Sources & methods (1): Analytical Approach (1)

Introduction

Sources & methods (1) refers to how official sources combine with trade directories and press accounts to take snap-shots of the past.

Sources & methods (1): sources

The analytical approach employed on this website takes for primary source material the following:

• Census listings (‘official’ information)
• Baptisms-Marriages-Burials (‘official’ information)
• Other ‘official’ records (Central Government, Local Government, Ecclesiastical)
• Trade Directories (commercial information: Kelly, Post Office, Pigot, etc. for 1849, 1851, 1855, 1859, 1865, 1871, 1875, 1878, 1880, 1885, 1889, 1895, 1898; also see Dennis R. Mills, Rural Community History from Trade Directories (University of Hertford, 2001)
• Newspapers (commercial information)
  

Some of the posts appearing on this site have perhaps a hundred prime source references to support them, but the SEO facility used on the site baulks at this. Where possible, sources having on-line access form the majority of analyses conducted and published on this site. In some cases, however, for example, a few of the trade directories, no on-line access exists.

As a result, references no longer appear either in the posts or on the Knowledge Base. For those interested in checking a reference, please contact direct. See here and here (subscriptions needed) for primary source access. Also go here.

Sources & methods (1): Bio-Digs

The overall analytical approach involves identifying people of interest, collecting as much of their established factual data as possible, then linking it together over time. Hence, it attempts to reconstitute as much of the individual’s life as possible. The same approach applies to the individuals’ families.

• Identify an individual of interest found in a census listing in order to start a Bio-Dig file.
• Based on recorded age and place of origin search for individual’s baptism, marriage(s), burial records.
• Track census appearances over time.
• Find relevant information in ‘other records’ and Trade Directories (if appropriate).
• Source press references if exist.
• Based on the reconstituted life and linkages discover and map the individual’s kinship connections and friendship or associate networks.
• Distill findings into file format and add to spreadsheet for aggregated Bio-Dig file analysis.

For references and engagement, please get in touch. Main primary sources: here and here (subscriptions needed).