The Unofficial
Website
Family & Local History
Local History Groups & Events
Other Contacts & Links
Rotherham Archives & Local Studies
Rotherham Cemeteries
Rotherham Family History Society
Rotherham Family Names
Although some of you have sought my assistance I regret that I do have the time or resources to undertake any research into family or local history for you. I have a number of books,
maps and records but nothing like the full information.
Rotherham Archives and Local Studies section in Rotherham Library is the best place to go to research details of family history or local history. Find out some of the details kept there on the Archives & Local Studies Page. I believe that can do research on your behalf but there is a charge please contact the Library for full details.
To help you with your family or local history research here are some useful places to visit Rotherham Family History Society, Other Contacts & Links and details of those websites dealing with some Rotherham Family Names. I've also added a page with details of Local History Groups & Events in the borough.
Parish Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths are extant for most parishes from about 1550. Some are not available, especially for earlier years due to illiteracy or bad record keeping. When I researched details of my own family no records were available for about 50 years as the parish registers had been destroyed in a fire. You can often find transcribed copies in your local library and these are also available in the central library. Many are also available from Rotherham Family History Society. I know I am a nerd but I do enjoy browsing through them even when they are nothing to do with my own family, noting the now-unused Christian names, the uncommon surnames and how the same families keep cropping up generation after generation. Sad aren't I!
You can also research family history from about 1900 at the Mormon sites. There is one in Sheffield I believe or the big site in the States, but I have very conveniently forgotten to keep the web site references, but I'm sure you can find them without too much trouble. I'll warn you however I tried searching for the details about my mother who is alive and still kicking after all these years, but there was no trace of her on the Web (I'm sure she is duly grateful).
I also tried tracing a long ago relative of my grandmother's, an American cousin who rejoiced in the name of Burckhart Davies, not the most common name in the world I should imagine. I tried several different spelling of both names for all America and the two places where the Davies family used to reside (Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania and Calumet, Michigan) but failed to find any information. So the system is not perfect and does not include everybody. I hear you breathe a vast sigh of relief. An espondent has found Burckhart's records in the US Census of 1910 - thank you.