By Miss I. E. Gaddes, Librarian

The following is an outline list of some of the material held at the Lancaster library [Ed now held primarily at Lancashire County Archives Preston] which may be of interest to researchers in local history.

It is a preliminary listing which will be added to as time permits.

[Ed This information is written prior to the census returns and newspaper archives being readily available on the Internet for a subscription, also available at local libraries]

  • Census Enumerator’s Returns these are on microfilm and cover the returns for 1841 (no specific places of birth), 1851, 1861, 1871, and 1881. They cover lancaster district, an area within about a 15 mile radius of Lancaster.
  • Directories from the 1770’s approximately every five years, to 1970. Earlier directories tend to exclude all but gentry and master tradesmen.
  • A “Finding list” of streets is not available until 1899.
  • Electoral Rolls or Roll Books from 1784, with a gap from 1888 to 1908 inclusive. They gradually become more comprehensive as electoral reforms extended the franchise. Women appear in the 20th century.
  • Rolls of Free Burgesses printed ones cover 1680-1840 and have indexes; professions stated. Father usually named. Originals at Lancaster town hall [Ed may now be at Lancashire County Archives] and in progress. Men only listed.
  • Apprentice Registers for Lancaster (microfilm) 1736 to late 19th century. An earlier volume is at Lancaster town hall. Most useful and more comprehensive from 1736 to c.1810. Parent and master and trade are listed. Card index of apprentices in 18th century excludes the town hall’s volume.
  • Lancaster Charity School Register 1770-1819. Notes Parentage and future master and trade. Card index of boys.
  • Lancaster Royal Grammar School register printed and very selective with short biographical notes of notable scholars.
  • Biographical Index and Files the library has an alphabetical index of biographical items including manuscripts which may date back several centuries. Some items have been put in manilla files under the family name. Items are mostly sporadic but for some families we have more numerous documents of printed pedigrees; for instance, Backhouse, Cumming, Faithwaite, Parkinson, Beakbane.
  • Biographical and Obituary Cuttings of local notable people from 1800 to 1932. Then there is a gap until the 1950’s when cuttings began to be taken systematically once again.
  • Newspaper Index sporadic from 1801 to date. As well as the subject entries there are alphabetical entries under personal names and names of houses and streets. Births, marriages, and deaths have only been entered in detail for the early years of the 19th century. There is a list of the general subject headings which are commonly used.
  • Colonel Chippindall’s Files and Books the colonel died in the 1940’s and left a set of files which are kept alphabetically under family name. These include manuscript pedigrees and transcripts of families in the Lune Valley area and some from Lancaster. Colonel Chippindall published books which include much interesting detail on Ireby, Tunstall and Gressingham parishes.

Sets of Transactions and Publications of Societies

  • Chetham Society
  • Lancashire Parish Register Society (Warton registers, vol 73)
  • Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian Society Transactions
  • Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire Catholic Record Society
  • Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society

Published in Mourholme Magazines Issue 10 Winter 1985