Bath and North East Somerset Libraries

The launch of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ in 2004 ignited an extraordinary boom in family history in the UK, but in the decade since then the world of genealogy has been transformed. While the sources and information remain the same, the ways of accessing them have multiplied and changed almost beyond recognition, and the team share their experience and expertise in this essential handbook.

By the end of the Victorian era nearly a third of all women and also many men in England and Wales had been a domestic worker at some time in their lives. This book seeks to give some guidance in researching ancestors who were in service or who themselves employed domestic staff.

The Georgian period – 1714 to 1837 – was a key stage in our modern history so some understanding of it is essential for family historians who want to push their research back into the 18th century and beyond, and John Wintrip’s handbook is an invaluable introduction to it.

In a sequence of concise, insightful chapters he focuses on those aspects of the period that are particularly relevant to genealogical research and he presents a detailed guide to the variety of sources that readers can consult as they pursue their research.

DNA research is one of the most important and rapidly advancing areas in modern science and the practical use of DNA testing in genealogy is one of its most exciting applications. This accessible, wide-ranging introduction, the first British publication in this field, has been revised in a completely new edition with new topics and illustrative case studies.

It offers a clear and practical way into the subject, explaining the scientific discoveries and techniques and how it can be used by genealogists to gain an insight into their ancestry.

The Great War was a key event of the twentieth century and it is one of the most popular and rewarding areas for historical research – and for family historians. More records than ever are available to researchers whose relatives served during the war, and Paul Reed’s new book is the perfect guide to how to locate and understand these sources – and get the most out of them. 

Family historian David Hey offers practical guidance on how to trace family origins through the basics of research – how to get started, where to find records, and how to decipher early styles of handwriting. He also uses social history to suggest where to begin this search such as in the networks of kinship and inheritance, and the stability or mobility of certain families.

Containing black and white illustrations showing family groups, houses, monuments, archive records, and family trees, this book is aimed at anyone interested in tracing their lineage.

Essential introduction to West Country ancestors for family historians. Covers Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and the city of Bristol. Concise account of the history and geography of the West Country. Identifies all the archives, books, websites and other sources.

An essential introduction to one of the most rewarding sources for family historians.

Family history should reveal more than facts and dates, lists of names and places – it should bring ancestors alive in the context of their times and the surroundings they knew – and research into local history records is one of the most rewarding ways of gaining this kind of insight into their world.

Almost every family tree will have in one of its branches a railway employee.

Railway Ancestors is a comprehensive and illustrated guide which opens up to genealogists and railway enthusiasts the vast range of unique information stored in the documentary archives of the railway companies of England and Wales.

From Victorian diarists listing boat- and horse-race results to war diarists mentioning organized games of football, cricket and tennis. This book is a guide for anyone wanting to discover how sport figures in their own family history.

As the last veterans of the Second World War pass on, more people than ever are researching their stories and seeing what their family did during the Second World War, whether it was just four years peeling potatoes or landing on the D-Day beaches. This comprehensive and easy to use book will set you on the right road.

This addition to any family historian’s library will take their research to the next level with clear advice and explanation of the processes involved from a crack team of Britain’s top genealogists. It also provides much information about the way in which our ancestors used to live and how this knowledge can help the researcher.

Comprehensive introduction to researching coalminers and coalmining history. Identifies key coalmining sources for family historians. Insight into the working lives and experiences of coalminers.

Easy Family History takes the stress out of family history research. It is a guide to the most important information sources for family historians in the UK and explains how to find and search family documents, official records, archives and websites.

A memoir in which John Lanchester joins the dots of his parents’ history, their extraordinary secrets and the shape of their shared life. From his grandparents’ beginnings in rural Ireland and colonial Rhodesia, Lanchester navigates through his parents lives. He illuminates their characters and Julia’s motives.

Twenty-five years after leaving his native Sri Lanka for the cool winters of Ontario, a chaotic dream of tropical heat and barking dogs pushes Michael Ondaatje to travel back home and revisit a childhood and a family he never fully understood.

Along with his siblings and children, Ondaatje gathers rumours, anecdotes, poems, records and memories to piece together this fragmented portrayal of his family’s past, his father’s destructive alcoholism and the colourful stories and secrets of ancestors both disgraced and adored throughout centuries of Sri Lankan society.

More than 400 million years ago, the oldest rocks in Somerset were formed. On those rocks, a county was built over thousands of years; from prehistoric man and Roman invasion, through a Pitchfork Rebellion and two world wars to where we are today. Revolution, wassailing, Templars and alchemists – all can be found in this friendly guide to Somerset’s colourful history.

Containing more than TWO THOUSAND years of Somerset history, thrill to stunning true stories of battles and bloodshed, executions and exorcisms, sinister Templars and Victorian sex cults!

This guide provides an authoritative survey of the vast range of material held in the National Archives of Scotland – records of Scottish national and local government, Scottish churches, law courts and private families and businesses.

This 116-page special edition is crammed with practical tips and advice on how to interpret army, navy and air force war records, as well providing you with the skills to date medals and photographs and much more. Plus, learn the context of your ancestors’ lives and times during this turbulent period.

Whether it’s exploring the historical background to the world of today, or revisiting the stories of the distant past, a BBC History Magazine subscription brings it all to life in vivid detail.

Each month, an unrivalled selection of historians and authors, including Michael Wood, David Olusoga, Mary Beard and Antony Beevor, share their insights into a wide range of topics, exploring everything from ancient civilisations to modern military, social and political history.

Dedicated entirely to Irish ancestral research, Irish Roots magazine is the go-to publication for everyone from the budding family history enthusiast to the more experienced genealogist. Irish Roots magazine features practical, beneficial, informative and exciting genealogical articles, tips and tools written by Ireland’s most esteemed and leading genealogists.

Irish Roots magazine has been successfully guiding and assisting the Irish diaspora around the world to trace and embrace their Irish ancestry for over 30 years.

Each issue is packed with advice on how to research your family tree, including how to track down online records and get more from DNA tests. You also get to look behind-the-scenes of the popular Who Do You Think You Are? TV series.

20 simple steps to get you started on your journey of discovery, followed by in-depth articles to help you overcome any stumbling blocks and take your research further.

From the basics of birth, marriage and death to the best techniques for tracing military records and the latest online resources, this easy-to-follow guide is all you need to give yourself the Who Do You Think You Are? treatment.