Genealogy Chat

Please see below... Some of you may already be aware of this library and the wealth of information it holds, but I thought i would just give it a mention for those who don't know about it. If you have ancestors who lived in the South London areas this library can open up a whole new stance to your family research. Let me give you an example...tonight I went there with the death cert of one of my grt grandfathers. On it it said an inquest was held after he was killed by a bomb blast in 1917. So, using the fiche machine, I looked up the South London Press for 1917 for the issue after he was killed. Sure enough, there he was mentioned among the list of those killed and lots of information on the actual events of that day, followed by a note saying the Coroner would hold an inquest. A check of the following week's issue brought to light an article about the inquest, with passages of conversation held between my grt grandad's daughter-in-law and the juryman, with even more information on the incident. Both pages were printed off for a small charge of 25p each. Whilst browsing I could see tons of articles that would enthuse any military researcher - there were lots of photos of soldiers who had been killed in action, and photos attached to various other war time stories. Plus lists of soldiers who were missing or wounded etc. Anyway, when I mentioned to the library manager that I'd found something and what it was about, he told me about a booklet that had been written by a local resident all to do with the WW1 bombings in Southwark. He photocopied some pages for me and sure enough, there was a bit written about my grt grandad again!! I felt like skipping all the way home LOL! Next time I go I shall investigate the inquest of another ancestor. They also hold all the census indexes, and full census on fiches, there are Poor Law books, Rates books, maps, photos, South London newspaper archives... I once looked up an address of an ancestor in the rates books to see if he was there at that given year and he was, plus it told me how much he was paying each week to live there LOL. Ok - I think I've sung their praises enough for one night. All I can say is, if you want to expand on your South London ancestors lives - it's well worth a visit to this library. It is located across the road from Borough tube station, in Borough High Street, right near St George the Martyr Church.

I am so glad you wrote this, it has inspired me to go and pay a visit myself, my husbands family in the 1800's were mostly born , married and died in that area and although we know it well from our younger days have never paid it a 'Family' visit since moving from london, I will arrange a date and drag my sister along for the day, as hubby's not into genealogy . thanks again Carrie

Athena Thanks for the mention, must make a visit soon, as my Dads family all came from Southwark/Bermondsey area Linda

nudging to read later.........I have been meaning to visit there for ages

Southwark has been brilliant for me too - I did list their records a year or so back, but I will add them again here. I wrote to them asking if there was anything about my nan who was (unusually) a chief fire officer during WW2 - Stephen Humphrey who is the archivist sent me a copy of a book with my nans picture in it in two places during WW2. On top of that it had photos of my dads street and every person in the photo (1930) was a relatives of his (and mine). It had a photo of the house I was born in in South Bermondsey and picture of my Great Uncles stables - oh, I was over the moon - I ended up buying 6 copies for relatives! Since then they have sent me a copy of my nans certificate awarded to her for her service during the Blitz and lots of other bits. The book - which if you were born there or have relatives from there - is absolutely fab is called Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Remembered - you can email Stephen Humphrey at the library to buy a copy. There are lots of other books available too and Stephen is currently writing one about WW2 in the area, so I cant wait for that one. Anyway, here are the church records available: : SOUTHWARK LOCAL STUDIES LIBRARY 211, Borough High Street, London SE1 1JA Parish Register Searches A postal service is offered to provide copies from the parish registers we hold (listed below) for christenings, marriages or burials for which a precise date (date, month and year) and parish can be given. Please note that from the 1820s onwards these parishes became subdivided and we do not hold the registers from any of the new parishes. Please note also that the registration districts of St Saviour and St Olave cover a much larger area than the parishes of the same name If you would like to take advantage of this service please complete the enclosed form. The cost of the service is £2.00 per event. The fee is payable in advance, and is charged for the work of consulting and copying the entry requested. It applies whether or not the date you request contains the persons you are researching. We will not search for a particular name beyond the specified date. The photocopy provided will be the best possible copy obtainable. Customers should remember that some films are unclear, and will not make good copies. Requests to recheck a film will be treated as new orders and must be paid for unless it can be shown that we have made a mistake. To use our postal service you must: 1. Send full details of the date and event that you are looking for. 2. Send a sterling cheque, money or postal order made payable to the London Borough of Southwark, with the details of your request. We will: send you a copy of the entry for the event that has been requested. or return your cheque explaining why we have been unable to find what you requested. Personal access to the library's copies of parish registers is entirely without charge and subject only to the prior booking of a microfilm reader. Photocopies of entries cost 25 pence each. St Saviour c 1538-1571, 1653-1835; 1845-1852 m 1539-1571; 1653-1720; 1759-1835 b 1538-1570; 1653-1720; 1722-1835 St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey c 1548-1603; 1675-1724; 1810-1856 m 1548-1603; 1675-1700; 1777-1795; 1810-1841 b 1548-1603; 1674-1688, 1810-1854 St George the Martyr c 1602-1715; 1758-1844 m 1602-1715; 1758-1837 b 1602-1715; 1758 1857 St John Horselydown c 1803-1863 m 1803-1863 b 1803-1854 Christ Church, Surrey c 1670-1698; 1710-1751; 1770-1837; 1867-1933 m 1792-1803; 1807-1844; 1885-1941 b 1672-1837 St Giles Camberwell c 1558-1750; 1763-1764; 1801-1845 m 1558-1750; 1763-1764; 1801-1837 b 1557-1750; 1763-1764; 1801-1845 St Mary, Rotherhithe c 1556-1869 m 1556-1785; 1800-1869 b 1754-1857 St Olave c 1639-1665; 1685-1884 m 1639-1665; 1685-1865; 1908-1918 b 1639-1665; 1685-1853 St Thomas c 1653-1687; 1691-1732;1802-1863 m 1653-1687; 1691-1732;1802-1863 b 1653-1687; 1691-1854 St Mary Newington c 1561-1577; 1611-1810 1813-1836; 1843-1850 m 1561-1809, 1813-1836 b 1561-1577; 16091-1854

What great information, Thank you Athena for this and all the other information you have passed onto me. I will try to get to the Libary and find some more information. Carol

Southwark is yet another archive on my list of places to visit if I ever get the time and money!!!!!!! nell

So glad that the information has sparked an interest with some of you to visit. Sorry about the layout of message - as you can see I had intended on cutting the body text into a separate reply so that it kept the paragraphs etc - but after posting my PC crashed and I couldn't be bothered to log back on again. Not much point doing it now LOL I'm still feeling on a high after my visit there yesterday. I hope you all do manage to plan a trip as there's so much archived there. By the way - I forgot to mention that if you are intending on using the fiche machines, you need to ring up a few days beforehand to book one for however long you'll be there. And give them a call on the day, just to make sure they are definitely open (it's a small library, run by just a few staff so any mass bouts of flu etc can sometimes cause them to close early). Heather - Stephen Humphrey was there last night - helped me work the fiche machine LOL. I kept looking at him thinking I recognised him from somewhere, then I realised I'd seen his photo every week in the South London Press in the local history section LOL.

I heard last night that the library has changed its name AND that telephone enquiries, instead of going directly to the library, are going to a main switchboard and you have to say why you want to speak to the archivist. The library staff are not too pleased about this. If you experience difficulties, please complain. Not to the library staff - it is not their fault - but to the local authorities.

If you want to email them: Local.History.Library AT southwark.gov.uk Change AT to the usual symbol - GR wont allow it on here.

Phoenix - haven't heard anything about a name change - the signs up are still saying Southwark Family History Library. I wonder what else they could call it? Anyway, main thing is it is still at the same location. The archivists are still answering personal emails and they are really helpful with the info they supply, although it may take a few days for the reply since they are busy people.

Just to add, there is a very localised local history group - they do have guided walks around the area - Im thinking of going down for a couple. And of course there is the East Surrey FHS.