County Library and Information Service
Community History
Guide to the Local Collections
Nelson Collection
Pendle District.
Market Square
Nelson
Lancashire
BB9 7PU
Tel: 01282 692511
Fax:--
E-mail: Nelson.library@lancashire.gov.uk
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
09:00 - 19:00
09:00 - 17:00
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4. Scope and arrangement of the collection
The collection relates specifically to the present area of Pendle District with emphasis on the western half of the area: Barley, Barrowford, Blacko, Brierfield, Fence, Goldshaw Booth, Higham, Nelson, Old Laund Booth, Reedley Hallows, Roughlee, and Wheatley Lane. The collection comprises books, pamphlets, photographs, slides, cuttings, microfilms, newspapers, films, maps, plans, audio cassettes and paintings. The items are arranged by the Lancashire Library Local Studies Classification Scheme.
5. Catalogues and bibliographies
The Local Studies catalogue is available as part of the Lancashire County Library and Information Service's Talis online catalogue. It is possible to search by author, title, keyword, subject and class number.
An author and subject catalogue is maintained. The following are also available:-
A Catalogue of parish registers, indexes and monumental inscriptions held in Pendle district. Pendle District Libraries, 1992.
LANCASHIRE bibliography: All volumes published to date.
THISTLETHWAITE, Roy. Photographic source material for Pendle District: a catalogue. Pendle District Libraries, 1981 (lists 16,675 items).
WIGHTMAN, Peter. Wills of Colne and District, 1545 - 1830: an index. Colne Borough Library, 1973 (lists 1,812 items).
There is a volume listing the contents of the Badgery collection deposited at Lancashire Record Office and also photocopies of Lancashire Record Office calendar sheets for Marsden.
Full trade directories or photocopied sections of the parts relating to the western area of the former Pendle District are available from 1814 onwards.
Copies of the Lancashire Textile Directory, 1932 - 1964, are available in original form or in photocopied sections.
Telephone directories are filed 1964 to date.
Thomson Local Directories are filed from 1982 to date.
Directories can be found on the Library's online catalogue.
Barrowford 1872, 1877, 1890 - 98, 1900 - 10, 1915 - 16, 1918 - 19, 1931, 1935 - 1938. On microfilm.
Nelson Polling District: 1897-98 (Parliamentary and Burgess list)
Nelson and Colne Constituency 1933 - 1935, 1950 - 1974.
Pendle Constituency 1974 - .
None. The main collection of rate books for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
9. Census enumerators' returns
Returns on microfilm are held for the area covered by the present Pendle District for 1841 - 1901. In addition some returns of various dates are held for a number of villages to the east of the present county boundary. Surname and placename indexes are available; please enquire if you need further details.
Census Reports:
GREAT BRITAIN, Census Office, Census 1966: small area statistics: Nelson and district. Computer print-out.
GREAT BRITAIN, Census Office, Census 1971: small area statistics: Nelson and district. (100% population, 100% households, 10% sample economic activity.) Computer print-out.
GREAT BRITAIN, Census Office, Census 1981: small area statistics: Nelson and district. (100% population, 100% households, 10% sample economic activity,10% sample special workplace statistics.) Computer print-out.
GREAT BRITAIN, Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, Census 1991: local base statistics and small area statistics for Lancashire. Microfiches.
Surname, birthplace and place indexes of the Mormon index to the 1881 census are held for the counties of Lancashire, Middlesex, Staffordshire, Surrey and Yorkshire.
LANCASHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY series:
Vol 2 Burnley Vol 118 Downham
Vol 7 Whalley Vol 124 Holme-in-Cliviger
Vol 17 Colne Vol 139 Haslingden
Vol 45 Newchurch-in-Rossendale
Vol 93 Blackburn II
Nelson and district was part of the parish of Colne. Published volumes of the Colne Parish Registers are available as follows:
1599 - 1754 Births, burials and marriages. W.M. SPENCER. 1968
1654 - 1754 Marriages. W.M. SPENCER. 1975
1698 - 1734 Baptisms. J. BENTLEY. 1990
1734 - 1774 Baptisms. J. BENTLEY. 1990
1774 - 1789 Baptisms and burials. W.M. SPENCER. 1969
1790 - 1812 Baptisms and burials. W.M. SPENCER. 1970
Independent Chapel Registers: Barrowford Methodist Chapel (Baptisms),Colne Baptist Chapel (Baptisms),Colne Independent Chapel (Baptisms), Colne Inghamite Church (Baptisms), Colne Methodist Church (Baptisms), Higherford Wesleyan Chapel (Burials), Trawden Wesleyan Chapel (Baptisms),Winewall Inghamite Chapel (Baptisms and Burials) and Winewall Society Book.
Little Marsden St. Paul's Baptisms 1813 - 1853
Little Marsden St. Paul's Marriages 1839 - 1900
Colne Wesleyan Burials 1825 - 1958
Colne Unitarian Registers 1826/82 - 1979
Colne Parish Church Marriages 1837 - 1844 - Groom Order
Colne Parish Church Marriages 1837 - 1844 - Bride Order
Barley Methodist Baptisms 1854 - 1969
Higham Wesleyan Chapel Burials Register 1864 - 1976
The registers for a further forty-three churches are held in stock, mostly available on microfiche, of which eight have been partially indexed. For more details please consult A catalogue of parish registers, indexes and monumental inscriptions held in Pendle district, Pendle District Libraries, 1992.
YORKSHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY series:
Vol 88 Waddington
Vol 114 Gisburne Part 1
Vol 118 Gisburne Part 2
In addition, the library holds The Registers of the parish church of St. Andrew's, Slaidburn, 1600 - 1837/52, by R.H. POSTLETHWAITE.
International Genealogical Index for the United Kingdom, 1984. Microfiche.
International Genealogical Index for Lancashire, 1992. Microfiche.
The main collection of parish records for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
Colne and Nelson Guardian 1863-1869. Incomplete. Chronological index in book. Microfilmed.
Nelson and Colne Express 1891 - 1900. Chronological index 1891-97 in book. Microfilmed.
Nelson Chronicle 1890-1903. Incomplete. Indexed on cards. Microfilmed.
Nelson Leader 1901 - . Incomplete. Indexed chronologically in book 1901 onwards. Subject index on cards, 1901 - 1910, 1932 - 1971, 1988 onwards. Published chronological index 1932 - 1972. Microfilmed 1901 onwards.
(The Nelson Leader is largely the same as the Colne Times from 1935 and as the Barnoldswick and Earby Times, 1937 - , which differ only by the alteration of a few local pages. Microfilmed from 1977, all the variant pages for the different areas are included.)
Pendle Citizen 1983 - . Indexed on cards. Microfilmed 1983 - 1993.
Pendle Mail/Herald and Post 1983 - 1990. Indexed on cards. Microfilmed.
A cuttings file has been maintained from the Evening Star, and Lancashire Evening Telegraph from 1974.
Lancashire Lantern includes an index to stories from local newspapers covering several areas of the county.
CHETHAM SOCIETY, Publications, Vol. 2-114, 1844 - 1886, new series vol. 7-105, 1885 - 1941, third series vol. 3-23, 1953 - 1976 (incomplete).
HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. Transactions, Vol. 8- , 1855 - (lacks vols. 103 and 122 for 1951 and 1970 respectively).
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY. Transactions, Vol. 1-, 1883 - . Incomplete.
NELSON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY. Newsletter, 1970 - 1977, 1987 - 88 (incomplete).
Blakey's Barrowford Almanack 1900-1914. Indexed on card.
Coulton's almanac for Nelson and Brierfield, 1901 - 1917 (incomplete).
Lancashire (LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY), Vol. 6- , 1985 - (incomplete).
Lancashire archaeological bulletin Vol. 1- , 1975 -
Monitor: planning and industrial information bulletin for Lancashire. 1976 -
Torch: magazine of Nelson Grammar School, 1947 - 1972 (incomplete).
The collection of maps consists mainly of Ordnance Survey publications, 1848 to date. 2½" to 1 mile maps are held covering most of Lancashire. Larger scales up to 50" to 1 mile cover Nelson and the Pendle areas.
Also held (some in photocopy form only) are:
Building regulation plans for Nelson, Brierfield and Barrowford, c. 1864-1948. (Photocopies). Coverage is not complete. Please ask staff for details.
YATES, W. Map of Lancashire 1786;
GREENWOOD, C. Map of Lancashire 1818;
HENNET, G. Map of Lancashire 1830 (published by Henry Teesdale);
Tithe maps
Colne, 1843
Great and Little Marsden, 1842
Roughlee, 1853.
There are a number of 19th-century estate maps and of town plans of various dates (for details see CARRADICE, C.H. Maps of Nelson and district. 1990).
There is an index still in course of compilation giving map references of features in the present Pendle District, including demolished buildings and changed names.
14. Council minutes and minutes of official bodies
NELSON BOROUGH COUNCIL. Accounts, 1896 - 1971.
NELSON BOROUGH COUNCIL. Minutes, 1892 - 1974.
NELSON BOROUGH COUNCIL. Municipal Year Book, 1893 - 1969 (incomplete).
NELSON LOCAL BOARD. Minutes, 1864 - 1890 (incomplete). Microfilm.
PENDLE DISTRICT COUNCIL. Minutes, 1973 -
For details see the following catalogue:
THISTLETHWAITE, Roy. Photographic source material for Pendle District: a catalogue, Pendle District Libraries, 1981 (lists 16,675 items. Includes photographs, celluloid negatives, glass negatives and slides).
Copies of most illustrations not in copyright can be provided by arrangement.
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
There is a small collection of audio cassettes, primarily of local choirs.
None. The main repository of archives for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
None.
Ordnance Survey 25 inch maps of Lancashire, 188-1893. Lancashire record Office 2002. 3 discs - Northern Section; Manchester and South East Lancashire; Liverpool and Southwest Lancashire. Cd-Roms
Microfilm/fiche readers, 1 Microfilm/fiche reader printer, photocopier, enhanced reader, 17 Explorer PN pcs with free Internet access, 1 stand-alone pc.
21. Books useful as introductory reading
BENNETT, W. History of Marsden & Nelson. Nelson Corporation, 1957.
BENTLEY, J. Old Barrowford. Pendle Heritage Centre, 1985.
BENTLEY, J. Old Brierfield. Pendle Leisure Services, 1984.
BENTLEY, J. This was Nelson. Nelson Local History Society, 1973.
BLAKEY, J. Annals and stories of Barrowford. Nelson: Blakeys, 1929.
BRIGG, M. The early history of the forest of Pendle. 1989.
HASTED, R.A.C. The Pendle witch trial 1612. Lancashire County Books, 1987.
HILL, J. Nelson: Politics, Economy, Community. Keele University Press, 1997.
SMITH, R. Nelson & District illustrated history. Nelson: printed by Coulton & Co., 1922.
VICTORIA history of the county of Lancaster. Vol. 6, pages 512 - 522. Constable, 1911.
WALTON, J. Pendle Forest folk. Hendon Publishing Co., 1977.
WHITAKER, T.D. A History of the original parish of Whalley and Honor of Clitheroe. Routledge, 1876.
WIGHTMAN, P. Barrowford in old picture postcards. Back in Time, 1997.
WIGHTMAN, P. Pennine panorama. Gerrard, 1969.
WILSON, G.V. Tales of the Nelson Inn. Nelson Local History Societies, 1966.
22. Other family history sources
Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1918. Version 2. Naval and Military Press Ltd. 2004. Cd-Rom
Army Roll of Honour - World War ll - Soldiers died in The Second World War 1939-45. Naval and Military Press Ltd. 2000. Cd-Rom
The Lancashire 1891 Census. S&N British Data Archive Ltd. 2002. Cd-Roms
National Burial Index for England and Wales. Second Edition. Federation of Family History Societies. 2004. Cd-Roms
British Isles vital records index: England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Rev. ed. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 2002. Cd-Roms
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).