Researching your Family Tree
Where to start
Find out as much information as possible from relatives. Look at
family Bibles, old certificates, photographs, wills etc.
General Register Office Indexes
These are held on Microfiche in larger libraries. This will tell
you that an event has been registered, and in which district.
Unfortunately the references have no relevance to the local
Register Offices.
Local Register Offices
You can make an appointment to search the indexes at local
Register Offices. It will cost £18.00 for six hours
searching. This does not have to done in one session. We can check
any number of entries for you.
We are in the process of computerising our indexes. We have all
the marriages in Bath and North East Somerset from July
1837, the births up to 1973 and the deaths up to 1944, it is
worth checking the website first, http://www.bathbmd.org.uk/
Bath and District
These are available in Bath Library in the Podium
This is a good starting point. They can be available from 1783
and show the occupants of an address or can give access to an
address. Early ones may only show affluent people or the main
occupant. Also included are village and trade directories.
The information can indicate a death or change of address. It may
also give an idea of the parish. Post Office directories run
from 1858-1940, Kelly's from 1929-1973, Telephone
directories to present day
These are held at The Guildhall
Entries are in street order. 1908-1939,1948-1954 and 1956
onwards. Bath Poll Book 1832-1868, Kelly's directory
1929-1973, Post Office Records 1858-1940.
Local Census:- These are on file and fiche. The city
census covers 4 miles. It was recorded every ten years and covers
1841-1901. These are indexed by street or sometimes by name. This
can also be available to view in Bath Central Library.
