Biddulph & District Genealogy & Historical Society

The aim of the Society is to promote genealogy and local history particularly pertaining to the Biddulph area.

This will be achieved by:

undertaking research and publishing wherever possible

purchasing resources that may become available or required by the society

having a regular programme of speakers

Click here to jump straight to the Links section.

Contact Names:

Chairperson - Mr. Derek Wheelhouse

David J. Outhwaite (Secretary)

Irene Turner (Sale of publications & Research)

Biddulph Old Hall

Next Meetings

Monday 6th July 2009 - a trip to the Wesleyan Chapel Museum, Mow Cop with Mr. John Anderson the Curator as guide. Please arrive at the Chapel for 7pm and admission will be £1.50 payable on the day of the visit (you may wish to donate more). There are a limited number of places available so please contact David J. Outhwaite.

There are no meetings in July or August. A new season commences in September.

Click here for reports of previous meetings.

Click here for current Notices.

Meetings are usually held on the 3rd Monday of every month, at 7.00 p.m. Indoor meetings are held in Biddulph Library, Tunstall Road, Biddulph, Staffordshire ST8 6HH - car parking available on the adjacent Wharf Road car park.

Publications

A NEW BOOK: The Story of the Creation of Meadows Way: the Biddulph Inner By-pass', written and edited by Nigel R. Yates with photographs by Brian Nightingale and Michael J. Turnock.

The book details the long arguments and fight for the by-pass. It includes a photographic record of the town before and during the building of Meadows Way and has over 100 colour photographs. It will be on sale at £10.00. The book has been printed with support from The Tourism Committee of Biddulph Town Council.

Only 250 numbered copies have been printed and they are available from Biddulph Library at £10.00.

The Society is making some of its published work available in pdf format at a cost of £2 per document.

The first four documents to be made available are the Transactions of the Biddulph Historical Society from 1968 to 1973. Articles include:

  • The Excavation of Biddulph Castle (?) in 1967 by J.L. Bestwick
  • Old Buildings of Biddulph - The White House by Sylvia Tansley
  • Place Names in Biddulph by J. Sherratt
  • Biddulph Surnames 1200 - 1600 by John Sherratt
  • Coal Mining in the Biddulph Area by D. Wheelhouse (parts 1 and 2)
  • Tramways & railways in Biddulph Valley 1800-1854 by J. Hancock
  • N.S.R. Passenger Services on the B.V.R. Branch Line by J. Hancock
  • Biddulph Valley Railway 1854-1864 by John Hancock
  • Development of Bus Services in the Biddulph area by Adrian Lawton

Please email David Outhwaite and request an order form.

'St Lawrence Parish Church, Biddulph - Monumental Inscriptions Volume II' produced by members of the society. Available to personal callers at Biddulph Library for £6-00. To arrange postal copies please contact Irene Turner or phone 01782-512103.

Biddulph's Coronation Year - 160+ pages of photographs depicting Biddulph life in the early 1950s. The book was published, with the aid of a Lottery grant, to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
NOW SOLD OUT.

For information on postal costs or further information on any of the publications contact Irene Turner at Biddulph Library on 01782 512103.

'A History of Biddulph' - from the writings of Mr. Richard Biddulph which originally appeared in the Biddulph Chronicle £2.50.

'Goowin' dine th' grayn - A History of Biddulph High Street' has been compiled by Elaine Heathcote. As the title suggests it is a history of the People and Businesses of Biddulph High Street.
NOW SOLD OUT.

Currently Groups are, or have been, involved in:

‘The Biddulph Valley Railway’ a book by Mr R. Machin is being prepared for publication and will be based on Roland’s talk to the Society and additional research.

‘A History of Gillow Heath’ is being researched by Elaine Heathcote and members of the Society. Activity day(s) and the publication of the results are planned.

Links

Family History Sites

1837 on-line : GRO BMDs for 1837 to 2001 - note that this is a pay-to-view website; also take care with the surname search facility.
1901 Census
ancestor-search.info
Archive CD Books - for the 1861 Census and electronic facsimilies of Trade Directories and so on
Audley and District Family History Society
Betley Parish Registers
BMSGH
Border History
Cemeteries of England
Cheshire Wills Online
Commonwealth War Graves
Cheshire BMD (Births Marriages & Deaths)
Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites
Family History Society of Cheshire
Family Records Website
FreeBMD Home Page
Genealogy resources on the Internet
Genes Reunited - an off-shoot of Friends Reunited, for Family Historians
UK and Ireland Genealogy
GENUKI: Newbies Guide by Roy Stockdill
GENUKI: Registration Districts in England and Wales (1837-1974)
GENUKI: Staffordshire Genealogy
Global Information Centre Historical and Genealogical Resources
IGI Batch Numbers (Hugh Wallis web sites)
IGI Family Search
Index to Macclesfield Graveyards
Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
Old occupation names
Registration Districts in England and Wales (1837-1974)
RootsWeb Mailing Lists: Cheshire
RootsWeb Mailing Lists: The Potteries
RootsWeb Mailing Lists: Staffordshire
St. Mary’s Swynnerton MIs
S&N Genealogy Products
South Cheshire Family History Society
Staffordshire BMD
Staffordshire Parish Registers Society
Staffordshire Trade Directories
Stepping Stones Online - for the 1841 Census and other Trade Directories
Tribal Pages - Free Family Tree online
UK BMD

Read an account of Valerie Pike's pursuit of her own Biddulph-based family history.

Free Family History Software sites

Heredis Software
Legacy Family Tree Software

Local History Sites

Access to Archives
Acts of Parliament
Arnold Bennett
BBC History Timelines
Cheddleton Historical Society
Costume Gallery
Coal Mining History Resource Centre
Digital Library of Historical Directories
Early Furniture
Gazetteer of British Place Names
Handwriting between 1500 to 1700
Mow Cop
Newchapel Village
Newspaper Library Catalogue
North Staffordshire Railway Study Group
Old Maps
PRO Documents Online
Rushton Spencer
Value of money comparison calculator
Victoria County History

Last updated: June 30th 2009

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