Tracing Your Kent Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians

by David Wright

Overview

Genealogically and historically, Kent is an important maritime county which has played a prime defensive role in English history. It is large and diverse and replete with great houses, castles and other family homes, many with their own archives. It is also a fascinating area of research for family and local historians, and David Wrights handbook is the perfect guide to it. For thirty-five years he has been working with the various Kent archives, and his extensive experience means he is uniquely well placed to introduce them to other researchers and show how they can be used. He summarizes the many different classes of Kent records, both national and local. For the first time he draws together the best of modern indexing and cataloguing along with other long-established sources to produce a balanced and up-to-date overview of Kentish genealogical sources where to find them, their contents and utility to researchers. Tracing Your Kent Ancestors is essential reading and reference for newcomers to family history, and it will be a mine of practical information for researchers who have already started to work in the field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473875241
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Series:	Tracing Your Ancestors
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	34 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

David Wright is a professional genealogist, historian and writer. He has taught at University College, London and he is a fellow of the Society of Genealogists. Among his publications are East Kent Parishes: A Guide for Genealogists, Local Historians and Other Researchers; The Kentish Census Returns 1801–1901: Origins, Location, Registration Districts and Indexes; Kent Probate Records: A Catalogue and Practical Guide and St Peter's Whitstable: A History of the Church, Parish and People.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Abbreviations ix

Map of Kent Parishes x

Introduction: Some Kentish History and Geography 1

Chapter 1 Preliminaries

A Genealogical Introduction 18

B Getting Started 26

C Research Problems 36

D My Family History: Some Warnings 40

Chapter 2 Principal Basic Sources

A Civil Registration 45

B Census Returns 50

C Parish Registers and Bishop's Transcripts 56

D Monumental Inscriptions 70

E Probate Records 74

Chapter 3 Mainly Local Records

A Borough 92

B Cathedral and Church Courts 96

C Directories 100

D House Histories 103

E Newspapers 106

F Nonconformity 109

G Parish Chest 113

Ecclesiastical; Civil; Apprentices; Bastardy; Charity; Churchwardens; Constables; Enclosure; Rates; Settlement and Removal; Surveyors; Vestry Minutes

H Poor Law and Hospitals 128

I Quarter-sessions 135

J Schools and Education 140

K Maps 143

County maps; Estate maps; Surveys; Tithe Maps; Town Maps

L Trades and Industry 148

Banks and bankruptcy; Bell-founding; Brewing; Brick-making; Cement-making; Cloth-making; Coal-mining; Copperas; Dockyards; Fishing; Gunpowder; Iron-making; Paper-making; Quarrying; Silk-weaving

M Voters 158

Chapter 4 Mainly National Records

A Crime and Punishment 161

B Domesday Book 165

C Heraldry 167

D Land and its Possession 171

The Early Mediaeval Period; Final Agreements; The Four Roils Series; Inquisitions Post Mortem; Bargain and Sale; Lease and Release; Title Deeds; Other Material

E Manorial Records 178

F The Professions 181

Church; Coastguards; Customs; Government; Law; Medicine

G The Services 186

The Army; The Navy

H Tax Records 195

Association Oath Rolls; Hearth Tax; Land Tax; Lay Subsidies; Marriage Duty Act; Poll Taxes; Protestation Returns; Window Tax; Miscellaneous

Directory of Archives, Libraries and Societies 201

General Bibliography 206

Gazetteer of Kent Ancient Parishes 210

Index 225

Editorial Reviews

Wright details the history behind the creation of the records, provides information about where the records can be located and, most importantly, shares what information each record set contains. This guide is a must have for anyone with ancestors hailing from Kent!

British Connections

Wright details the history behind the creation of the records, provides information about where the records can be located and, most importantly, shares what information each record set contains. This guide is a must have for anyone with ancestors hailing from Kent!

Issue 3 British Connections. Volume 17

David Wright has been a professional genealogist for over forty years and has written guides to aspects of Kentish genealogical research. He pulls it all together into this excellent county-specific guide… this regional volume in the Pen & Sword series written by a knowledgeable professional genealogist is categorically a must-have for anyone with Kent ancestry.

FGS FORUM