Local Studies Centre at Touchstones Rochdale
The Local Studies Centre at Touchstones Rochdale holds extensive records and historical documents for Rochdale and the Pennine area, such as:
- Parish records - these include the births, deaths and marriage records for as far back as 1538.
- Census records - the government carries out a survey of all the people living in the UK every 10 years which is called a census. The census includes the address of each person and what their job is.
- Trade directories - these were published annually and list the names and addresses of local traders and businesses. The first trade directories were published in the 1600s.
- Newspapers - local newspapers are a great place to search for information about your ancestors, for example in obituaries and inquest reports.