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  • Advice on studying a small village, please.

    Following on from my search for William Woodward and his family in West Hyde, I have become very interested in the history of West Hyde itself. It's a very small place and I discovered in my census searches that there was an asbestos processing factory nearby and a quick look in the newspapers showed up concerns about the number of woman and children who worked there dying prematurely.

    But also my ancestors lived there over many generations and many decades of the census returns so I would like to explore this and follow their movements between jobs and homes, and look at the relationships and marriages between different families.

    So my question for you all is does anyone have experience of this kind of study of a location? And if so, what advice can you offer about how to go about it. (I did have a quick look at Name and Place software but it is £10 per month which is way too much for me).



    PS Original thread about William is here https://www.familytreeforum.com/foru...-sort-this-out
    Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

  • #2
    Hi Gardengirl,

    I have a little experience of this type of thing....a good starting point is the 1851 census...use that as a baseline. Decide upon your criteria for whether you'll research someone in depth - will you just mention the name of someone who married in from outside, or will you take them back a generation?

    Document everyone in the village (in a spreadsheet if you're happy doing that) and make a little family tree for each of them. Then move forward to 1861, 1871....you'll find some the families starting to link through marriage. Sadly, West Hyde doesn't yet feature in FreeREG - otherwise that's an excellent way of finding bmd data. Keep your sources completely consistent as you go.

    Download every relevant will from The National Archives (do this while it's still free). Also get every military record. Anything mentioning the village.

    I think it's a mistake to research one family in depth and then move on - much better to extract every little detail from a census before moving on to the next one. You need to spend time (months?) just gathering and organising the data before you actually try to do anything with it.

    I don't know whether you use any genealogy software, but Family Historian is brilliant for organising all your findings...I've attached an image of some current research - this is saved within FH and shows three families which I believe are linked, but I haven't proved it yet.

    temp.png

    I hope this is some help...there are many ways to skin a cat, but this is one of them.

    William
    Kind regards,
    William
    Particular interests: The Cumming families of Edinkillie & Dallas, Moray

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by wulliam View Post
      Sadly, West Hyde doesn't yet feature in FreeREG - otherwise that's an excellent way of finding bmd data.
      There's a sort-of potential substitute. Some West Ham parish records are transcribed on FamilySearch. You can specify a film number when you're searching records, so that you don't search all records available from Essex.

      For instance here's the catalog entry for Holy Trinity Church, Canning-Town


      If, say, you only wanted to search the baptisms to 1898, put ""4298474" in the film number field for a search. You can also add names or dates to narrow your search.



      Of course, you could just put in the name of the town.

      ArcherSoftware used to provide a similar screening tool for FamilySearch, but I can't find it on their website now.

      Comment


      • #4
        Thank you, that is exactly the kind of suggestion that I was looking for. My spreadsheet skills are not expert but I can do basic charts and sort by columns etc. And I do use Family Historian.

        Would you mind sharing the kind of spreadsheet headings that you used? I did start on this but I couldn't decide the most useful way to do the headings eg do you have columns exactly like the census? Do you have separate columns for surname and first names? Any suggestions would be much appreciated to save me from wasting time with the wrong approach.
        Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

        Comment


        • #5
          It sounds an interesting project, I was interested to see that many were cress bunchers, I had no idea that they grew it there. I knew that they did it in other areas, that have been subject to various TV programs and the watercress line.

          I see that someone has done a quick potted history here https://www.croxleygreenhistory.co.u...s-growers.html

          sorry can't offer any advice on how to go about it though.
          Carolyn
          Family Tree site

          Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
          Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by PhotoFamily View Post

            There's a sort-of potential substitute. Some West Ham parish records are transcribed on FamilySearch. You can specify a film number when you're searching records, so that you don't search all records available from Essex.
            It's West Hyde, Hertfordshire not West Ham

            Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
              It sounds an interesting project, I was interested to see that many were cress bunchers, I had no idea that they grew it there. I knew that they did it in other areas, that have been subject to various TV programs and the watercress line.

              I see that someone has done a quick potted history here https://www.croxleygreenhistory.co.u...s-growers.html

              sorry can't offer any advice on how to go about it though.
              That's a good find, Carolyn, thank you. The water cress mention in the census was another thing that caught my eye. Although modern maps show lakes between West Hyde and Harefield, back in the late 1800s they were not there. It was just a river which of course would be needed for watercress as they grow in flowing water.

              PS. Just had a quick look at that website - they even have the full census for Croxley Green as a downloadable spreadsheet!
              Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

              Comment


              • #8
                I do find the view "others on page" on the census on ancestry of use, could be a quick way to download the bones on a spreadsheet for the village.
                Carolyn
                Family Tree site

                Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                Comment


                • #9
                  Is there a way to download them easily or do you just cut and paste from there? I've never tried.

                  Time for bed now I think before I start making mistakes. Friends coming tomorrow so I'll have a look tomorrow evening.
                  Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    highlight the data, Copy and paste, onto a spreadsheet, it should put it into the cells for you, if not it might be that you have to do a paste special, will have to check.

                    Do you know how to do a paste special?

                    filters can be handy.

                    Carolyn
                    Family Tree site

                    Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                    Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Ah, yes, I can do that. That would be much easier than trying to transcribe it all from scratch. Thanks for that.
                      Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Gardengirl View Post

                        It's West Hyde, Hertfordshire not West Ham
                        Sigh. Sorry.

                        But still true for West Hyde, this time if you click on the magnifying glass it preloads the film number for you. Baptisms, burias and banns starting around 1845
                        Discover your family history. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Like One Name Studies, there is also at least one One-place study group: https://www.one-place-studies.org/. Lots of help and resources available.
                          Started by the same people who do the Genealogy Show and Surname Society.

                          Also lots of links on Twitter at #OnePlaceStudy - https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OnePlaceStudy&src=typeahead_click



                          The One Place Studies Directory provides a searchable index of over 3,200 one place study locations worldwide with a verified online presence


                          One Place Studies Directory

                          OnePlaceStudiesChatroom
                          Caroline
                          Caroline's Family History Pages
                          Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Good morning. Brain rested and lots to follow up now. Thank you Carolyn, Caroline and Photofamily.

                            But first, today the sun is shining and we have friends coming to play in the garden ! Whoo hoo!
                            Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by PhotoFamily View Post





                              ArcherSoftware used to provide a similar screening tool for FamilySearch, but I can't find it on their website now.
                              Is this the one you mean?

                              Linda


                              My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Late to the conversation.
                                I have some experience of researching the history of a village. It all started off with a project for a Open University local and family history course in 90s. I chose to research agricultural labourers in my village during the 19th century. I used a spreadsheet to input everyone from the census. Then I could analyse the numbers employed, size of families, relationships, change over time, etc., etc. That got me hooked. After that I continued researching everything to do with history of the village.

                                Like me you have an aim. But I then I asked myself, 'what I am going to do with all this research?'. It's all very well enjoying the act of research, but it's a shame no one else can benefit from it. I ended up writing a book. I think you should ask yourself what is my final aim? Book, website, village newsletter, village history group? something else? This final aim will influence what information you record and the sources you use.

                                I ended up deciding to base my book around the buildings in the village for the time period 1840 - 1920. I called it a guided tour. I looked at the history of each building: the houses, cottages, church, farms, school, and who lived in them. I added in the administration of the village, poor laws, law and order, charities, and how the village changed over the period.

                                To achieve this I found the records at the Essex Record Office invaluable, so I would recommend your local record office. I used maps, manorial records, church registers, property deeds, parish records, sales catalogues. Newspapers were also a very useful source of information and provided some interesting stories. I was lucky in that I had many old photographs of the village that a friend had collected over the years, and the arrival of the internet was a boon.

                                Careful and organised notetaking is required. I ended up having a spreadsheet with all the information on, and Word documents containing information for each building. When it came to writing the book the hardest part was converting all this 'data' into something readable. I self-published the book with Lulu.com. You only pay for the books you want - 1 or +2,000, it's up to you. Blurb.co.uk are also very good.

                                I hope this helps.
                                Phil
                                historyhouse.co.uk
                                Essex - family and local history.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by ozgirl View Post
                                  yes, then you can skip down to West Hyde and see the indexes that they have there. Still, the facility that is now available on FS is easy to use.

                                  takes you to Hertfordshire.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Keldon's post jogged my memory. There is a woman who did a pretty thorough document-gathering for the village of Gwithian and published it on her website. Oh, my, I would never have had as much info researching on my own! Connecting PRs and wills and land records...

                                    Various record abstracts for Cornwall, England. Probate, Manorial, family records; mostly Penwith & Kerrier

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Working my way through transferring the census returns to a spreadsheet I came across an entry in 1861 which under Given name says 'Gone out' and under Occupation is says 'Attending a fair'. That's someone who will never be found in a search !
                                      Main research interests.. CAESAR (Surrey and London), GOODALL (London), SKITTERALL, WOODWARD (Middlesex and London), BARBER (Canterbury, Kent), DRAYSON (Canterbury, Kent), CRISP (Kent) and CHEESEMAN (Kent).

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        that is funny, wonder what fair was on in March, and why did no one else go!
                                        Carolyn
                                        Family Tree site

                                        Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                        Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                        Comment

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