We are excited to launch rate books for the boroughs which now make up Greater Manchester available for free on Findmypast at all Manchester Libraries. These sources, which locate families at addresses from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, can be crucial for tracing family history between the census years.

Celebrate Local and community history month with us in May by coming along to one of our talks or workshops themed around these newly-published local archives:

  • Friday 12 May 10am-12:30 Newton Heath Library: get inspired to start your own family research at this workshop on using rate books, local maps, street directories, census and other archives to identify your ancestors.
  • Tuesday 16 May 11am-1pm Central Library handling table: get inspired to start your own family research at this workshop on using rate books, local maps, street directories, census and other archives to identify your ancestors.
  • Wednesday 24 May 5-7pm Central Library Manchester Histories Hub: join the Manchester Histories team to share your views on making and sharing your own group or community’s digital content. Book a free ticket on Eventbrite.
  • Friday 26 May 11-12am Central Library Performance Space: talk on the 1921 census by Leslie Turner, of the Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society. Book a free ticket on Eventbrite.
  • Friday 26 May 12-2pm Central Library handling table: handling session with local maps, rate books, street directories, census and other archives – meet the archivists and get advice.
  • Saturday 27 May 10:30-11:30am Central Library Performance Space: talk on using the 1939 register to trace family histories by Barry Henshall of the Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society. Book a free ticket on Eventbrite.
  • Saturday 27 May 11-12 Didsbury Library: get inspired to start your own family research at this workshop on using rate books, local maps, street directories, census and other archives to identify your ancestors.
  • Saturday 27 May 2-4pm Wythenshawe Forum Library: get inspired to start your own family research at this workshop on using rate books, local maps, street directories, census and other archives to identify your ancestors.
  • Wednesday 31 May 1:30-3:30pm Hulme High Street Library: get inspired to start your own family research at this workshop on using rate books, local maps, street directories, census and other archives to identify your ancestors.
  • Throughout May at Wythenshawe Forum Library you can see Wythenshawe Local History group’s display on the History of Wythenshawe Town centre (Civic).
  • Throughout May at Gorton Library and Longsight Library selections of local film archive footage from the North West Film Archive will be displayed.
  • Saturday 3 June 2-4pm at Withington Library: get inspired to explore the history of your local area at this workshop on the treasures of the Manchester local image collection.