Local and Family History
at Bedford Central Library

• Ancestry Library Edition
  Free access in the library to 'Ancestry Library Edition', a web site that has a huge range of resources for family historians. For details, see the top of Local and family history A-Z page
   
• Alumni
  Alumni Cantabrigienses: a biographical list of all students, graduates and holders of office at the University of Cambridge from the earliest times to 1900. 10 Volumes.
  Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford 1715-1886, their parentage, birthplace and year of birth, with a record of their degrees. 4 Volumes
   
• Armed services
  For details, see Armed services records at Bedford Central Library
   
• Atlas and Index of Parish Registers
   
• Bedfordshire Heritage Library
  This is a special area in Bedford Central Library housing items from the local history collection that are rare, valuable or delicate and are of particular historical significance. For more information, see the Bedfordshire Heritage Library page.
   
• Births indexes
  1837-2004 for England and Wales
  Oversees births index (various dates from 1761-1994)
   
• Burial and cemetery records
  Kempston 1878-1964, Turvey 1872 - 1956, Wootton 1922-1934
  National Burial Index on CD-ROM
   
• Census indexes
  1881 British Census National Index on CD-ROM
   
• Census records
  Free access to census records 1841- 1901 on 'Ancestry Library Edition' web site.
  1841-1901 Bedfordshire census on microfilm and microfiche. 
  1881 British Census transcribed records on CD-ROM, accompanying the 1881 National Index on CD-ROM
   
• Census statistics
  Summary statistics of Bedfordshire from 1841 to date. Small area statistics for North and Mid Bedfordshire 1981 and 1991 and for Bedfordshire 1971 (incomplete)
   
• Council papers
  County, district, town and parish papers held in back files of varying lengths
   
• County guides and directories
  Bedfordshire 1785-1940 (incomplete)
   
• Deaths indexes
  1837-2004 for England and Wales
  Oversees deaths index (various dates from 1761-1994)
   
• Electoral registers
  Electoral registers from mid 19th century to date (incomplete) 
   
• Ephemera
  Arranged by subject
   
• Gentleman's Magazine
  1731-1900
   
• Indexes and catalogues
  Finding aids to library collections
   
• International Genealogical Index
  The 1988 and 1992 editions of the I.G.I., on microfiche for England, Scotland and Wales
   
• Magazines and journals and parish magazines
  Wide range of local magazines including:
  Bedfordshire Magazine 1947-1999
  Bedfordshire Historical Record Society Publications 1912 to date
  Local parish magazines, some with long back-files
  See the full list at Local newspapers, magazines and journals
  at Bedford Central Library
   
• Maps
  Historical and current maps of Bedfordshire of varying dates and scales. For details, open this Excel file (69 KB) Local historical maps at Bedford Central Library
   
• Marriages indexes
  1837-2004 for England and Wales
  Oversees marriages index (various dates from 1761-1994)
   
• Newspapers
  See Local newspapers at Bedford Central Library
   
• Newspaper cuttings files
  From 20th century onwards, with detailed indexes. To see the full list of the subjects covered, open this Word file (187 kb) Newspaper cuttings index, Bedford Central Library
   
• Newspaper Index
  Index to significant articles in Bedfordshire newspapers from 1980 to date. Some earlier 20th century articles are included
   
• Obituaries 
  Obituaries from the Times 1951-60, 1961-1970, 1971-1975
   
• Obituaries index
  Index to local newspapers and journals from 19th century onwards
   
• Parish registers
  Complete set of Bedfordshire transcribed parish registers from 1500s to 1812 (dates vary for different events and places), in book format
  Surname index to complete set of Bedfordshire Parish Registers, on CD-ROM
   
• Poll books
  Poll books of Bedfordshire from the 18th and 19th centuries
   
• Photographs and prints
  Covering Bedfordshire from the 19th century onwards
   
• Special collections
  John Bunyan and Mark Rutherford collections are housed in the Bedfordshire Heritage Library, an area of Bedford Central Library
   
• Subject files
  Articles, pamphlets and cuttings
   
• Telephone directories
  Bedfordshire telephone directories 1967 to date (incomplete)
  Bedfordshire Yellow Pages 1925, 1966 to date (incomplete)
  For details see Telephone directories at Bedford Central Library
   
• Town guides and directories
  Bedford 1890-1975 (incomplete)
  Luton 1950-1975 (incomplete)
   
• Victoria County Histories
  Complete set of the Victoria County Histories for England as published to date 
   
• Visitations
  Local and for selected counties. For details, see Visitations at Bedford Central Library
   
• Vital records
  'Vital records index British Isles' is a CD-ROM which covers selected records of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland between 1538 and 1888. Not all counties are represented and some are more completely represented than others.  Also available 'Vital records North America and Canada' and 'Vital records Australia'
   

Bedford Central Library contact details and opening times