Family History

Here you will find information on tracing your ancestors. Genealogy is one of the fastest growing pastimes and the internet is quickly becoming an invaluable resource. There are now searchable databases like the Mormon Church website, census online etc. (links below) and others which make life a lot easier.

We include local resources, links and general information

Local Resources

These resources will hold records like local birth, marriage and death indexes, census returns, trade directories, parish registers, monumental inscriptions, non-conformist records, cemetery records, electoral registers, rate books, local newspapers, probate records, maps and photographs.

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Trafford local studies centre - based at Sale Library. Information on all the records held at the centre

NEW! - Carl's Cam - fascinating collection of photos (includes a gazetteer, boundary, timeline. Photos: memorials, buildings, places. Web Site: surname index, links) covering Cheshire plus bits of Lancs, Yorks and Derbys. Too extensive to describe fully so click on link to see what he has to offer.

Local Register Offices

Get copies of of birth, death and marriage certificates of any of your known relatives who lived in the area.

rafford Registration District
Town Hall
Sale Waterside
Sale M33 7ZF
Tel 0161 912 3026
Fax 0161 912 3031
e-mail registrars@trafford.gov.uk

General Register Office

The new website address for GRO is www.direct.gov.uk/gro. This will take the user to an area entitled “Registering Life Events”. As well as providing easy links to the GRO online certificate ordering service, it will contain information on the registration of birth, adoption, stillbirth, marriage, civil partnership and death together with guidance on family history and the use and availability of the GRO birth, death and marriage indexes.

The Family Records Centre closed in March 2008. Reference can be made to the online ordering service and guidance on family history pages on the website.

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The Family History Centre, Altrincham Rd, Wythenshawe. Tel: +44 (0)161 902 9279

Resource list for the Wythenshawe branch

The Greater Manchester County Record Office

56 Marshall St., New Cross, Manchester Tel: +44 (0)161 8323 5284

The Family History Society of Cheshire

The North Cheshire Family History Society

South Cheshire Family History Society

Stockport Central Library

Wellington Rd Sth, Stockport Tel: +44 (0)161 474 4530

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National Resources

Family Records Centre

The Family Records Centre closed in March 2008 and therefore all enquiries can be made to the online ordering service and guidance on family history pages on www.direct.gov.uk/gro

Morman Family History Centre

This invaluable resource is handily situated just off junc x of the M56.

Opening times - non church members

Mon - Thu am - 9.30 to 12.30
Mon - Fri pm - 12.45 to 03.10
Thurs eve - 07.00 to 09.00

Church members

Wed eve - 07.00 to 09.00
1st Sat each month - 09.30 to 12.30

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Useful Links

Do you have links to Sale?

If you have a tree you would like to make public and you also have links to Sale, contact SCW and you can link to it from here.

Sue Jennings

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Starting out in genealogy

Start with relatives - talk to older family members and build rough family tree with what they can remember of names, dates, places.

Search family for copies of any certificates - birth and marriage most likely. Also check for any other family papers, letters etc.

You can start from this known information and check it out with the official records using the sources above.

Read some introductory books - there are lots about these days. A good one is 'Short Cuts in Family History' by Michael Gandy. published 1998 by Countryside Books and the Federation of Family History Societies.
ISBN 1 85306 3169

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