Northamptonshire Family History Society

But don’t try these at home! You know how it is – you see an interesting reference in a catalogue at the Record Office, order it and then be amazed at what you find. The following recipes were found in ‘A Book of Cures’ c.1843 NRO ref ZB1421 An Excellent Purging...

Boot and Shoe Making in Northants The history of shoemaking in the county is long and as such this article can only give a much summarised account. (The image above is of Hand Clicking in Kettering). Shoemaking pre-1770sEven by the 16th century the county was well...

MAPS The usefulness of maps to the family and local historian should not be overlooked. They can help us try to visualise what a parish looked like at various times, the changes to it, perhaps a canal or railway coming through and bisecting the village, as at Stoke...

RECOLLECTIONS OF MR WILLIAM ARNOLD In his later years, Mr William Arnold was one of the best known shoe manufacturers in Northampton. He was born at Everdon on 30 December 1860 and this article, on his poverty-stricken early life in that village is based on his...

A WATER SUPPLY FOR NORTHAMPTON The Little Conduit which can be seen in front of All Saints to the left of the pictureImage © Art UK, original held by Northampton Library Whilst I can work out (more or less) where my ancestors lived, I’ve often wondered how they lived,...

WILLIAM PRITCHARD of DAVENTRY This settlement examination is held by Northamptonshire Archives within the Daventry parish chest records (ref NRO 96p/190/28). It shows clearly the difficulties family historians can face when trying to find where an ancestor originated...

VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN CHURCHES IN THE TOWN OF NORTHAMPTON To begin with the Established Church of England: The four ancient churches were, and still are: All Saints, in the town centre; St Peter’s, towards the West Bridge; St Sepulchre (the round church) to the...

In the parish registers are various references to woad labourers, woad cabins, woad folks, woad gatherers and wadders. All these relate to those men and women employed in growing and processing of the woad plant for it’s rich blue dye. Entries appear from the late...

Queen Victoria’s Coronation was held on Thursday 28 June 1838. The following is taken from reports in the Northampton Mercury and show the various celebrations that were held. It would seem that Roast Beef and Plum Pudding featured on almost all of the menus!...

As you enter East Haddon Cemetery you will find, standing alone in the corner, a solitary headstone with the following inscription: “Erected by friends and sympathizers to the memory of Annie Pritchard aged 31 years whose remains were found in this parish August 6...