Local and Family History Research Collections

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Local and Family History Research Collections

Local and Family History Centre

Tŷ'r Ardd
Sunnyside
Bridgend
CF31 4AR

View Streetmap showing library location

Tel: (01656) 754810
Fax: (01656) 754817
Email: localandfamilyhistory@bridgend.gov.uk

Local Links:

Books for Sale on Local History
Hall of Fame
Online reference resources
Reading group

hool child looking at microfiche in Local and Family History Library

NEW

Indexes to births, marriages and deaths in the Glamorgan Gazette

Bridgend's local newspaper is an invaluable source for family historians as it has provided details of births, marriages and deaths in the local area since 1866. The library service is undertaking a project to make this information available to researchers via our website and we are now releasing the first fruits of our labours. Simply click on the relevant year in the table below and this will open a PDF document of the data. Please check back over the coming months as we hope to regularly add more indexes to the list.

Births	Marriages by Groom	Marriages by Bride	Deaths
1866	1866	1866	1866
1867	1867	1867	1867
1868	1868	1868	1868
1869	1869	1869	1869
1870	1870	1870	1870
1871	1871	1871	1871
1872	1872	1872	1872
1873	1873	1873	1873
1874	1874	1874	1874
1875	1875	1875	1875
1876 1877	1876 1877	1876 1877	1876 1877

Opening Hours
Monday	9.00 - 13.00	&	14.00 - 17.00
Tuesday	9.00 - 13.00	&	14.00 - 19.00
Wednesday	9.00 - 13.00	&	14.00 - 17.00
Thursday	9.00 - 13.00	&	14.00 - 19.00
Friday	9.00 - 13.00	&	14.00 - 17.00
Saturday	9.00 - 13.00	&	14.00 - 17.00
Sunday	CLOSED

The Local and Family History Centre at Ty'r Ardd, Bridgend, houses a substantial collection of research materials for local and family historians.

Certain materials are available only on microfilm or microfiche and it is advisable to reserve a reader before your visit if you intend to use these items.

The Library regrets that it cannot undertake extensive research or genealogical searches on behalf of readers but will be pleased to answer shorter queries by post, Fax, telephone or e-mail.

Staff in the Local Studies Library offer a free hour long tutorial in the use of material held in the library, with particular reference to the Ancestry website. To book a session, please ring 01656 754810

Family History Resources

*Ancestry.co.uk is the UK's Number One family history website and provides access to:

953 million searchable UK family history records
The most comprehensive online collection of England, Wales and Scotland Censuses from 1841 to 1901,the fully indexed England and Wales Birth, Marriage and Death records from 1837 to 2005, the British phone books from 1880 to 1984, UK Incoming Passenger Lists from 1878 to 1960, the London Historical records, 1500s to 1900s, and other records dating back before the 1300s
The world's largest collection of family trees with more than 3 billion profiles from over 100 countries in 30 million member trees

Click here to delve into your family's past and learn more about your ancestors' lives

http://www.ancestrylibrary.com/

*Only available for use in the library.

National Information

GRO indexes to Births, Marriages and Deaths in England and Wales 1837 - present

via Ancestry website
on microfiche

GRO indexes to Births, Marriages and Deaths of British subjects overseas 1796 - present

on microfiche

GRO Adopted Children's index 1927 - present

on microfiche

GRO Civil Partnerships index 2005 - present

on microfiche

Census returns for England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands 1841 - 1901

via Ancestry website
Mid-Glamorgan on microfilm and microfiche
1881 indexed census for UK on microfiche

International Genealogical Index (IGI) - the Mormon index of baptisms and marriages from parish registers

on microfiche

National Burials Index - England and Wales 1538 - 2003

CD rom

Local Information

Indexes to Glamorgan parish registers and some nonconformist registers

booklets compiled by Glamorgan Family History Society

Indexes to memorial inscriptions from Glamorgan churchyards

booklets compiled by Glamorgan Family History Society
master index on CD rom

Glamorgan Family History Society information on CD rom, including

Glamorgan Baptism Index 1569 - 1837
Glamorgan Baptism Index 1838 - 1930
Glamorgan Marriage Index 1569 - 1837
Glamorgan Burial Index 1569 - 1841
Glamorgan Burial Index 1838 - 1990
Glamorgan Quarter Sessions Juvenile Convictions 1847 - 1880
Quakers in Glamorgan
Maesteg Infants School Registers (Admissions) 1892 - 1930
Merthyr Schools Admissions Registers 1892 - 1930
Cardiff Workhouse Admission & Discharge Registers Oct 1846 - Dec 1847

Local History Resources

A large collection of volumes covering all aspects of the history and culture of the area, including printed works, theses and personal memories

Maps

A comprehensive set of large-scale Ordnance Survey maps (1:2,500/ 25" to 1m and 1:10,000/ 6" to 1m) covering the pre-1996 Mid Glamorgan area.
1st edition 1870/1880s, 2nd edition 1900, 1920 edition, 1940 edition, 1960's, 1980's, 1995. Also some large-scale maps of former West and South Glamorgan areas.
Tithe maps and apportionments of 1835-43 for the whole of the former County of Glamorgan.
Geological and land-use maps
Archaeological survey maps (1960s)
A comprehensive set of large-scale Ordnance Survey maps (1:2,500 and 1:10,000) covering the pre-1996 Mid Glamorgan area from 1st editions of the 1880s to the present day. Also some large-scale maps of former West and South Glamorgan areas.
Tithe maps and apportionments (on microfilm) of 1835-43 for the whole of the former County of Glamorgan.

Geological and land-use maps.
Archaeological survey maps (1960s).
Goad Plans (showing retail and commercial businesses) for Bridgend, Maesteg and Porthcawl, 1970s to present.

Newspapers

Glamorgan Gazette (kept in hard copy until filmed copy received)
Western Mail (kept in hard copy until filmed copy received)
South Wales Echo (previous 12 months)
Bridgend and Porthcawl Gem (previous 12 months)

Newspapers on Microfilm

Barry Advertiser and Cinema Review (weekly) 1927 - 1933
Brecon County Times (weekly) - Various dates between 1866 - 1933 (Please Check with Library)
Bridgend Chronicle (weekly) 1857 - 1868
The Cambrian and General Weekly Advertiser for the Principality of Wales (weekly) 1804 - 1930
Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian (weekly) 1845 - 17th Jan 1874
Central Glamorgan Gazette (weekly) 29th June 1866 - 30th March 1894
The Chronicle for South & Mid Glamorgan (weekly) Various dates between 1895 - 1909 (Please Check with Library)
Glamorgan Free Press and Pontypridd & Rhondda Chronicle (weekly) 1910 - 1943
Glamorgan Gazette (weekly) 6th April 1894 - PRESENT (continued from Central Glamorgan Gazette)
Glamorgan, Monmouth & Brecon Gazette (weekly) 1833 - 1844
Merthyr Express (weekly) 1924 - 1953
Mountain Ash Post (weekly) 31st August 1912 - June 1920
Porthcawl Guardian (weekly) 1933 - 1965
Porthcawl News (weekly) 1910 - 1925
Rhondda Chronicle (weekly) November 1884 - June 1898
Western Mail (daily) 1st May 1869 - PRESENT

Looking for a newspaper article?

InfoTrac NewsStand available from 01 April 2013

Easy access to comprehensive information on current events and news InfoTrac Newsstand is an innovative full-text newspaper resource which allows users in Wales to search articles instantly by title, headline, date, author, newspaper section or other fields, eliminating random searching through newspaper archives. InfoTrac NewsStand provides access to a number of Welsh newspapers and other local UK newspapers.

To access InfoTrac NewsStand all you need is a valid Bridgend Libraries card.

Directories

Various dates for South Wales from 1849 - 1937, listing commercial and some private residents

Bennett's 1910
Daniel Owen & Co's Cardiff Directory including Penarth and Llandaff 1893, 1894, 1897 (CD rom)
Hunt & Co. 1849
Kelly's 1884,1891,1895,1906,1914,1920,1923,1926, 1937 + CD rom 1901, 1910
Scammell 1852
Slater's 1858-9, 1880
Webster's 1865
Western Mail Cardiff Directory 1937 (CD rom)

Photographs

The library holds a large collection of local photographs, most of which are also available online at www.bridgend.gov.uk/libraries

Journals (selective list)

Anglo Welsh Review 1958-1988
Archaeologia Cambrensis 1846-PRESENT
Yr Athro 1928-1979
Barn 1963-PRESENT
Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies / Studia Celtica 1923-PRESENT
Cambrian Journal 1854-1864
Cardiff Naturalist Society Transactions 1867-1987
Cymmrodorion Society Transactions 1892-PRESENT
Y Cymmrodor 1877-1935
Cymru 1891-1927
Glamorgan Police Magazine 1954-1968
Journal of the Glamorgan Family History Society 1983 - PRESENT
Llafur 1972-PRESENT
Llen Cymru 1950-PRESENT
Y Llenor 1922-1951
Planet 1970-PRESENT
Red Dragon 1882-1887
South Wales Institute of Engineers Transactions 1886-1929
Y Traethodydd 1929-PRESENT
Wales (O. M. Edwards) 1894-1897
Welsh History Review 1960-PRESENT
Welsh Music 1959-PRESENT
Welsh Outlook 1914-1931

Online reference resources

Members of Bridgend Library and Information Service can now access free-of-charge a range of useful databases. Some are available for you to consult from home or work. Each one can help you with your research or homework. All you need is a valid Bridgend Libraries card.

Ask Cymru is Wales' electronic reference library. A team of trained reference librarians throughout Wales is ready and waiting to answer your factual questions and you'll have a response within 48 hours.

Britannica Online is the classic encyclopaedia containing 123,000 up-to-the-minute articles.

It is also available in two special editions, Britannica Junior for ages 5-11 and Britannica Student for ages 12-18.

European Sources Online (ESO) is an online database which provides access to information on the institutions and activities of the European Union, the countries, regions and other international organisations of Europe, and on the issues of importance to European citizens and stakeholders.

Important - to access European Sources Online you must be using a PC in one of Bridgend Library and Information Service's libraries / Life Centres / Cyberlinks.

Reading group

The group meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 1.30pm

	October 17th After the fire, a still small voice Evie Wyld		November 21st Today David Miller
	December 19th Before I go to sleep S. J. Watson		January 16th The Woman in Black Susan Hill
	February 20th When God was a rabbit Sarah Winman		March 20th The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller
	April 17th State of Wonder Ann Patchett		May 15th My sister lives on the mantelpiece Annabel Pitcher
	June 19th Night Circus Erin Morgenstern		July 17th Half blood blues Esi Edugyan