The full title of the book is: "Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events which have occurred in Northumberland and Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Berwick upon Tweed from the Earliest Period to the Present Time; With Biographical Notices of Deceased Persons of Talent, Eccentricity and Longevity"

Compiled by John Sykes, this is the full set of four volumes published between 1866 and 1875, and covers the period from the earliest records to 1875.

Accidents and crimes, floods, fires and all manner of fascinating historical events are recorded, along with many biographical pieces about local folk.

An Archive CD Books CD to the new Series 3 Standard, with enhanced navigation and fully searchable.

The original Gentleman's Magazine contained articles on a vast array of subjects, including lots of wonderful topographical pieces.

In 1891 George Gomme republished all of these topograhical articles but edited and indexed them into county specific order. Each of Gomme's works contains between two and four separate counties, except for the London volumes.

An absolute goldmine of information about the county, its people and its places.

A compendium set comprising all 15 volumes. Each individual book includes between two and four counties, with the exception of London which is in its own three volume set but is included in the compendium.

This is one of the most important resources that we have seen, and one that should be of great interest to all family historians. Published in 1772 it was the handbook of the duties and responsibilities of the Parish Officer.

It includes the duties of the overseers of the poor, the power in relieving, employing and settling, etc. of poor persons; the laws relating to the poor, and settlements, and the statutes concerning masters and servants. The right of Settlement was something that was of great concern to all of our ancestors. Basically, to be able to have right of settlement in a parish, one had to be born there, married there or serving an apprenticeship there. Proof was all-important, especially if a person became destitute and needed support from the parish. Parish officers would have people literally evicted and transported to another parish under such circumstances. What happened about bastardy? What obligations does an apprentice have to his master and vice-versa? This book describes it all, together with the supporting laws.

Other sections of the book include the authority and duty of constables, tithingmen, etc.; churchwardens, how they should be chosen, their duties, church accounts, repairing of churches, etc. There are some very interesting punishments for not attending church and keeping to the rules! There is a section on surveying the highways, Scavengers, methods of taxation of the highways, and laws. And finally, the duties and powers of Watchmen.

A most important work on the County of Durham, which is referred to by most modern historians and writers.

Published in 1785 in three large volumes, the first of which begins with the pre-Roman history of the area, and the Brigantes tribe of the district, then on through the Saxon period, with the kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira. The remainder of the first volume takes us through the times of the Bishops of Lindisfarne and the Bishops of Durham, to the late 1700s.

A comprehensive history and geography of the County of Durham in two huge volumes, and containing many delightful old engravings.

Each township and parish is described in great detail, together with its facilities and amenities, history, trade and transport, early railways, etc.

A wealth of information for the historian and genealogist.

Published in 1864 this book describes hundreds and hundreds of Darlington people, in some cases people from the 18th century. We can find out what they were like, what they did, where they lived, when they were born, who their children were and when and how they died. An absolute gem for those researching their Darlington ancestors. From the preface:

'My original intention was to portray the characteristics of those who were prominent among us in their "day and generation," but I discovered that a story might be told about every House, in every Row. Names were prolific in suggestions, and the accumulation of materials induced me to construct a book'.

There then follows a sentence which might easily apply to all of we Genealogists and Family Historians!

'I had to read and enquire, as well as to think and remember, and some of the facts stated in a couple of lines cost me many hours of research.'

The book has a good index, with hundreds of names, but there are many, many others in the book that did not make it into the index. The CD of the book will be fully searchable, using the find feature in Acrobat Reader (free software), so you will be able to search for any word or name.