Prefer to do your own research? Here’s a list of helpful websites to start you off:
Ancestry
A subscription site with access to genealogical records from thousands of different archives. A word of caution: Members have the option to upload their own family tree which they can choose to make public or not. Should you find an ancestor on such a tree do not assume the tree is correct. Do the research yourself otherwise you may find yourself adopting a family that isn’t yours!
Find My Past
A subscription site similar to the above. I’d recommend a subscription to both Ancestry and Find My Past. FMP in particular has access to thousands of newspapers, if your ancestors made the newspapers who knows what you’ll discover!
General Register Office (GRO)
Order certificates.
Family Search
Free genealogy site.
FreeBMB
Search for birth, marriages, deaths 1837 – 1930.
The Genealogist
Subscription site.
Guild of One Name Studies
Hard to find records.
The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS)
Family history society.
Society of Genealogists
Family history society.
Roots Chat
Family history forum site.
Old maps
Old maps from England, Wales and Scotland.
Digital Panopticon
Learn more about crime and criminal justice in the past.
Old Bailey Online
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913.
World Naval Ships
Histories of naval ships from 19th century to present day.
Crew List Index Project
British merchant seafarers of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Victorian Wars Forum
British Military Campaigns from 1837 to 1902.
British Newspaper Archive
Copies of 18th and 19th century national and local newspapers, subscription site.
University of Leicester Special Collections Online
Useful for finding trade directories.
Obscure historical occupations
Vision of Britain
Historical descripions of an area. Useful for discovering local history.
Francis Frith
Old photos.
Historic England Viewfinder
The photographs on ViewFinder are from the Historic England Archive. They date from the 1850s and are a resource for those interested in England’s social, industrial, architectural and archaeological history.
Victorian Web
Life in Victorian times.