Old Voters Lists for Tardebigg/Redditch

[Graye]

Could anyone please tell me where these are held and what years they might cover please?  I undertand the Tardebigg parish covered half of Redditch for census purposes (Ipsley covered the other half) but I'm not sure whether the Voters list covers the same split.

I am also looking at Ipsley which was Warwickshire up until 1931, then became Worcestershire.  Does anyone know where these Voters lists are please?  Presumably some fall under Worcs CC and the others under Warks CC depending on the year?

I've used Voters Lists before, but only as far back as the 1970s.  These just gave the house number and names of the occupants over 18, arranged by Parish and street.  Are the older ones similar?  Obviously the voting age was different and ther would be no women before a certain date...

[andyb1963]

Graye

The Worcestershire Voter's Lists are available on microfiche in the Worcestershire Library and History Centre.

See link below

Andy

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/community-and-living/records/worcestershire-history-centre.aspx

[Graye]

Thanks for that info I shall see what they have.

I suppose I could work on the basis that anything they don't have should be in Warwick!  I'll ask on the Warickshire section of the forum if they have any ideas what is held there.

[Yegvard]

Hi,

Things may have changed, but at one time pre 1922 Redditch voters were in book form at Redditch Library.  Post 1922 I think are at Worcester.  I can't speak for the microfiche, but the books were organised by district and then street.  So unless you know the address already it is very hard work going through the tomes.

Redditch Library also have, if I can remember the full title "The Redditch and District Needle Makers Almanack."  This runs from about 1870 to 1935 and was produced annually.  Being local it much more likely to be current than say Kelly's.  The Almanack was a street and commercial directory, with adverts I think.  Very useful for following family movements.  Also at Redditch Library are some Church magazines, giving announcements to some events such as baptisms, marriages and burials.

They will also have numerous locally published books on the town.

Probably worth a day in Redditch Library as well.

Mike

[Graye]

Thank you SO much for that.  In fact you have given me more info which we really were looking for.  I DO have the exact  addresses so it should make things easyish.

We have decided to pull all our information together on a certain section of the family into a book as it seems to have a great deal of local interest. We are just assembling the bare bones but information is certainly out there from what we can see.   So we are looking for anything to do with needle making & spring making in that period in Redditch/Studley, directors of companies, planning permissions, house plans, photographs etc.  It sounds as if we might have found a new source there.  Thank you.

[Yegvard]

Hi,

Needles.  In that case you need a to trip to Forge Mill and Needle Museum.

Also there is a Redditch Local History Society.  There's a link to it from the BromsgroveBMSGH website but here it is anyway http://www.redditchhistory.org.uk/

So there's a day and an evening booked up.  Talk to people as I think there is a lot of information out there already.  But what form it takes I don't know.

If you do write the book, the modern trend tends to have a general index plus a name and place index, so as to reach as large an audience as possible.

Cheers

Mike

[Graye]

Thanks.  Although I'm generally stuck in North Yorkshire I have a cousin who is now doing all the local stuff and she has been to the Forge Mill Museum this last week.  We have a few people to speak to so we shall see how things work out.  We have patents for some of the items they have on display so it might be interesting to let them have copies at some point to add to their displays.

I've also spoken to someone at the Redditch local history place.  He was busy with an exhiibition but I'm hoping to have another chat with him soon.  I'm trying to pin down maps or even photos of two very specific areas between Studley & Redditch which I hope he may be able to help me with, or at least point me in the right direction.

Yes I think an index is a  must, there will be many local names appearing so the more comprehensive the index the better.  My cousin has been along to an exhibition in Studley this weekend too. - really helpful.  It makes research a lttle difficult as the area is slap bang on the border of the two counties.  AND the border appears to have moved too!

[Yegvard]

The border has moved, and more than once as well.

It also depends on who you ask.   Also the government, a long time ago, thought it went one place, the locals said No it's over here!

Then there's the Registration Districts for census, parts are under Kings Norton, and other parts, Bromsgrove.  And the Worcester Diocese is different again.

Mike

[Graye]

I knew Redditch used to fall under Bromsgrove for registrations but I had no idea about the Kings Norton bit.  Which area of Redditch fell under Kings Norton please?  Now I understand why some of the marriage info I'm finding falls under Kings Norton!