It’s actually a truly admirable and extremely thorough book. In the beginning I was yawning bit, but that’s because not was approaching the subject with the intention of helping those starting from scratch, and what seems glaringly obvious (when you’ve done a bit of genealogical research) isn’t (if you haven’t).
From the basics of births, marriages and deaths, however, the book moved swiftly on to reveal a whole host of other sources which had never occurred to me as possibilities. There are newspaper articles and court papers, manorial rolls, schools information, estate maps and records, company archives and so much more. For each source, Chloe O’Shea outlines what kind of material might be available, gives examples, and directs the reader to specific sources for those whose ancestors come from Staffordshire. It’s also realistic about the difficulties that a researcher may encounter and gives practical tips to avoid falling into a wide variety of traps that might lead down a blind alley — or, indeed, to someone else’s ancestor!
Despite its county-specific title, the book is of much wider value: it won’t be difficult to work out where to look for information in other English counties. It’s a pity I don’t have the time these days to go chasing the higher branches of my family tree. If I did I think I would be able to find much more than the basic information which I already have. I was unaware of the wealth of available information and how much it could add to an understanding, not just of one’s own family, but of wider social history in the local area.
After a slow start, I definitely found this book a worthwhile read.
