnificent Birmingham Library, published in 1879, from which much material on this web site has been created. And last, and by no means least, the Old Non-Parochial Registers of Dudley which is exactly what it sounds like - a transcription of the baptismal, marriage and burial registers of the non-conformist churches in Dudley up to 1837. In addition, we have modified the look and feel of the web site to make navigation easier. At least, that's our hope. Please let us know if you encounter any problems with the new format. _____________________________________________ 2. Latest CD releases To order any of these, please click the link (if it has arrived in your mailbox), or visit our web-site, where these titles are now available. Directories Staffordshire Pedigrees based on the visitation of 1663-4 Pedigrees of the leading families of Staffordshire, based on the 'Visitation' made by William Dugdale, Norroy King of Arms, in the years 1663-4. An invaluable early source. Kindly loaned to the project by Brierley Hill Library. The Visitation of the County Worcester, 1682-3 (1883) Pedigrees of the leading families in Worcestershire based on the 'Visitations' made by Gregory King, Rouge Dragon, in 1683, and an earlier Visitation of 1569, the authorship of which is not entirely clear. Includes a name index. An invaluable early source. Kindly loaned to the project by Brierley Hill Library. Pedigrees of the leading families of Lincolnshire, which were the lifelong work of mr Arthur Larken, Richmond Herald, who died in 1889. They were based on the Visitations of 1562, 1592, 1634 and 1666, but were updated from many later sources. A valuable and authoritative source. Kindly loaned to the project by the Birmingham and Midland Institute. Books Natural History of Staffordhsire (1686) The earliest natural history of Staffordshire. Contains a description of all parts of the county, of selected historical events, of people, of flora and fauna and other curiosities. Amongst these is what we believe to be the earliest known reference to crop circles. Nicely illustrated with several engravings. Kindly loaned to the project by Brierley Hill Library. Drake's Road Book of the London and Birmingham Grand Junction Railways Describes the Railway journey from London to Liverpool. What makes this particularly interesting is its very early date - this was a time when to make such a journey on the train was the stuff of science fiction. Its early topographical descriptions are fascinating. Kindly loaned to the project by the Birmingham and Midland Institute. Centenary of the Birmingham Library, 1779-1879 Published in 1879 to celebrate the first 100 years of the Birmingham Library, from which we have copied many books and offer on this site. Started as a private initiative, it was given impetus by Joseph Priestley, and contained over 200,000 volumes at one time. Even today, it is still a magnificent collection. This book charts its first 100 years. Kindly loaned to the project by the Birmingham and Midland Institute. Survey of Birmingham made in the first year of Queen Mary (1553) In 1884 Mr W B Bickley found a manuscript in the Public Record Office which contained a survey of Birmingham made in 1553. He took this, and together with some other contemporary sources constructed a "conjectural map" of the town at that time. With an introduction by well known local historian Joseph Hill. Kindly loaned to the project by the Birmingham and Midland Institute. Birmingham Institutions (1911) Transcript of a series of lectures given at Birmingham University in 1911 describing the main institutions of the city and their historical origins - hospitals, schools, local government, guardians of the poor, and so on. Fascinating both as a contemporary view and as a history. Kindly loaned to the project by the Birmingham and Midland Institute. Church Records Old Non-Parochial Registers of Dudley (1899) The registers were published by Arthur Rollason in 1899 as an attempt to ensure that their contents were not lost. He was a member, inter alia, of the Harleian Society and also the British Record Society, and lived in Dixon's Green in Dudley, so naturally has a keen interest in the preservation of local records. Includes the registers of the Society of Friends, The Old meeting House, The Independents, The Wesleyan Methodists, The Baptists and the Methodist New Connexion. Kindly loaned to the project by Brielrey Hill Library. ______________________________________________ To unsubscribe from this Newsletter, please send an Email to mailto:newsletter@midlandshistoricaldata.org with the subject "Unsubscribe" |