County Library and Information Service
Community History - Guide to the Local Collections - Garstang Collection
Wyre District.
Windsor Rd
Garstang
Preston
Lancs
PR3 1ED
Tel: 01995 604052
Fax:01995 605247
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 19:30
Closed
9:30 - 19:30
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 13:00
4. Scope and arrangement of the collection
The collection contains books, pamphlets, maps and illustrations relating to Garstang and the surrounding area. In addition, items relating to other places in Blackpool, Wyre, Preston and Lancaster are included, when appropriate. The collection contains items for both lending and reference, shelved together, and arranged by the Lancashire Library Local Studies Classification Scheme.
5. Catalogues and bibliographies
All the items in the collection have been added to the LINNET computer system.
Included in the collection are the volumes of the Lancashire bibliography published to date.
A selection of directories is held as follows but overall the coverage is poor:
Garstang - directory extracts 1851 - 1938
MANNEX Directory of Westmorland, Lonsdale and Amounderness 1851
MANNEX Directory of Lancaster and district 1881
BULMER'S History and directory of Lancaster and district 1912
BARRETT'S Directory of Blackpool and Fylde districts 1929, 1934, 1938.
Lancaster and District Directory 1958-1959.
Directories can be found on the Library's online catalogue.
7. Electoral registers and poll books
Current electoral registers only are kept at Garstang library. For older editions please contact Fleetwood Library.
None. The main collection of rate books for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
9. Census enumerators' returns
The census returns for 1841 -1901 for the district are available on microfilm at Fleetwood Central Library. Garstang library hold the following: 1851 - Garstang (photocopies); 1881 Garstang/Parish of St. Thomas (photocopies); 1881 Census for England on CD-ROM; 1891 - Garstang, Broughton, St. Michaels, Stalmine (on microfiche); full census for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1881 for the Township of Bowland with Leagram.
The following volumes of the LANCASHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY are held:
Vol. 14 Chipping 1559 - 1694
Vol. 27 Saint Michaels on Wyre 1659 - 1707
Vol. 39 Pilling 1630 - 1721
Vol. 51 Stalmine 1583 - 1724
Vol. 63 Garstang 1567 - 1658
Vol. 68 Garstang 1660 - 1734
Vol. 103 Woodplumpton 1659 - 1784
Vol. 143 St. Michaels on Wyre 1707 - 1765 & Copp Chapel 1728 – 1837
The main collection of parish records for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
Garstang Courier 1965 to date. Microfilmed to 1995. (Lacks 1973).
Garstang Guardian (an edition of the Lancaster Guardian) is donated. Hard copy is available from 1973 to date.
An index to holdings of North West newspapers is available on the Museums, Libraries and Archives website.
Lancashire Lantern includes an index to stories from local newspapers covering several areas of the county.
None.
A good collection of maps is available for Garstang and the surrounding areas.
The following Ordnance Survey maps are held:
6" to 1 mile
25" to 1 mile 1893, 1911 and 1932 editions, and some recent 1:2,500.
50" to 1 mile
14. Council minutes and minutes of official bodies
WYRE BOROUGH COUNCIL. Minutes One year plus current year filed.
LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL. Minutes One year plus current year filed.
The Garstang collection is organised by subject in three archival boxes. A fuller collection can be found at Fleetwood Central Library.
The Library is currently developing an online database of photographs from the county's various library collections; this is available as part of Lancashire Lantern.
16. Sound and video recordings
None.
None. The main repository of archives for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
None.
None.
Microfiche and microfilm readers.
21. Books useful as introductory reading
CROSBY, Alan. Garstang: a town trail. Preston, Lancashire County Books, 1992.
FISHWICK, Henry. History of the parish of Garstang, Vols 1-2. Manchester, Chetham Society, 1878-9.
ROTHWELL, Catherine. Garstang and Over-Wyre in times past. Chorley, Countryside Publications, 1979.
22. Other Family History Sources
All our libraries provide free access to the Ancestry website which gives access to Census Records for England, Wales and Scotland 1841-1901) and indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages for England and Wales (1837-2005).