***Hertfordshire Book Reviews***

[Rick]

If you own or have read a book about Hertfordshire which you have found interesting, or has helped with your research, feel free to post here to recommend it to other RootsChatters!!!

It is helpful to include; Title, Author, Publisher and ISBN number.


Rick

[Rick]

Further Tring Personalities by Wendy Austin.  Published by Wendy Austin. ISBN 0-9537924-2-0

Price £13.50.

This is the third book in a series by Wendy Austin containing detailed accounts of individuals from Tring’s past.  The book contains many photographs.

This edition’s featured personalities are;

·   Robert STEPHENSON
·   Harriet JELLIS
·   Violet HIGGINSON
·   Joseph & Kenneth TIMBERLAKE
·   Lionel MARTIN
·   James STEVENS
·   Sir Francis VERNEY
·   Private Henry HARDING
·   Marie JACK
·   Charles SEABROOK
·   Alice BURNHAM
·   Honorable Sir Harry VAISEY
·   Christopher MEAD
·   Dr Edward COCKAYNE OBE
·   Amphyllis WASHINGTON

This book is a must for those with a love of local history as well as those who have Tring ancestry

Rick

[Rick]

Forgotten Families of Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire by Evelyn WRIGHT. Published by The Book Castle. ISBN 1-903747-39-2

Price; £12.99

As the title suggests, this book documents important Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire families of the 16th and 17th centuries, whose fame is now largely forgotten.  All the families were related to each other, and established dynasties across both counties.

The book includes pedigrees for the families, as well as many photographs and illustrations of the places that they lived.

Families included in the book:

·   The BECHERS of Renhold
·   The BULL Family of Hertford
·   The CAPELLS of Little Hadham
·   The CHAPMANS and the NODES of Shephallbury
·   THE CONINGSBY, ELWES, FYSHE & BARRE Families
·   The DOCWRAS of Hitchin, Putteridge & Lilley
·   The FAIRCLOUGHS and early HARMERS of Weston
·   The HARMERS of Dane End, Weston
·   The HYDES of Throcking
·   The KNIGHTONS & HERVEYS
·   The KYMPTOMS of Howells & Clothallbury
·   Lady CAHTCART of Tewin
·   The MORDAUNTS of Turvey and PETRES of Essex
·   The NEDHAMS & WARRENS of Bygrave
·   The PIGGOTS of Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire


Rick

[Rick]

Population, Economy and Family Stucture in Hertfordshire in 1851 by Nigel Goose.  Published by the University of Hertfordshire Press.
ISBN Volume 1. 0-900458-73-9  ISBN Volume 2. 0-900458-83-6[/size]

These are the first two volumes of a proposed series of 12 Volumes which aims to transcribe the complete 1851 Census for Hertfordshire. 

Volume 1 covers the area contained within the Berkhamsted Registration District, and includes the following locations in 1851.

Little Gaddesden, Frithsden, Great Berkhamsted, Northchurch, Wiggington, Aldbury, Puttenham, Tring.

Volume 2 covers the area contained within the St Albans Registration District, and includes the following locations in 1851.

Wheathampstead, Harpenden, Redbourn, Sandridge, St Peters, The Out Hamlets in the Liberty of St Albans, St Albans, St Michaels.

There is also a wealth of demographic information about the areas for this period.

[Keith Bateman]

       Tracing Your family history In Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies
ISBN 0-9542189-2-2
University of Hertfordshire Press
£9.99

A good starter book with lots of information on what records are available in the county. Divided into 9 chapters – Administrative, BMD, Household, Occupations, Crime, Poor, Education, Military, and Printed.

It also has a good appendix where there are lists, with reference numbers, as to what HALS has in its archives.

Useful maps of the Hertfordshire Parishes and registration districts – so that you can see the area around your home town.

Explains in each chapter what records may be available for your ancestors and how to find them – with sample views where appropriate.

As we all know it is easier to trace our relatives when they did something special – but this might help you along with the more mundane of them.

Only problem I found was that after building you up about what records were kept – they then stated – “but not much has survived in Hertfordshire” – I know that they have lots of record at HALS – but after reading this book it has not altered my opinion about my long journey to visit them – to see all the census returns for my family and relations is still my aim.

[ONEILL]

I have two books relating to Wheathampstead.
Tales from Old Wheathampstead and Gustard Wood, 1900 Portrait of a community - Letters from Bert Russell to Amy Coburn edited by Ruth Jeavons Wheathampstead Local History Group and Wheathampstead Railway Recollections again Wheathampstead Local History Group John Giles, Ruth Jeavons Mike Martin Dolly Smith Roy Smith.
Will look up Wheathampstead names
Gay O'Neill

If you would like Gay to search for someone for you in her Wheathampstead books, please send her a personal message. Please do not ask on this thread - Thanks Rick

[Rick]

Hertfordshire Inns & Public Houses an historical gazetteer,  by Graham Joliffe & Arthur Jones.  Published by Hertfordshire Publications.  ISBN 0-901354-79-1.[/b]


As the title suggests, this is a reference work dedicated to Hertfordshire hostelries, and records all Herts pubs which were open in 1900 and still open in the 1990's.  The book gives brief histories as well as some details of licencees and contains many black and white photographs

A very useful volume if you have ancestors who were publicans.


Rick

[Keith Bateman]

WARE'S PAST IN PICTURES
By Maurice Edwards & David Perman
Publishers The Rockingham Press
ISBN 1-873468-37-7

What a fabulous treasure trove of Old Photos - mostly well reproduced.

Over 150 pages containing probably over 250 photos - obviously of Ware and near by area - generally taken around the 1890-1910 period - some later.
Informative little captions to each picture.

I borrowed this from the Library on special order - cost all of £1.25 - just to see one photo of Bateman's Shoe Shop - but might even buy it now - it's that good!!

I phoned for permission to put the shop photo onto my website (copyright problems again!) - no problem - would I like to add the publishers name - that's all.

So If this is your area it is a must - if it is not your area it might be worth a look to see the sort of transport and dress etc of the time.



Cheers
Keith

[jjq]

From the Wheatsheaf to the Windmill
The History of Bushey and Oxhey Pubs
By  T R Groves, E G Longman and B N D Wood
Publishers - Bushey Museum Trust
ISBN (cannot find one on my copy - dated 1984)

"Being a historical account of the inns, taverns, pubs, alehouses and beerhouses which have served the people of and travellers through the old ecclesiastical  parish of Bushey"

This book has an introduction to the pubs and brewers in Bushey and entries for 50 public houses in the Bushey and Oxhey area. A typical entry will give the name and address of the pub, the breweries associated with it, together with brief information about the  history, owner and landlords of the pub. It also gives information about the names of the pubs, together with a sketch map of the locations. There are also over 40 photographs of Bushey public houses.

Jan