The Society library is on the first floor at Jews’ Court. It is open on Wednesdays from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. and at other times by arrangement.
The Library concentrates on Lincolnshire books, magazines, journals and maps. There is a section for journals of other county societies which are obtained by exchanging with Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, our own journal. Only the past few are retained at Jews’ Court; the earlier editions are on deposit with Lincolnshire Archives.
The shelves house books on all kinds of subjects relating to Lincolnshire’s heritage. There is a card index for easy access to these as well as a computerised list. A computer is permanently in the library for the use of researchers. There is a large collection of files which include leaflets, brochures, notes and many other short items of information on Lincolnshire towns, villages, people and places.
The library houses a complete set of the Society’s own publications including family history booklets printed before 1990 (when the Society had a family history committee).
The magazine collection includes the present series of the Society’s publications as well as past series and those of other organisations. The list below is complete.
RESEARCH RESOURCES IN THE SLHA LIBRARY
Lincolnshire Books - Lincolnshire Magazines/Journals - National Magazines/Journals - Archaeology Magazine/Journals - Historic Walk Leaflets - Trade Directories - On-line resources
The Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology’s Library has a wealth of resources available to those who want to find out more about the history and archaeology of the towns and villages of Lincolnshire. The library is open to all members every Wednesday between 10am and 4pm. Below is a brief list of the facilities and resources accessible from the SLHA library at Jews’ Court.
Lincolnshire Local History Books
The Library has an extensive collection of books (which now numbers nearly 1,000) written specifically about the history of Lincolnshire, its towns and villages. These are to be found on the library’s bookshelves, classified and catalogued for quick and efficient searches, and include a comprehensive collection of volumes from the Lincoln Record Society.
Lincolnshire Magazines and Journals
The library also has an extensive collection of Lincolnshire magazines and journals, some dating back to the late nineteenth century, which can all be searched using card indexes and the Lindex online search facility (instructions on how to use these search methods are available). Beneath is a brief list of the journals and magazines available, although a full list of the library’s holdings can be found on the library notice board:
- The Lincolnshire Magazine published by the Lindsey Local History Society, 1933-1939
- The Local Historian published by the Lindsey Local History Society, 1935-1945
- The Lincolnshire Historian published by the Lincolnshire Local History Society, 1947-1965
- Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, published by the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 1966-present
- Lincolnshire Past and Present published by the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 1990-present
- Occasional Papers in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, published by the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology
- Lincolnshire Notes and Queries, 1888-1936 (not continuous)
- Morton’s Lincolnshire Almanack, 1904-1940 (not continuous)
- The Lincolnshire Poacher, 1951-1955 (not continuous)
- Lincolnshire Life, 1961-present
- The Tennyson Research Bulletin published by the Tennyson Society, 1973-2003 (not continuous)
- Tennyson Society Monographs (not continuous)
- Tennyson Society Occasional Papers (not continuous)
- Lincolnshire Transport Review, 1964-1974 (not continuous)
- Lincolnshire Mills Group Magazine, 1984-present (not continuous)
- Lincolnshire Old Churches Trust Annual Reports (not continuous)
- Lincoln Civic Trust Annual Report, 1954-1983
National Local History Magazines and Journals
As well as owning copies of Lincolnshire magazines and journals, the library also holds copies of magazines and journals published by national local history organizations. These include:
- Local History News, published by the British Association for Local History, 1985-2005 (up to date)
- The Local Historian, (formerly the Amateur Historian), published by the British Association for Local History, 1963-present
- Local History Magazine, 1990-present
- Bulletin of Local History East Midlands Region, 1968-1990 (not continuous)
- Local Population Studies, 1968-1987
Archaeological Magazines and Journals
A range of Archaeological magazines and journals are held in library, from the most recent editions published by local societies from around the country, to more comprehensive collections of national and Lincolnshire publications. These include:
- British Archaeology, published by the Council for British Archaeology, 1986-present
- Industrial Archaeology Review, published by the Association for Industrial Archaeology, 1976-2004 (not continuous)
- Reports and Papers Read at the Meetings of the Architectural Societies of the Diocese of Lincoln, County of York, Archdeaconry of Northampton, County of Bedford, Diocese of Worcester, County of Leicester, and Town of Sheffield, late 1850s-1930s
- Lincolnshire Architectural and Archaeological Society Reports and Papers
The library has copies of recent publications from the following local societies:
- Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
- Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society
- Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society
- Cambridge Antiquarian Society
- Derbyshire Archaeological Society
- Durham and Northampton Architectural and Archaeological Society
- Essex Society for Archaeological and History
- Kent Archaeological Society
- Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire
- Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society
- London and Middlesex Archaeological Society
- Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne
- Northamptonshire Record Society
- Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society
- Surrey Archaeological Society
- Sussex Archaeological Society
- Ulster Archaeological Society
- Worcester Archaeological Society
- Yorkshire Archaeological Society
Notes and leaflets on Historical Walks throughout the Lincolnshire
A range notes for walks and tours of Lincolnshire towns and villages undertaken by the members of the Lincolnshire Local History Society and its successor the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology between the late 1960s and mid 1980s. Terence Leach compiled most of these informative sheets. The notes themselves have collated in folders, and contain information on over 100 country houses, villages and other locations in Lincolnshire.
CD ROM resources
The library has recently acquired a set of CD ROMs which contain information from various censuses, Lincolnshire directories, parish registers and other related sources. This information can be easily accessed by inserting the CD ROM into the library computer, and gives the advantage of being able to search the whole documents much more quickly. Below is a list of the information stored on each CD ROM:
- Lincolnshire 1841 Census
- Lincolnshire 1861 Census (on DVD only, which the library PC cannot run)
- Kelly’s Directory of Lincolnshire: 1876, 1889, 1905, 1909, 1913, 1918, 1926, 1941 all on separate CDs
- William White’s History, Gazetteer and Directory of Lincolnshire: 1826, 1856, 1872, 1882, 1892-3 all on separate CDs
- Pigot’s Directory of Lincolnshire: 1828, 1835, 1841
- Morris and Co.’s Commercial Directory and Gazetteer of Nottinghamshire with Grantham, Chesterfield and Gainsborough: 1869
- Slater’s Directory of Lincolnshire: 1850
- Ruddocks’ Directory of the City of Lincoln: 1932
- Directory of the City of Lincoln: 1881
- Lincolnshire Parish Registers – Marriages: c. mid 16th – c. mid 17th century. See ‘Parish Index’ option on the CD menu in Adobe Reader for the parishes covered.
- The Registers of Coleby, Lincolnshire, 1561-1812
- The Holbeach Parish Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials: Covers 1606 and 1613-1641
- Universal British Directory, 1791: Covers the major towns and cities in England and Wales
- Lincolnshire Post Office Directory: 1876
- The Poll for the County of Lincoln, 1818: Lists all the individuals who were entitled t vote in the 1818 election, with their occupation and place of residence. Colour map of Lincoln in 1818 included
- Return of Owner’s Land, 1873 (Lincolnshire only)
- Highways and Byways in Lincolnshire, 1914: Includes an illustration of Jews’ House (p123)
- Lincolnshire Pedigrees: Published by the Harleian Society in 1903: Contains some family trees going back to the 16th century.
Online resources via broadband enabled Library PC
It is now possible to access the internet from the library via the library computer. The online resources that this enables the user to access include:
- The SLHA’s own website
- Lincolnshire County Council Library Service search catalogue
- Lincoln University Library search catalogue
- The Lindex search catalogue, which as well as indexing the Stamford Mercury newspaper in the period 1800-1899, also indexes the following journals and pamphlets:
- Epworth Witness
- Islonian (Journal of the Isle of Axholme Family History Society)
- Journal of the Lincolnshire Methodist History Society
- Lincoln Record Society
- Lincolnshire Family Historian
- Lincolnshire Family History Society Magazine
- Lincolnshire Historian
- Lincolnshire History and Archaeology
- Lincolnshire Industrial Archaeology
- Lincolnshire Life
- Lincolnshire Magazine
- Lincolnshire Past & Present
- Lincolnshire Poacher
- Lincolnshire Poacher: Quarterly Companion to ‘Lincolnshire Life’
- Local Historian (Lindsey Local History Society)
- Occasional Papers in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology (SLHA)
- Old Lincolnshire
- Poacher: Annual Companion to Lincolnshire Life
Partially indexed, ongoing additions:
- Associated Architectural Societies Reports & Papers
- Lincolnshire Architectural & Archaeological Society Reports and Papers
- Lincoln Diocesan Magazine
- Lincolnshire Notes & Queries
Also easily accessible are websites with national search catalogues (e.g. the British Library search catalogue) and sites with information about Local History and Archaeology from a national point of view (e.g. the Council for British Archaeology’s website and the British Association for Local History’s website). All of these sites can be easily accessed from the ‘Favourites’ list on Internet Explorer on the library computer.
