Where to Find More Information
Local Groups and Societies
There are a large number of local history and archaeology groups across the county, who may be able to help you get started and even have information in their own archives.
Information on these groups can be found at:
The Local History Directory, a national directory of local groups all over the country (www.local-history.co.uk/Groups/).
Local History Link also contains contact information for Local History societies and groups in Warwickshire (www.localhistorylink.com).
The Community Information Database lists over 4000 local services and organisations including clubs, societies and voluntary groups (www.warwickshire.gov.uk/cid/).
The Dugdale Society promotes research and publishes articles on Warwickshire's local history (www.shakespeare.org.uk/dugdale).
Online Parish Clerks (OPCs)
OPCs are volunteers who collect and transcribe records for a chosen specific parish. The data may include census, parish registers, cemetery records, parish histories and other records. Each OPC decides what data to collect, how it will be organized and distributed or displayed, and considers possible copyright, data protection and privacy issues, and avoids misuse of data. Data provided by OPCs must not be used for commercial purposes without the permission of the OPC.
The Warwickshire Online Parish Clerk volunteers provide information to researchers at no charge. All information is provided to researchers on the understanding that transcripts are, at best, a secondary source and only a guide. As errors may occur in transcription, original documents should always be checked.
More information on the Warwickshire OPC can be found at: www.hunimex.com/warwick/opc/opc.html
Internet links to help get you started
British Association for Local History (http://www.balh.co.uk/)
Local History Magazine Online (http://www.local-history.co.uk/)
National Archives guides to using archives for researching local history (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/localhistory)
BBC Local History trail (www.bbc.co.uk/history/lj/locallj/preview.shtml)
More information about the County Record Office and libraries in Warwickshire can be found on the County Council website, together with links to many useful websites. (http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/)
