For anyone wanting to become familiar with our local history, where is the best place to start, what are the main sources and where are they available? The attached guide provides a short cut to many of the resources for our local history, making a starting point for where to find our local history or to carry out more in-depth research.
The interwoven history of families and localities set at a particular time makes a fascinating story. Our imagination can be set alight, and we can put into context why things are what they are today. We can choose the people we research, the places where they lived or worked, and set this against a background of the house they lived in, or their street or community.
We are very lucky that our local area (Bitton, Oldland Common, Swineford, Upton Cheyney and Willsbridge) has connections with Roman times, interesting industries, such as coal mining, hat making, brass and paper making. All this set in transport links
of the River Avon and the railways.
Attached to this article is a listing of some of the many resources for our local history. No doubt, there are many omissions, but the guide provides a useful start for the researcher. If you know additional sources, please let us know so that we can include
them in the catalogue.

Sources 062224

Stephanie Bailey (Chair) e-mail: stephanie4791@yahoo.com 0117 932 8949

or Mike Gates (Secretary) e-mail: mg122@btinternet.com 0117 932 8777

The following external links may be of assistance: Bath In Time http://www.bathintime.co.uk/

Some books on local history by Ian S. Bishop http://www.bishopbooks.co.uk/Home.html

Bitton Parish Council http://www.bittonparishcouncil.co.uk/bittonpc/Welcome.html

The History of the Parish of Bitton, Rev. H.T. Ellacombe here

Bitton and Oldland Registers here

Kingswood Museum http://www.kingswoodmuseum.org.uk

St Mary’s Church http://www.stmarysbitton.org.uk

Avon Valley Local History and Archaeology http://www.alha.org.uk/index.html