Links

Links to the websites of the Cambridgeshire Societies and Organisations that are included in the Autumn 2008 to Summer 2009 edition of The Conduit can be found by clicking here. 

Some of the main Cambridgeshire websites are also listed below, click on the title to access directly the website.

Interactive Websites for Cambridgeshire History

Other Links are classified in the following sections (click to jump directly to start of section):

We hope you find this Links Page is useful, we would always welcome any suggestions for additional links. Please send them to info@calh.org.uk.

Cambridgeshire Webpages:

Cambridgeshire Community Archives Network

The Cambridgeshire Community Archives Network (CCAN) is an exciting project which has created a cross-searchable network of 50 digital community archives across the county. As the initial 3 year funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund draws to a close, the CALH & CCAN are working together to safeguard and secure the future of this vitally important Cambridgeshire project.

Cambridgeshire Collection

Based at Cambridge Central Library, the Cambridgeshire Collection contains a comprehensive range of Local Studies material relating to the former historic County of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely.  It is a major multimedia research library and an international resource. 

Cambridgeshire Collection and Libraries online catalogue (SIRSI) click here for Local & Family History Information

There are also two other Local Studies Collections:

Huntingdonshire Collection

Fenland Collection

To view the Cambridgeshire Collection Online Photograhic Collections click on the following links:

J Palmer Clarke / Ramsey & Muspratt Portrait Collection

America in Cambridge 1941-1946

Cambridgeshire Villages (History on the Net)

Click below to see the latest additions to the collection.

Cambridgeshire Collection Aquisitions 2006

Cambridgeshire Collection Aquisitions 2005

Cambridgeshire Libraries

Bringing information, ideas, learning, imagination and reading to people and communities.

A-Z of Cambridgeshire Libraries Services

Cambridgeshire Libraries Internet Gateway

Cambridgeshire Community Network and InfoCam

The above two websites link you to our Communities and local services.  You can find out contact details and information about Local & Social History Clubs and Societies, which Halls you can book, what time your local library is open and much, much more.

County Record Office: Cambridge

County Record Office: Huntingdon

Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies Service is dedicated to preserving and actively promoting the use of original historical records of Cambridgeshire, including the former counties of Huntingdonshire and the Isle of Ely.  Original archive documents can be consulted at the County Record Offices in Cambridge and Huntingdon, while printed material and audio-visual resources are available in Cambridgeshire's Local Studies Libraries.

Cambridgeshire Archive Services Online Catalogue (CALM)

Our aim is to have, by the end of 2006, an online searchable catalogue containing:

• all CRO Cambridgeshire Parish Records
• all CRO Huntingdonshire Parish Records
• all Records currently on A2A
• many other lists of documents

The online database is automatically updated each night with information form the staff database.  This means that when a new catalogue is completed, the public can access it with the minimum of delay.

Cambridgeshire Archaeology

Cambridgeshire Archaeology provides

• advice and information on the archaeology and historic environment of Cambridgeshire,
• outreach and learning opportunities for schools and communities in Cambridgeshire, and
• contract services for the East of England through CAM ARC: the archaeological field unit. 

CAM ARC

Cambridgeshire County Council's Archaeological Field Unit: In December 2006, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Archaeological Field Unit relaunched under the new trading name of CAM ARC. They state: "Our new name emphasises that we are a distinctive part of Cambridgeshire Archaeology, forming the field team which operates as a separate business. We maintain strong links with our parent Service, Cambridgeshire Archaeology. Together we are committed to the continued delivery of quality Outreach and Education services to customers and communities in Cambridgeshire."

Cambridgeshire Archaeology maintains the Historic Environment Record for the county (formerly the Sites and Monuments Record or SMR).  Archives from fieldwork in Cambridgeshire are held at the County Archaeological Store, where they can be accessed by researchers whilst being maintained for future generations. 

We also host the Portable Antiquities Scheme for Cambridgeshire, which provides a finds identification service for the public, and advice about the Treasure Act.

The Oasis Project

The overall aim of the OASIS project is to provide an online index to the mass of archaeological grey literature that has been produced as a result of the advent of large-scale developer funded fieldwork.

Heritage Gateway

This website is being developed to provide a virtual national monuments record with access to local and national historic environment data.

National Monument Record(NMR)

As well as our search room in Swindon where you can browse a huge collection of photographs and historic resources, the National Monuments Record (NMR) also provides many specialist services such as Developing Standards and Partnership Projects to help you find the resources you need.

Cambridgeshire Historic Churches Trust

This website provides local and family historians with information about the Cambridgeshire Churches, including their Stained Glass, Monumental Brasses, Heraldry and Wallpaintings, plus information on the sources of Parish records available in the county of Cambridgeshire.  The Trust itself provides Grants and Interest Free Loans to places of worship in Cambridge that need help if repair and restoration.  In the summer it arranges a series of local Church Tours.

Mike Petty - Cambridgeshire Researcher, Lecturer and Historian

Mike Petty lectures to groups from primary classes to old folks' homes, International Summer schools and conferences.  He was Librarian of the Cambridgeshire Collection for over 30 years and has a daily and weekly columns in the Cambridge Evening News.  Mike Petty is our President; he has assisted thousands of people with their research over the years: Can he help you?

Cambridge University Library
Cambridge University Library is a legal deposit library, meaning that it is entitled to claim a copy of every publication in printed form published in the UK and Ireland. Almost all of this material is claimed and can be consulted in the Library. It also holds extensive collections of books, journals, maps, microfilms, photographs and sound recordings published overseas and has extensive special collections of rare books, manuscripts, and other materials.  Some of Cambridgeshire's rare books and manuscripts are also kept here, as well as the Ely Diocesan Records.  These include the Cambridgeshire parishes Bishop's Transcripts.

Cambridgeshire Archaeology

Cambridgeshire's historic environment holds all the evidence left by people over the past 500,000 years - ancient sites and monuments, historic towns, villages and buildings, historic landscapes, features and finds.  Archaeology is the discovery, study and understanding of this evidence.   Cambridgeshire Archaeology protects and enhances Cambridgeshire's historic environment, and works with others to promote: a) sustainable growth; b) access; c) active citizenship; d) lifelong learning; and e) a sense of place for all Cambridgeshire communities.

Cambridge University Department of Archaeology

This Department is part of the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge and is one of the leading institutions in the subject. Furthermore, within the University there are distinguished departments covering Biological Anthropology, Social Anthropology, and Social & Political Sciences, making Cambridge an excellent intellectual and scientific environment, with unsurpassed resources for learning and research.

Cambridgeshire Museums

There are over 30 museums in Cambridgeshire offering an enormous range of collections in a wide variety of different settings. They vary from small museums of local history to the large-scale national collections of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. Cambridgeshire’s museums work together in the Cambridgeshire Museums Advisory Partnership to improve museum services and provision across the County. There is no statutory level of museum provision or entitlement in the UK which has led to wide variations of service. Museums in Cambridgeshire are provided in a range of different ways, by independent charitable trusts, the University of Cambridge and by local government.

Cambridgeshire Civic Heraldry

These pages contains information about the coats of arms of local authorities in Cambridgeshire both contemporary and obsolete. This gives details of the history and meaning of the symbolism behind the Associations new logo; permission to use it was very kindly given by Cambridgeshire County Council.

Cambridge Botanical Garden

Cambridge University Botanic Garden was established as a University teaching and research resource by Professor John Stevens Henslow on land acquired in 1831, and finally opened to the public in 1846. Henslow, who is perhaps now best remembered for inspiring his pupil Charles Darwin with a love of natural science, recognised the need to study plants in their own right. He was convinced that trees were the most important plants in the world and these form the framework of the Garden.

GENUKI Cambridgeshire

The aim of GENUKI is to serve as a "virtual reference library" of genealogical information that is of particular relevance to the UK & Ireland. It is a non-commercial service, provided by an ever growing group of volunteers in cooperation with the Federation of Family History Societies and a number of its member societies.

Cambridgeshire Genealogy

Huntingdonshire Genealogy

Welcome to the Cambridgeshire EnglandGenWeb Project.  this website is part of the BritishIslesGenWeb Project and is provided as a resource for individuals researching their English ancestors who originated in this county.  Questions about either of the above Genealogy websites should be directed to Martin Edwards

Cambridgeshire Bishops Transcripts & Parish Registers

In 1538 Thomas Cromwell the Vicar General to King Henry VIII declared that all marriages, christenings and burials should be recorded; normally these are kept at the Parish Church. In 1598 an Act was passed that meant these Parish Records should be copied and sent to the bishop. These copies are known as the Bishop's Transcripts (BTs for short)  There are often many discrepancies between a parish church's own registers and the copies sent to the Bishop.  Most Cambridgeshire parishes fell within the Diocese of Ely and the Bishops’ Transcripts, generally dating from 1599, are held with the Ely Diocesan Records at Cambridge University Library. BT’s for Isleham in the Peculiar of Isleham and Freckenham are also available there.  Other sources of information on Cambridgeshire Parish Registers and Bishops Transcripts can be found by clicking on the following links:BT1 BT2

Victoria County History (VCH)

British History Online is the digital library containing some of the core printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles. Created by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust, we aim to support academic and personal users around the world in their learning, teaching and research.  On the left hand side of the home page press the EAST link and you will find a lot of the Victoria County History (VCH) information for and much more besides for Cambridgeshire.

The Old Bailey Online

The transcript from Oscar Wilde's trial for gross indecency at London's Old Bailey Court went online for the first time on Monday 28th April 2008, alongside a raft of murder, robbery and abduction cases.

Up for free examination are 110,000 pages of transcripts -- including Wilde's trial and the notorious story of Dr Crippen and the murder of his wife.

Lurid tales of murder and rape, stories of pickpocketing and robbery -- every type of crime was paraded before the London court, which is topped by a statue of Justice with a sword in one hand and scales in the other.

The www.oldbaileyonline.org site was billed as the largest single source of searchable historical information about British lives that has ever been published.

The transcripts cover every one of the 210,000 trials held at the Old Bailey from 1674 to 1913, from just after The Great Fire that ravaged London to just before the outbreak of World War One. The court is still in operation.

History off the page

Off the Page is a company of teachers, each of whom travels from school to school. Our team is based in Cambridgeshire and is committed to the development of the arts, humanities and science in education through practical learning, storytelling and drama. As well as working in hundreds of schools and centres in England and Europe, the company has run projects at the British Library, Stevenage Museum, Thetford Ancient House Museum, Peterborough Cathedral, and Buckden Towers.

Cambridgeshire Societies:

Cambridge Antiquarian Society

The Cambridge Antiquarian Society was founded in 1840 to provide access for local people to the local history, architecture and archaeology of Cambridgeshire (which now includes the old County of Huntingdon and the new Unitary Authority of Peterborough). Among other benefits, members are eligible to attend the annual programme of monthly lectures, are entitled to a reduced fee for the Society's two annual conferences,and receive a copy of the Society's annual publications.

Cambridgeshire Records Society

The Cambridgeshire Records Society exists to publish documentary sources relating to the History of Cambridgeshire and neighbouring areas.  The society was originally known as the Cambridge Antiquarian Record Society when it first became separated from its parent organisation, the Cambridge Antiquarian Society.

Cambridgeshire Family History Society

The Society exists to encourage the study of family history within the old counties of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely.  It not only provides a friendly point of contact for people for people world-wide who are interested in the same surnames and families, but also offers a wide range of facilities to support their researches into genealogy and the local area.

Huntingdonshire Local History Society

What do Oliver Cromwell, the assassin John Bellingham and the humble sandwich have in common? Time's up! They all came from the former county of Huntingdonshire, England. This tiny area - only 365 square miles - has had a tremendous impact on British and world history. Wherever you travel in the world today, if you munch happily on a burger or a BLT, you have Huntingdonshire to thank.

Huntingdonshire Family History Society

HFHS was founded in 1985 to help people to find out about their family history.  The county reorganisation in 1974 saw Huntingdonshire become part of a greater Cambridgeshire.  The society aims to provide links between people interested in families of the old County of Huntingdonshire and to provide a forum for persons interested in genealogy generally.

COPE

COPE, a self-help group, is an organisation set up to promote and activate the interests and well being of people aged 50 or over. COPE is a registered Charity run entirely by volunteers living in Cambridgeshire. 

National Family History Websites:

Ancestry.co.uk

Ancestry.co.uk is the UK’s largest and most popular family history site with more than 3 million site visitors accessing over 500 million historical UK records each month.  Launched in 2001, the site enables members to explore their family’s history by viewing census, birth, marriage and death records as well as user-contributed family trees, and by connecting to millions of other members making their own discoveries.

Immigration & Emigration Records

Ancestry.co.uk now lets the family historian search the Immigration and Emigration records from around 1609 to the 1850s all around the world.  This information covers British, Irish and Scottish families.

FindMyPast

This is the new name for the old 1837online.com website, which is based in London and is part of an independently-owned business that is dedicated to providing high quality genealogical services to professional and non-professional researchers. FindMyPast is a sister company to Title Research, an independent business which has existed for nearly 40 years and provides probate and succession genealogy services to lawyers and corporate and public trustees around the world. As part of its day-to-day work, Title Research used to consult the microfiche version of the birth, marriage and death indexes extensively. Some time ago the business took the decision to computerise these records for internal use. However, we soon realised that it would be possible to make the computerised records available to other interested parties over the internet - and FindMyPast was set up to do this.

Ancestors Onboard

This is a new family history search facility for FindMyPast and the National Archive Service.  The BT27 outward-bound passenger lists are a fascinating and important set of records currently being digitised by findmypast.com for online publication for the very first time. The passenger lists cover long-distance voyages made from all British ports between 1890 and 1960 and include voyages such as that of the ill-fated Titanic which sank in 1912. Records will be rolled out on the website over the next few months.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Established by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars. It is a non-profit-making organisation that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware.  Since its inception, the Commission has constructed 2,500 war cemeteries and plots, erecting headstones over graves and, in instances where the remains are missing, inscribing the names of the dead on permanent memorials. Over one million casualties are now commemorated at military and civil sites in some 150 countries.

Roll of Honour

This is probably one of the most comprehensive and useful website for the family historian or military enthusiast.  Created locally by Martin Edwards this site is dedicated to those men and women who fell fighting for this country.  Recorded on this website are various war memorials within a variety of counties, it is fully intended in the future to complete as many UK war memorials as possible.  Photographs are included of the majority of the memorials, details of the men and their photographs where possible.  All counties are based on their pre-1974 political boundaries.

Family Genealogy and History Internet Education Directory

BIGenealogy - British Isles Genealogy

A professional worldwide humanities and social sciences mega portal, connected directly to thousands of related sub-sets, with billions of primary or secondary database records.

National Local History Websites:

British Association for Local History

Is the national charity which promotes local history and serves local historians. It publishes both The Local Historian, quarterly journal, and Local History News, a topical magazine and provides a Web Site for local history.

AIM25
Stands for Archives in London and the M25 area. The project is to provide electronic access to the archives of over fifty institutions in the London area.

Archives Hub
Is the gateway for access to archive and manuscript collections held in the UK's Higher Education sector

Archives Network Wales
Archives Network Wales is creating a web-searchable index to archive sources in Wales. The searchable interface goes live in September 2003 and will be under development until December 2005.

BBC
The local and family history pages on the BBC website include a History Trail, and advice on 'Getting Started' in local history written by Alan Crosby.

BBC Legacies
A new site exploring changing themes in local history throughout the country

British Archaeological Jobs and Resources
British Archaeological Jobs and Resources has, in its 'Who's Who' section, an extensive list of local studies centres, libraries, universities and other valuable links

Council for British Archaeology
The CBA is an educational charity working throughout the UK to involve people in archaeology and to promote the appreciation and care of the historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations.

East of England Sense of Place
A consortium covering Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Peterborough. Developing internet bank of learning resources offering access to the culture, heritage and diversity of the region. Enter by portal from a county base.

English Heritage
English Heritage is a public body with responsibility for all aspects of protecting and promoting the historic environment. Officially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, English Heritage is an Executive Non-departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Family and Community Historical Research Society
FACHRS cover such research topics as Victorian social history, migration, Victorian social classes & history, local history projects, research projects for pre - Victorian England, plus many more aspects of UK 18th, 19th & 20th century family & community history research.

Images of England
Images of England, funded by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, is a groundbreaking initiative which aims to create a 'point in time' photographic record of England's listed buildings.

Institute of Historical Research
Large collection of primary resource materials. Seminar groups, open to the interested public, on a wide variety of historical topics throughout the academic year.

National Archives of Scotland
Based in Edinburgh, NAS has one of the most varied collection of archives in the British isles. It is the main archive for sources of the history of Scotland as a separate kingdom, her role in the British isles and the links between Scotland and many other countries over the centuries.

The Historical Association
The Historical Association is the voice for history... it aims to further the study, teaching and enjoyment of history at all levels: teacher and student, amateur and professional. The Association was founded in 1906.

The National Archives: Historical Manuscripts Commission
The National Archives of England, Wales and the United Kingdom has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from Domesday Book of 1086 to government papers recently released to the public.

Access to Archives (A2A)

The A2A database contains catalogues describing archives held locally in England and Wales and dating from the eighth century to the present day.

The Specialist Schools Trust sites
The first Humanities Colleges are designated to start in September 2004. Each will lead in one of History, Geography or English and will have an innovative approach to Humanities education.

Victoria County History
The greatest publishing project in English local history. Since 1899 the VCH has presented the authentic history of English places and their people, written county by county from original documents.

Voluntary Action History Society
Promotes the history of voluntary action, and charitable and voluntary organisations.

Other Useful Websites:

AbeBooks
Global gateway for second hand and out of print books

Bricks & Brass
Is a comprehensive resource for owners of 19th and 20th century houses, with an architectural guide, advice on caring for these buildings, useful contacts, books, a glossary of terms, and interesting events.

Crystal Palace Foundation
Is concerned to preserve and develop Crystal Palace, from the Great Exhibition onwards.

Curious Fox UK Gazetteer
50,000 villages, towns and counties, can be searched by place name and by family names. Still developing

Gazetteer of British Place Names
Comprehensive gazetteer, listing over 50,000 place names. 'Additional notes for historians and genealogists' contains extra information and advice for users.

Heritage Media
Produce videos and DVDs (amongst other things) and provide a service specially tailored to local history groups

Historical Directories Project
The University of Leicester's Historical Directories Project brings together a greater number and range of directories than any one library can provide.

History.uk.com
"The ultimate UK history directory"

Historyworld
Historyworld is a new site with many useful articles on a wide range of history topics, plus browsing search facility, and focus on national curriculum. Still developing.

Love My Town
The 'UK civic pride website'

Maney Publishing
Publishers of history journals that are of interest to local historians, including 'Family and Community History' and 'Labour History Review'

Old House Books
Books and maps that explore the character and history of Britain

Palaeography
An introduction to palaeography, including alphabets, exercises, bibliography, and seminars on background material such as early modern legal structures.

Past and Present Press
Is a small independent publisher of local history books, based in Bristol

Pevsner Architectural Guides
Is a website set up by the Buildings Books Trust which provides a history of the series, a full list of titles, and an introduction to looking at buildings, and glossary of terms.

Restoring the Past
If you can't find a local photo retouching service, here is one example - 'restoring the past'.

The Local History Press
Publishers of Local History Magazine, with links to many other related sites.

UK Past
UKPast is an online bookshop, selling both new and second-hand local history books. They also publish facsimile reprints on CD-Rom. Free booksearch service.

Windgather Press
Publishers of landscape and local history books and the landscapes journal.

Your Memories
Now grown into huge site 'past times project'