Community & Family History

Community History information is available in all Halton Libraries but the largest collections are based at Halton Lea and Widnes Library. Local historical information is available through extensive book collections, parish records, newspaper archives, various family and local history indexes, trade directories, maps and various online resources. Halton Lea Library concentrates on the history of Runcorn and Widnes Library is the place to go for the history of Widnes.

Just some of the Community History information available is listed below:

Picture Halton

• The Halton Library Service Image website is Picture Halton

Family History Help Sessions

Free weekly help session:
Every Tuesday 1-4pm, Halton Lea Library
Every Friday 11-3pm, Widnes Library

Ancestry Library

• Ancestry Library is the largest family history site on the Internet, with free access to National Census, Births, Marriages and Death Records.  Only accessible on a Halton Library Public PC.
  

Census

• 1841-1911 Census free online

Find My Past

• Find My Past – Free access to Cheshire records.  Only accessible on a Halton Library public PC.
  

The British Newspaper Archive

The British Newspaper Archive is a partnership between the British Library and findmypast to digitise up to 40 million  newspaper pages from the British Library’s vast collection over the next 10 years. Only accessible on a Halton Library Public PC.

Local Newspapers on Microfilm

• 1869 – Current

Maps

• Cheshire From 17th Century
• Tithe Maps 1840s
• Large scale maps of Runcorn and Widnes

Parish Registers held at Halton Lea Library

• Frodsham St Lawrence
• Runcorn All Saints
• Runcorn St Edwards
• Holy Trinity
• Halton St Mary
• Weston Point Christ church

Parish Registers held at Widnes Library

• St Luke Farnworth
• St Marie Widnes
• St Patrick West Bank
• Daresbury All Saints
• St Mary’s West Bank
• St Mary Hale
• St Paul Widnes
• St Michael

Trade Directories

• For further details and help in finding information contact your local library.

Cheshire Archives

• Cheshire Record Office has thousands of records in its care including tithe maps, parish records and electoral registers. Take a look at their catalogue.

Halton Heritage

• Halton borough has a unique history and is home to a great variety of organisations and groups who care passionately about local heritage. Halton Heritage Partnership brings these groups together to work collaboratively, to share their knowledge, their collections, and their enthusiasm for Halton’s history with people across the borough and beyond.

Youtube

• Why not watch our Local History YouTube playlist? We’ve collected together some of the best local historical videos on YouTube, including footage of the transporter bridge, Runcorn New Town development and much more.