Hundreds of years of history revealed in records launch

Family history website Ancestry.co.uk has launched the fully searchable Warwickshire Occupational Quarter Sessions 1662-1866, which relate to unusual historic records kept at Warwickshire County Record Office.

Sam Collenette, archive and historic environment manager at the record office, said: “Many people researching their family history are familiar with records of births, marriages and deaths and also census returns but this partnership with Ancestry.co.uk has enabled us to improve access to many more interesting and unusual records.”

A big proportion of the material covers the 18th century, which not only allows the user to step beyond the more familiar records of the 19th century but also to reflect upon the occupations and issues of the day.

The Quarter sessions were a system of quarterly meetings of justices of the peace for each county.

The court had both judicial and administrative functions so its records include court minutes and many aspects of administration.

Occupation lists of residents, ranging from gamekeepers and boat owners to printing press workers, provide vital information about working life within Warwickshire during the industrial revolution when it became one of Britain’s foremost industrial counties.

The collection also contains more than 80,000 tax certificates, revealing how much people were charged for products ranging from hair powder to fireplaces.

Volunteers will be on hand to assist visitors at the record office for free until Saturday morning.

To book a support slot call 738959 or to buy a subscription to view the records visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/countyrecordoffice