Try Historical Directories (www.historicaldirectories.org ) for addresses between censuses and occupations - eg it often says Joe Bloggs, lamplighter, 99 Any Street.
Try local newspapers on Gale Newspaper Archive - I found several relatives placing adverts or BMD notices or their goings-on reported in the newspaper. You may be able to access Gale through your local library.
Try Google Books - I found an obituary of an ancestor who died in 1817.
I also found an ancestor who was the victim of a crime - she had a bed cover stolen and the thief ended up at the Old Bailey (records are online). Her own words are recorded "I recognised my bedcover by the stain on it". Fantastic to "hear" their words from 200+years ago
None of these people were particularly posh, they just happened to be in the right place at the right time!
Gales is wonderful! I found loads of BMD's for my family on there.
There was even a report of an ancestor being a gamekeep & he and his son (with same name) being shot by poachers, thankfully not fatally or I wouldnt be here, the son was my gt-gt-gt-grandad & he was only 10 at the time!
(Check with your local library - you MAY be able to get free access via your library card, I know our County Library do, but the local library dont - which is why I now have two library cards - both of which I am entitled to use!)
Try going to one of the 'old occupations' site & looking at your ancestors occupations, its enlightening.
I also find TV programmes, like "The Victorian Farm" interesting cos I had a lot of rural families in my tree, this one was even better for me cos I knew Acton Scott very well, having lived in the same area for a number of years, and my Mums side of the family came from Shropshire too, I have an Ag-Lab I can trace thru every cencus from a 1 year old in 1841 to grandfather in 1911 still working and it was fascinating seeing all the changes he would have witnessed in his lifetime.
Even programmes like "Casualty 1901" (or whatever year it was set i didnt pay attention) and the one about the inflenza epidemic in 1918 help to get an idea what life was like for ordinary people even those 'outside' the main casts, look at the stories of the casualties, factory workers, people living in Workhouses & policemen etc and it gives you a fair bit of information on ordinary peoples lives.
I have also rooted around in the library & got out books either about an area, or fiction set in certain areas to give you a 'feel' of how it was to be there then.
See if there are any local interest centres, or museums in the area you can visit, here in Oldham we have a local History Centre, and up in Uppermill there is a heritage museum, I know Coalbrookdale down in shropshire also has several heritage museums including a coal mining one - find out what your relatives did, and then see if there are any museums in the area for the occupation, or even anywhere else in the country.
Gaille
