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A GUIDE TO THE WEST LOTHIAN LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION


West Lothian District Library Resources:-


It isn't always necessary to go to Edinburgh to research your family
tree, as we have several resources at the Library H.Q. in Bathgate which
are available free for public consulatation.

Births, marriages and deaths, 1855 to present.

Since 1855, it has been compulsory to register births, deaths and
marriages in Scotland, and copies of the records can be consulted in New
Register House, Princess Street, Edinburgh.

The information recorded is:

Births:      Child's full name, date and place of birth, details of
             child's parents including date and place of marriage,
             mother's maiden surname and their home address.

Marriages:   Couple's full names, date of birth, or age, date and place
             of marriage, their occupation and address at time of
             marriage, and also details of their parents, including the
             father's occupation, and if the mother was married more
             than once, her other surname, and also her maiden surname.

Deaths:      Deceased's full name, date of birth, or age, occupation and
             full name of spouse(s). When died and home adress at time
             of death. Parent's full names, father's occupation, if
             mother was married more than once her other surname, and in
             any case her maiden surname, also dat, place, cause of
             death and who registered the death.

The information held locally consists of the following :-

BOOKS:       Histories of most of the towns and villages of WestLothian;
             biographies of famous people associated with West Lothian;
             and books on the industries, churches, societied, buildings
             and wildlife of the district.

MAPS:        A collection of maps covering all areas, at various scales,
             and dating from 1590 to the present day; and specialised
             maps showing soil use, geology, foot-paths, rights of way,
             railways etc.

PHOTOGRAPHS: A growing collection of photographs and slides of all areas
             of West Lothian from the late nineteenth century to the
             present day.

VIDEOS &:    A number of films of old gala days and others of local
FILMS        interest

NEWSPAPERS:  Lothian Courier 1873 to date.
             Linlithgow Journal and Gazette 1891 to date.
             Midlothian Advertiser 1906 to 1967.

             All these newspaapers have been indexed and are available
             for you to consult on microfilm.

CENSUSES     For family historians, we have census enumeration books and
O.P.R's      Old Parish Registers (plus index) available on microfilm,
& I.G.I.     and the International Genealogical Index for Scotland and
             Ireland.

MINUTES:     Minutes of the old burgh and district councils, as well as
             West Lothian District and Lothian Region, are held. We also
             have valuation rolls from 1868 onwards and electoral rolls
             for most of this century.

CEMETERY/    We hold records of pre-1855 graveyard inscriptions. Later
GRAVEYARD    graveyard records are held by the cemeteries section of the
RECORDS      Environmental Health Department of West Lothian District
             Council.


DONATIONS:  We would be grateful for donations of material, or the
            opportunity to make copies of photographs and other
            materials which are of local interest.

OPENING     Monday - Thursday 08h30 - 17h00.
HOURS       Friday            08h30 - 16h00.
            1st Saturday of   09h00 - 13h00.
            the month.

                       COME IN AND BROWSE!

                     no appointment necessary.

         Telephone enquiries - Miss Sybil Calderwood 0506-52866

                      Local Studies Department
                            Library H.Q.
                         Marjoribanks Street
                             BATHGATE
                           West Lothian.

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