From W. B. Stephens, Teaching Local History, Manchester University Press, 1977

Using Local History to illustrate National History

Although national and general history may be taught adequately with little reference to local history, teachers have long found that for certain topics the use of local examples often adds both insight and interest. [p. 93]

Local History in its own right

Although every parish, village, town, county or region shares in the national story, each locality also has its own particular history related to and interwoven with national history in varying degrees maybe, but not identical with that of other places. [p.46]

Family & Local History

Interestingly, since 1990 Family History and Genealogy have grown inpopularity amongst members of the general public. And such research, necessarily, involves some local history. Increasingly, there has been a coming together of local and family history.

To me researching families and localities are two ends of a continuum. You can either begin by researching a locality but, very soon, you will want to know more about the families that helped create the place that you are investigating. Equally, if you begin with families it will be necessary at some point to set the families in a place context.

When carrying out a local study I normally start from a primary source relating to a particular townland or a street and I now tend to concentrate on a particular family or group of families within that locality. Many of these studies take me to other localities and often link up with other families, as well as addressing the wider historical context within which the story is unfolding.

[People] Families

& Localities

[Place]

FAMILY HISTORYLOCAL HISTORYH

isto

rical

Per

iod

Some Topics

Anglo-Norman Ulster

Gaelic Ulster

Plantation

18th Century Emigration

1798 Rebellion

Linen Industry

Pre-Famine Times

The Great Famine

Emigration

Life 100 years ago.

Some Sources [Those in blue are available online]

FieldworkMapsPhotographs

Valuation RecordsStreet DirectoriesCensus Records

Birth, Death & Marriage RecordsPoor Law Records.

Newspapers [Indexes]British Parliamentary Papers

Ulster Covenant 1912

Estate RecordsBusiness RecordsFor more information - see my websitewww.billmacafee.com

As I said earlier, when carrying out a local study I normally start from a primary source relating to a particular townland or a street and I now tend to concentrate on a particular family or group of families within that locality. Many of these studies take me to other localities and often link up with other families as well as addressing the wider historical context within which the story is unfolding.

Example 1

The 1901 and 1911 Census Returns for the townland of Upperland in South Derry and the family of William and Edith Campbell who were both schoolteachers and newly-arrived to the area. [To answer the questions which follow in the next slide you will need to read the case study of the Campbell family at the Case Studies link in the top menu and use the online 1901/1911 Census.]

Example 2

The Admissions Register to Magherafelt Workhouse and the family of Patrick & Mary Hagan who were there from May 1847 to August 1847. [To answer the questions which follow in the next slide you will need to go to the Other Records link in the left hand menu and then click on the links at the bottom of the page relating to the Admissions to the Magherafelt Workhouse 25th April to 8th August 1847 .]

The 1901 and 1911 Census Returns for the townland of Upperland in South Derry and the family of William and Edith Campbell.

What do the 1901 & 1911 Census Returns for the townland of Upperland tell us about this locality? [Families, Birthplace, Occupations, Religion, Literacy, etc.]

Family of William & Edith Campbell – where, exactly, did they live in Upperlands?

How many children did they have? Where were they born? What does it tell us about their movements? Where was Ralph in 1911?

When & where were William and Edith married? What are their backgrounds?

Signing of Ulster Covenant 1912. Which members of the family signed it?

Emigration of Ralph, Kenneth and Royston to Canada – when? Which sources might provide some clues?

Contrast the Campbell family with the family of Robert Montgomery and the Doherty and Crilly families in the adjoining townland of Gorteade.

1901 & 1911 Census Returns Religion

Birthplace

Families

Occupations

Emigration &

Migration

AgricultureIndustryTrades

Professions

Houses

Literacy

Births, Deaths & Marriages

Roots Ireland Familysearch.org Emerald Ancestors ScotlandsPeople Ancestry.com

Valuation Records

Ulster Covenant

School Records

Genealogy WebsitesLife 100 years ago in Upperlands South Derry

The Admissions Register to Magherafelt Workhouse and the family of Patrick & Mary Hagan who were there from May 1847 to August 1847.

What sort of information does the database provide? Is it accurate?

How many people were admitted with fever? How many of them subsequently died? How might the time period covered by the database affect the impression given by the data?

Note that the background papers will be useful in providing context for the database information.

Filter out the family of Patrick and Mary Hagan from the database.

When did the various members of the family enter the Workhouse and under what circumstances? How did the family fare?

Where were the Hagan’s living? Did they return to their house when they finally left the Workhouse? What happened to the family after that? Will we ever know?

Minute Books & Admissions Registers of the Magherafelt Union Workhouse

Births, Deaths & Marriage Records

For those who stayed:1859 Griffith’s Printed Valuation with accompanying Maps.Griffith’s Revision Books 1860 >>>

Ordnance Survey Memoirs

For those who left:Emigrant/Shipping Lists.Accounts of voyages, etc.USA Census material, etc.Ancestry.com.

The Great Famine in the Poor Law Union of Magherafelt. Co. Londonderry

Pre-Famine Society & Economy

The Famine years 1845-1849

The aftermath of the Famine

Population Census 1831-1841

Family of Patrick & Mary Hagan in Magherafelt Workhouse May 1847 to August 1847

Population Census 1841-1851

Famine Letters, Reports, etc.