***Hertfordshire Book Reviews***

[Ann12]

Extract taken from Angliae Notitia: or the Present State of England dated 1704.

Apart from changing the 'f' to 's' I have kept the spelling exactly as it  appears in the book.

Hartfordshire
Is in the Diocese of London and Lincoln, 130 miles in circumference; contains about 451000 acres and 16569 houses:  The air is sweet and healthful, the soil for the most part chalky, but fruitful in corn, grass and wood.  Its rivers Coln, Lea:  Its chief commodities are wheat, barley and mault:  It has 120 parishes and 18 towns, most of them very good:  The shire town is Hartford, 20 miles from London:  Barnet is noted for medicinal waters, Berkhamsted for its ancient castle, chief place of residence formerly of the Dukes of Cornwall; Hitchin for its school; Ware for a canal, which furnishes London with new river water.  Its chief seats are Theobalds, formerely a Royal Palace; Moor Park, the later Duke of Monmouth's:  Hatfield House, Hartford Castle, Bygrave, Chestnut, Quicks Wood, all the Earl of Salisbury's; Cashiobury, Haddam Hall, Earl of Essex's; Totteridge, Earl of Anglesey's; Holloway House at St Alban's, Duke of Marlborough's; Aldenham, Duke of Newcastle's and a vast number more it hath of gentlemens houses.

A true list of the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the Parliament, which met at Westminster the 20th Of October 1702.

Hertfordshire

Ralph Freeman jun. Esq
Thomas Halsey Esq  Borough of St Albans
George Churchill Esq
John Gape Esq  Borough of Hertford
Charles Caesar Esq
Richard Goulston Esq

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS BOOK PLEASE ONLY POST REQUEST ON THE HERTFORDSHIRE LOOK UP REQUEST BOARD PLEASE

Ann

[petercornish]

WARESIDE - A Miscellany of Histories    by    JANE WEBB
Publishers :  The Rockingham Press and Ware Museum.
ISBN  1-873468-79-2

This well written book on Wareside and surrounding area
is the result of extensive research by the author and her easy-to-read  style makes it a must for both local and family historians.     The publication does not attempt to provide a comprehensive history of Wareside, but contains a collection of histories and notes which will be of interest to those who share the author's curiosity.


The book consists of 200 pages with 20 chapters, dealing with such subjects as local residences, churches, schools, highways,  railways and local government.   There are 28 appendices listing property owners, tenant farmers, rents, transported felons and extracts from school log books and many more.     There is also a good supply of maps and photographs.


Peter

[Keith Bateman]

Francis Firth's "NORTH AND EAST HERTFORDSHIRE" by Tom Doig
ISBN 1-85937-547-2  £14.99

Over 100 pages of good quality photos taken over a period of time up to the l1960's - and although not all that many from the turn of the century - even the later ones could have been taken many years before.


Interesting short descriptions about all the pictures - which are a help for anyone with relatives from the area.


Once again another book borrowed from my local library - never has so much been gained from so few places!

Keith

[benzon]

"We Ploughed the Fields ... and Scattered"

The story of the Hutchin family in the rural village of Albury, Hertfordshire from 1752.

Co-edited by Denise Hutchin and Ronald Mott

This is the culmination of 20 odd years research into the Hutchin family by many descendants.  Whilst obviously largely dealing with our personal family history, the book illustrates how the agricultural and industrial revolutions influenced their lives and gives an insight into the social history of the working classes during this time.    Some were transported, some were bounty emigrants to Australia and there was even a riot at Great Hormead which could well have been part of the pheasants revolt.  We have also included a village chapter which gives some interesting general information on the village as a whole.

Priced at £12.95, the book is available at HALS, Hertford Museum or Boardmans in Bishops Stortford or direct from me (p&p £2.75 - UK). 

[sandiep]

I recently bought a really good book for anyone having got back to 1600 for Amwell
The Parish Register & Tithing book of Thomas Hassall of Amwell
isbn 0 9510728 4 6

this book is full of history and best of all births, burials and marriages from 1600 to 1657

this book was compiled in hardback by the Hertfordshire Record Society and they have done a great job

sandie

[Keith Bateman]

Amwell and Stanstead's Past in Pictures

Stephen Doree and David Perman - The Rockingham Press - ISBN 1-873468-57-1

Another of my kind of book - lots of photos and not to much reading!!

More on Stanstead than Amwell - but also includes sections on surrounding villages - Hertford Heath - St Margarets.

Lots of early 20th century photos  - with short descriptive titles - including a map of Great Amwell from about 1818!

Very Interesting.

Keith

[Rick]

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD A History & Celebration, by Elizabeth BUTEUX.  Published by The Francis Frith Collection.  ISBN 1-84589-206-2 Price; £14.99

A fabulous book written by former Lady Mayoress Elizabeth BUTEUX charting the history of Hemel Hempstead.  It is crammed full of  vintage photographs of the town from the Francis Frith collection, as well as contemporary views.

An easy read and a must for those with Hemel Hempstead ancestors.   

Rick

[Keith Bateman]

                                            OLD HITCHIN
by Alan Fleck & Helen Poole
ISBN 1-86077-109-2
Price £14.99

Portrait of an English Market Town - with photos from 1850-1920 - mostly by the Latchmores.

Very good book even though some of the photos are not up to the "Francis Firth" standard. Lots of interesting photos of people as well as pubs and shops etc.
Describes the town from lots of different view points

Keith

[Keith Bateman]

Hi All,

If this is classed as advertising please remove it!

This a link to some pictorial books on Hertfordshire - I have read a couple of them and they were very good.

http://www.phillimore.co.uk/acatalog/Bookshop_Individual_places_in_Hertfordshire_97.html

Cheers

Keith