Discovering S.

6 primary works • 8 total works

Your Old House

by David Iredale and John Barrett

Published 1 March 2002

The life story of a house is told by the stones, bricks, timber, tiles and thatch that make up its walls, floors and roof. This book describes how different structural techniques adopted by house builders down the centuries may provide clues to the date of construction. An unfolding story of alteration, improvement, extension (and occasional dilapidation) may be read in the layout f rooms or the style of features, fixtures and fittings. The history of an old house is also discovered in manuscripts and printed books, in archives and public libraries. These crucial sources are described and explained with the help of apt quotations and old documents and reproductions of maps, plans and pictures. Separate chapters unravel the intricacies of old title deeds, place-names and on-site survey methods.

Local History

by David Iredale and John Barrett

Published 17 May 1973

This book describes many different sources of local history discovered by the authors in the course of extensive research and travel throughout Britain and Ireland. Carefully chosen examples and specially taken photographs show how disparate elements combine to broaden our understanding of local communities in the past. Local history is discovered through printed books, local records, national archives, museum collections, newspapers, pictures, maps and, of course, the vigorous memories of local folk. The landscape is a vital source whose every feature adds a chapter or a footnote to an unfolding story that extends far beyond the reach of memory and written record, deep into prehistory and to the very beginnings of settled society in every locality.

Old Handwriting

by John Barrett and David Iredale

Published 1 September 2001

Old handwriting is discovered every day in many different contexts: in the parish church on memorials and stained glass windows, in the family Bible and old letters, in old wills and perhaps even in the title deeds to your home. Until the invention of printing in the fifteenth century, and for most purposes long after, writing was done with pen, pencil, brush or other tool held in the hand. This 'manuscript' handwriting interest both calligraphers, for the way in which it is done, and historians, who need to decipher the content. In this book the authors provide a guide to the development of handwriting through the ages and introduce the reader to the many styles found in old documents in the British Isles.

Your Family Tree

by David Iredale

Published October 1970

Every family has a history. Most people in Britain and Ireland are able to trace their ancestry back through a dozen generations (or more) discovering along the way a pageant of forebears - rich and poor; heroic and tragic; bad and ugly. In this new enlarged and updated edition, the authors describe how, step by step, the history of a family may be discovered and a pedigree drawn up. This book shows how the framework of a family three may be constructed from the accessible official records of birth, batptism, adoption, marriage, divorce, death and burial. From these bare branches the family tree blossoms into life with biographical information gleaned from the archives of church, state and local administration.

Discovering Your Family Tree

by David Iredale, John Barrett, and David Tredale

Published 31 October 1985

Every family has a history, and this history can be traced in national and local archives for several centuries. In researching a family tree or pedigree you learn who your ancestors were, where they lived, how they earned a living, what wealth or social position they attained and what contribution they made to their community. In this book the authors explain their well-tried method of plotting a family tree and compiling a family history, devoting a chapter to each of the various sources of documentary evidence, detailing the kind of information you can obtain from each and how to interpret it. They also advise on the best ways of recording family history as recounted by senior members of the family. This popular book has been completely revised and updated in the light of new technologies available to the modern genealogist.
Other titles for Shire by this author are:
Discovering Local History (see above)
Discovering Old Handwriting (see above)
Discovering Your Old House

Discovering Local History

by David Iredale and John Barrett

Published January 1999

This text describes many different sources of local history discovered by the authors in the course of extensive research throughout Britain and Ireland. Local history is discovered through books, local records, archives, newspapers and more.'

Discovering Your Old House

by David Iredale

Published October 1987

This Old House

by David Iredale

Published April 1968