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Local History

General

Albion Archaeology Ltd
Formerly Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service. Information about recent excavations.
http://www.albion-arch.com

Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service
Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service - preserves, promotes and makes publicly available the constantly evolving written archive heritage of Bedfordshire and Luton comprising records dating from 1166 to the present.
http://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/ArchivesAndRecordOffice.aspx

Bedfordshire Genealogy - Bedfordshire Parishes within Hundreds
List of Bedfordshire Hundreds and the parishes within them.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~engbdf/ParisheswithinHundreds.html

Bedfordshire Historical Record Society
Information about the society and list of volumes in print.
http://www.bedfordshirehrs.org.uk/

Bedfordshire Libraries Virtual Library
Find photographs, maps, historical information, local directories, timelines and articles relating to Bedfordshire towns and villages as well as famous local people (John Bunyan, Joannna Southcott, John Howard).
http://virtual-library.culturalservices.net/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/places.htm

Bedfordshire Local History Association
The Bedfordshire Local History Association promotes the study of local history within and around Bedfordshire, and provides a forum for discussion and co-operation between interested groups and individuals. Find information about events and links to local societies.
http://www.bedfordshire-lha.org.uk/

British Newspaper Archive
The British Newspaper Archive gives you free access to millions of news articles going back over 200 years from newspapers both national and local in any Bedford Borough or Central Bedfordshire library Create a free account and then search and view the articles.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

Francis Frith Collection
Thousands of photographs of British towns and villages from the collection started by Francis Frith in the 1860s. Select by county or by town etc.
http://www.francisfrith.com/historic-county-of-bedfordshire

Gazeteer of markets and fairs in England and Wales to 1516
List of Bedfordshire fairs and markets with brief historical details.
http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/gaz/beds.html

Historical Directories of England & Wales
Find full text old Bedfordshire Directories on this site. Search by name, occupation, address or other key words and phrases.
http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/search/collection/p16445coll4/searchterm/Bedfordshire/field/place/mode/exact/conn/and/order/nosort

Historypin
A place for people to share photos and stories, telling the histories of their local communities.
https://www.historypin.org/en/

Manshead Archaeological Society of Dunstable
The study of the prehistory and history of South Bedfordshire and adjoining areas by archaeological methods. The Manshead Society is one of the few amateur groups that still undertake their own archaeological excavations. Newcomers to archaeology can learn the skills of excavation, recording and publishing
http://www.manshead.org.uk/

The Higgins
The Higgins - museum and art gallery in Bedford.
http://www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk/

Victoria County History
The Victoria County History (VCH) is an encyclopaedic record of England's places and people from earliest times to the present day, founded in 1899 and originally dedicated to Queen Victoria. It is based at the Institute of Historical Research in the University of London and written by historians working in counties across England.
https://www.victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk/counties/bedfordshire

Buildings, Monuments and People

Heritage Gateway
Search for online records about historic sites, monuments and buildings in England. The records are from Bedfordshire Historic Environment Record, Listed Buildings Online and other national and local databases
http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk

Historic Environment Record (HER) - Bedford Borough Council
This has the most complete source of information on archaeological sites and finds, historic landscapes, and historic buildings within the borough
https://www.bedford.gov.uk/planning-and-building/historic-environment/historic-environment-record/

Historic Environment Record (HER) - Central Bedfordshire Council
This contains details of all known archaeological sites, historic buildings and historic landscape features within the area as well as plans, illustrations, aerial and other photographs.
http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/environment/conservation/record.aspx

International John Bunyan Society
Society dedicated to the study of the life and times of John Bunyan (1628-1688)
https://johnbunyansociety.org/

John Bunyan Museum Bedford
Opening times and contact details ofr the John Bunyan Musuem, Bedford.
http://www.bunyanmeeting.co.uk/museum/

Industry and Transport

An Amateur Collector’s Dictionary of Antique English Lace Bobbins and Tools
An informative dictionary of lace bobbins and tools, including images.
http://www.brianlemin.com

BBC Legacies - Brickmaking in Bedfordshire
History of the brickmaking industry in Bedfordshire, once the largest in the world.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/work/england/beds_herts_bucks/

Bedfordshire Geneaology - Railways
Notes on the history of Bedfordshire railways.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~engbdf/railways.html

Military

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
Information about the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and their campaigns on the National Army Museum website.
https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/bedfordshire-and-hertfordshire-regiment

Bedfordshire Genealogy - Military History
Military history including the 16th Foot, volunteer regiments, military ancestors, Bedfordshire Regiment in the Boer War, 1st/5th Bedfordshire Regiment World War I.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~engbdf/Military/

Bedfordshire War Memorials and Rolls of Honour
Transcriptions and photographs made by the Bedfordshire Family History Society, Site also includes a list of some Bedfordshire people who were awarded citations and medals.
http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/index.html

Bedfordshire Women's Land Army
The history of the Women's Land Army in Bedfordshire. It includes information about Land Army hostels, a role of honour and an archive of images and reminiscences.
http://virtual-library.culturalservices.net/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.wla/wla_home.htm

Medals of the Regiments : The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
A comprehensive list of all the medals awarded to the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, at the North East Medals web site
http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/british_regiment/bedfordshire_and_hertfordshire_regiment.htm

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