Family History - Newspapers

Family Sources | General Registration | Census Returns | Parish Registers
Nonconformist Registers | Probate | Newspapers | Commercial Directories | Service Records

National and local newspapers record a wealth of information about the lives of our ancestors and the villages, towns and cities in which they lived. Of greatest interest to the genealogist are the listings of births, marriages and deaths and accounts of baptisms, marriages and burial services which took place in the local community. These often record not only details of the person who was the centre of the ceremony but also which other relatives were present.

Whenever an unexplained death occurred, an inquest would be held by the local Coroner. This would normally be reported in the newspaper and provide testimony of witnesses and greater information about the next-of-kin than is provided by the individual's death certificate.

Newspapers also provide information about wills, crimes, anniversaries, commissions and bravery awards in the services and sometimes print photographs of those concerned.

Newspapers can be read in local record offices and libraries or at the British Library, London. The content of some newspapers has been indexed.

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