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.

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 fantastic, anecdotal history of Tewkesbury. The book holds many extras that could be invaluable to your family history research, including, a list of those who died in a cholera outbreak with details of the way they died, their address and occupation. It lists marriages and deaths, of people originating from outside the area, so if you're ancestor disappears but is known to be in the Tewkesbury area, try this book! It has a delightful chronology of anecdotes and news items, which form an excellent picture of life in Tewkesbury during this period. The index makes it easy to locate names, places or particular events.

This book complements the 1832 and 1835 Poll Books well as it has detailed descriptions of the elections, how they were carried out, and even who supported whom. Depsite Mr Dowedswell winning the election, it's clear he wasn't necessarily the favourite choice,

"A most disgraceful outrage was contemplated on Wednesday, the day intended for the chairing of the (elected) members: it having however, come to the knowledge of the committee of Mr Dowedeswell that dangerous missiles and filth of the most offensive description, had been conveyed to the tops of the houses in Barton street for the purpose of annoying that gentleman in his progress, it was deemed prudent by his friends to advise him to forego the ceremony of chairing."

An extremely rare and important book which Gloucestershire researchers have discussed and coveted for nearly two hundred years. We have been incredibly fortunate to have been loaned a copy which we have now scanned and made available on CD so that all of those with Gloucestershire interests can benefit from its contents.

From the title page:

'A collection of rare and curious tracts relating to the county and City of Gloucester; illustrative, and published during the Civil War; with an historical introduction, notes and an appendix'.

A superb documentary history of a city and county which played a huge role in the outcome of the civil war. The book contains many refences to ordinary people who played a part in the conflict.

NEWS. OCTOBER 2003

After the production of the above on CD we came across two further volumes, published two years earlier in 1823 but called part one and part two. These are even more important than the 1825 volume as they contain personal accounts of the siege by John Corbet (personal chaplain to the Massie, the Governor of the Gloucester Garrison) and John Dorney, the town clerk, plus other accounts of events before and after the month long stand-off, including one superb piece by a member of the Trained Bands who marched out from London to the relief of Gloucester.

We have now remastered the original CD to include all three volumes and released it at the same price as the original.

What can we say? Almost three hundred years old, this book, written by Cox was published in 1730 describing the history of the county and its people from earliest times, and has descriptions and history of each of the places in the county.

Superb scanned images of the original pages, which, although they are in the old type style of the period, are very readable, and most certainly fascinating. Superb early background information about the county for historians and genealogists. Unusually, the book still has its original map (1695) by Robert Morden, a collectors piece in its own right.

Simply the most important work for genealogists with Gloucestershire interests. If you only buy one CD book for Gloucestershire, then this is the one! Digitised from the original books of the first edition of 1786.

Ralph Bigland started his work about 1750, and worked for some 30 years transcribing the gravestones of many Gloucestershire church yards, and then produced papers describing each place in detail. On his death, the work was published in 1786 in two huge volumes by his son, Richard Bigland, and included many beautiful engravings.

This huge book 11.5" wide, 18" deep and 3" thick (with a CD shown here for scale) is liberally illustrated with the most beautiful high quality engravings of places and churches.

Each place is described, together with its history, but the main feature of the book is its transcriptions of gravestones and monuments in each parish church and grave yard.... made in the period from 1750 to 1781. Almost all of these gravestones have since disappeared or have become illegible by weathering, and it is this information which is so valuable to family historians.

Bigland did his work 1750 to 1778 ish... he compiled 2 volumes from his work, but they were not published... he died. He got up to "N" in the alphabet of places. A couple of years after his death, his son published the completed work of his father... in two volumes, I & II (although they were bound as one large book). These is the original book which I scanned. The second volume appears to be truncated, and it didn't, like the first volume, contain an index. So it is complete as far as it went at the time.... except for the fact that I managed to purchase a copy of that *original* Bigland book, and it is this which we put onto CD.

now the rest of the story.... 110 years later... (1895) a researcher found Bigland's original notes of the rest of the N's and to the end of the alphabet. The notes that had never even been compiled and sorted properly, never mind published. He then published two more volumes in the same format as Bigland's original work, and at the same time re-published the first two original volumes, making 4 in all, which he naturally gave the same title as the original Bigland volumes. Even the additional books don't contain every one of Gloucestershire's parishes, and in fact there are many more "missing" after N than before it... as Bigland didn't complete his ambition of doing them all.

95 years later.... in 1990. The Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society reprinted a facsimile edition the 4 volumes of the 1895 publication, and sold them as a limited edition at GBP 120.00 (but of course, only the first two were written by Ralph Bigland, although the other two were indeed based on his notes).

11 years later... 2001. I get hold of the *original* Bigland's book, (at a cost of £500.00) which is exceedingly rare... which you see photographed here, and I put it onto CD. If I can get hold of copies of the third and fourth volumes published in the 1890s, then I will of course put them on CD as a supplement to the original books.

This book will always popular with those having Gloucestershire ancestors.

John Latimer 1887

John Latimer was the editor of the Bristol Mercury from 1858 to 1883 and was obviously a man who knew and loved the city with a passion.

The book contains fascinating information on all aspects of life in the city. Essential reading for those with Bristolian ancestors.

Written in the 1880's this is a wonderful history of the parish with details of the church and priory there.

A super little book, first published in by J. Charles Cox in 1914. It contains information about towns and villages in the county, 28 illustrations and photograph plus 6 maps and plans including a fabulously detailed county map.

General information included in this publication covers

Published in 1861 and 'impartially written by George Pryce, F.S.A.', this book is described on the title page as 'A popular History of Bristol, antiquarian, topographical and descriptive, from the earliest period to the present time, with biographical notices of eminent natives and residents.'

Our Parish - A History of Mangotsfield and Downend.

by The Rev. A. Emlyn Jones. Published 1889.

The Farm Day Books and Accounts of James Hulbert and his son Edward George Hulbert of Hawkesbury and Swindon Village, Gloucestershire.

A unique insight into farming from before 1900 and the first half of the last century. Contains lots of references to other people, suppliers, workers, etc.

Includes a map by Speed of Gloucester city in 1610.

Chapters cover the history of Gloucester during Roman, Saxon, and Norman times. Also included are chapters on Milo of Gloucester, The Struggle for National Freedom 1154-1265, Kings and Parliaments 1274 - 1687, the Siege of Gloucester 1643 - 1645, the Methodist revival, Municipal and ecclesiastical Gloucester.

A very early history of a city that has played a major role in National events. Excellent background information for family historians.