Kirklees Local Studies Library

Archives

Archives are preserved in the five offices of the West Yorkshire Archives Service and are available to view at their Kirklees office, based in Kirklees Local Study Library (please note library staff cannot provide access to archive material when the WYAS office is closed). Records of families, firms, schools, churches and local authorities are among the thousands of documents available.

• West Yorkshire Archive Service

History and heritage

Information about museums, war memorials, historic buildings, restoration and heritage projects in Kirklees is available at Kirklees Museums and Galleries.

Maps

A large collection of historic Ordnance Survey maps covering the Kirklees area from 1854 onwards is available along with copies of maps of Jeffrey's Yorkshire from 1778. West Yorkshire Archives Service also holds a large collection of maps.

Photographs

A visual record of the local area is maintained in the library's large photographic and postcard collection. You can also view and order copies from a selection of over 40,000 images on the Kirklees Image Archive and Kirklees Local Study Library.

Trade directories

Directories are a valuable source of information for those wishing to research local businesses. The earliest directory in the Local Studies Library's collection dates from 1819; the larger Kelly's and Post Office directories also include lists of private residents. Historical Directories of England and Wales are available online, searchable by region, decade and by name.

Postcards

Kirklees Local Studies Library holds a large collection of historic postcards covering the Kirklees area. These postcards are being digitised and the collection can be seen through the Library Catalogue . The original postcards are available to view at the Local Studies Library in Huddersfield.

Information for family historians including census returns from 1841 to 1911 and birth, marriage and death records from 1837 to 2005 are available from the Ancestry website (add link). It is a subscription website, but you can access it for free in any Kirklees Library and Information Centre.

Kirklees Local Study Library has a large collection of guides to family history research.

BBC Family History has general information about researching your family history and Genuki has a huge amount of family history information covering every county in the UK, with thousands of links.

Births, marriages and deaths

The General Register Office (GRO) Index (also known as the St. Catherine's Index) is the national index of births, marriages and deaths. The Local Studies Library holds copies of the indexes from July 1837 (when civil registration started) up to 1999. Please note we do not have access to certificates and cannot provide copies of them.

The FreeBMD website gives free access to records from 1837 to the 1950s and is constantly being updated to increase coverage. Records are also available on Ancestry, either free at any Kirklees LIC or through subscription.

We have burial records on microfiche.

• Available at Kirklees Local Study Library
• Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate
• FreeBMD
• Search for a grave

Census

Census returns for Kirklees are available from 1841 to 1901 at the Local Studies Library, which also holds the 1881 census index for Yorkshire.

Census returns for England and Wales are available through Ancestry, which can be accessed for free in our libraries or through subscription.

The 1881 census for England and Wales is available free through the Family Search website.

International Genealogical Index

Kirklees Local Study Library holds the IGI for Yorkshire. To search other regions you can use the Family Search .

Local organisations

Information about local family history groups and resources held in our Local organisations - family history database. This includes Huddersfield and District Family History Society.

The National Archives

Useful research guides and the The National Archives catalogue as well as pay-per-download access to some national archives documents.

Parish records

Copies of West Yorkshire parish and chapel records are available at Kirklees Local Study Library and Ancestry together with cemetery records for Kirklees.

Workhouses and the poor law

The Workhouse explores the history of the Poor Law in the UK, with information on life in the workhouse and details of workhouses in different countries.

First World War and Second World War

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Debt of Honour is a searchable database listing members of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars and the cemeteries and memorials where they are buried or remembered. It also lists Commonwealth citizens who died because of enemy action during the Second World War.

You can find out how to order a certificate and how much one costs.

• Order a copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate - that took place in Kirklees
• Order a copy of a stillbirth certificate - that took place in Kirklees
• GOV UK: General Register Office - for elsewhere in England and Wales

• War memorials
  Locations of memorials and monuments in Kirklees and lists of the names that appear on them.
• Huddersfield and District Family History Society
  Details of society activities and publications.
• Huddersfield Local History Society
  Details of society activities and publications.
• West Yorkshire Archive Service
  Historical records relating to West Yorkshire dating back to the twelfth century.

• BBC family history
  The BBC's family history website.
• Britain from above
  A project to digitise 95,000 searchable images from Aerofilms collection of aerial photographs from 1919 to 1953.
• Genuki
  Reference library of genealogical information of particular relevance to the UK and Ireland.
• Ancestry
  Discover your family history, build a family tree, search birth records and more. This service requires a paid subscription but is free in all LICs.
• Adoption records
  The Adoption Contact Register, finding birth relatives if you were adopted or finding a birth relative who was adopted.

Kirklees Libraries, in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Archives Service, Kirklees Council's BAME Network, and the Community Cohesion team, have created a virtual tour with Dr. Hannah-Rose Murray. This tour highlights five abolitionists who campaigned across Kirklees in the 19th century to end the brutal slave trade. This initiative has led to the development of a unique trail, in partnership with Locala, uncovering the extraordinary stories of these remarkable individuals and the places they visited in Kirklees.

We are: Black abolitionist history trials - Dewsbury.

We are: Black abolitionist history trials - Huddersfield.

We are: Black abolitionist history trials - Heckmondwike.

During the 19th century, abolitionists fought to end chattel slavery. Black men and women, often survivors of slavery, wrote powerful condemnations in their autobiographies and slave narratives, lectured on abolitionist platforms, and created paintings and illustrations depicting their experiences. They travelled extensively across England and Ireland, educating the public about their experiences.

Notable black abolitionists who visited Kirklees include Frederick Douglass, Moses Roper, William and Ellen Craft, James Watkins, Sarah Parker Remond, Jacob D. Green, Turner Williams, Samuel Robinson, and Henry 'Box' Brown. They became renowned in Britain and Ireland for their international campaigns for liberty and social justice, which continue to resonate today. Although some of the locations in Kirklees where these abolitionists lectured or published their narratives no longer exist, the sites remain as visual monuments to their courageous and inspiring fight against chattel slavery and racism.

Health and wellbeing benefits

Being outdoors is beneficial for our health! It can reduce stress and blood pressure and improve overall well-being. Whether you prefer an energetic day out on your bike or a leisurely walk, there is a Black Abolitionist History Trail for you. For more information on getting active, visit the NHS .