On Tuesday I popped into our public library because they were having an ancestor hunt day, where people came along and had a bit of help tracing their elusive ancestors. The library has access to Ancestry and Find My Past, as well as to a lot of other resources that can really help with family history. Having said that, I was in the library on Thursday too, for the launch of the renamed Local Studies Library which is now called the Local and Family History Centre, and the latest exhibition. The new name really describes succinctly the kind of information that can be found in their resources.
The launch was well-attended, with about 30 people enjoying the talks and the exhibition - oh, and the tea and cakes too!! We were told about many of the things the Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers (LLLSVs for short) have done over the past 5 years, and heard about their plans for the future. Their latest book is a faithful transcription of a book by Herbert W. Cook entitled Robert Bakewell of Dishley: the pioneer of English stockbreeding, which was originally published in 1942. The 2019 reprint is now available to purchase from the Local and Family History Centre for a minimum donation of £7. Do try and get along to the exhibition if you can - it's about William Railton, the architect behind Nelson's Column, and his work in Leicestershire.
Later that same evening I went to the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society talk on Elizabethan and Stuart turbulence in Leicestershire, given by Richard Bullock of Nottingham Trent University. Before I went along, I admit I knew very little about the Elizabethan age, or the age of the Stuarts, and really couldn't imagine what turbulence there might have been in the peaceful county of Leicestershire, although given what I knew about the Luddite attacks, the Chartists Uprising of the early-mid 1800s etc. it was always likely that Leicestershire had never been peaceful!
Anyways, it was great to learn about the arguments and disputes, the trials and tribulations and relationships between the local landowning and influential families - the Hastings, the Greys, the Shirleys and the Faunts. What a complicated set of circumstances, what a complex web of relationships, but I certainly came away knowing more than I had before.
So these busy few days were then followed by a visit to a fascinating archive, like most fledgling archives, kept in a tiny room and a basement, but housing some truly fascinating documents and resources. I was also lucky enough this day to happen upon some Tuckers bricks, with the header end facing forward and embossed with "Tuckers Newstyle". What a treat!!! Sadly, no photos though. I also tried to find out if the radiators were from Messengers, but there was nothing obvious, so perhaps on my next visit I should take my plumbing kit with me and disconnect one so I can get round the back and find the evidence!!!!!
This weekend I've spent a great couple of days walking the length and breadth of Loughborough looking for suitable photo opportunities for my forthcoming book, and trying to hunt down more blue enamel street signs (I've only found 4 so far, but I'm pretty sure there are more out there)!
Anyway, must go and prepare for another week at work!
Dyer, Lynne (2019). Museums, libraries, books, talks and archives: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2019/02/museums-libraries-books-talks-and.html [Accessed 10 February 2019]
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