County Library and Information Service
Community History
Guide to the Local Collections
Chorley Collection
Chorley District.
Union Street
Chorley
Lancashire
PR7 1EB
Tel: 01257 277222
Fax:01257 231730
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
9:30 - 19:00
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 17:00
9:30 - 19:00
9:30 - 16:00
4. Scope and arrangement of collection
5. Catalogues and bibliographiesThe local studies collection is housed in the Reference Department and is based on a geographical area covering the boundaries of the post-1974 Chorley District Council. This area centres on the old market town of Chorley and extends east to the moors of Rivington and Anglezarke and west to the agricultural areas of Mawdesley, Bretherton and Croston. The contrasting nature of the area is emphasised by the old mining and industrial townships of Coppull and Adlington, while to the north the parishes of Clayton-le-Woods and Cuerden extend into the environs of Leyland.
The collection comprises of around 3,000 books and pamphlets on all aspects of the Chorley area. A good collection of general books on Lancashire and the subject of genealogy is also maintained. There is a large collection of maps and plans, as well as separate collections of photographs, illustrations and newscuttings. The collection policy is that all material relating to the former Chorley District has a potential interest to the library. Older and more fragile documents are sent to the Lancashire Record Office for conservation reasons.
Books and pamphlets are loaned to library members where duplicate copies permit.
The collection uses the Lancashire Library Local History Classification Scheme in the arrangement of its books, pamphlets, photographs and newscuttings. The various elements in the collection are then indexed in various forms. All indexes are available to the public.
Enquiries about Chorley from students, schools and library customers are received by post, telephone and personal visits; every effort is made to answer enquiries as fully as possible from the resources in the collection. It is of great help if customers would consider the possibility of offering items to the Chorley collection when material of local interest is to be discarded.
A free guide to the collection is available called "Local Studies and Family History at Chorley Library".
6. DirectoriesThe Local Studies catalogue is available as part of the Lancashire County Library and Information Service's Talis online catalogue (link). It is possible to search by author, title, keyword, subject and class number.
The Local Studies Collection has a number of catalogues and indexes available:
- A sheaf catalogue, in alphabetical subject order, of the index to the Chorley Guardian newspaper (covering the period 1871 to date).
- A sheaf catalogue, in an alphabetical arrangement of names, places and subjects, of society publications such as the Chetham Society, including references to the major items of local interest.
- A card catalogue, in alphabetical subject order, of the index to the Chorley Standard (covering the period 1864 – 1931)
- A printed index to the photograph collection, in an alphabetical arrangement of subject and place.
- A database and printed index to the books of local author George Birtill.
- A database and printed index to the Flat Iron, an annually produced library magazine.
- Complementary to the locally produced catalogues and indexes, the collection includes the volumes published to date by the Lancashire Bibliography and a series of guides to wills, deeds etc.
- Printed index to Estate documents.
- Database index of many local history books.
- Database of community information.
- Lancashire Lantern.
7. Electoral RegistersThe range of directories extends from 1814 to the 1960s in bound volumes, with a number of extracts on Chorley from county directories available in photocopied format. Of special value are the Robinson directory of 1835 and the Post Office directory of 1889.
1793 Universal British Directory of Trade & Commerce. Chorley directory.
1814 - 1815 Wardle & Bentham Commercial Directory
1818 Pigot & Dean commercial directory.
1822-23 Pigot & Dean directory. Chorley section
1823 Baines history, directory & gazetteer of the County Palatine of Lancaster Vol, 1 and 2.
1824 - 1825 Pigot & Dean Directory for Manchester, Salford etc
1830 The new Lancashire gazetteer.
1835 Robinson. An historical & descriptive account of the Parish of Chorley.
1843 Slater's directory of Manchester.
1848 Slater's directory of Lancashire. Chorley section + Lancashire on CD.
1851 Mannex directory Preston & district.
1852 Slater's directory of Lancashire. Chorley section.
1853 Mannex directory of mid-Lancashire.
1854 Mannex directory of mid-Lancashire.
1858 Slater's directory of Manchester.
1861 Slater's directory of Lancashire. Chorley section.
1865 Slater's directory of Manchester. Chorley section.
1866 Mannex topography & directory of North & South Lancashire.
1871 Slater's directory of Lancashire.
1872 Worrall's Wigan & district directory.
1873 Mannex directory of Blackburn, Accrington, Darwen & Chorley.
1876 Slater's directory of Lancashire.
1876 Slater's directory of Manchester.
1879 Slater's directory of Lancashire. Chorley section.
1880 Barrett's directory of Preston & Fylde district.
1881 Barrett's directory of Preston & district.
1884-1935 Withnell directories.
1885 Slater's directory of Lancashire. Chorley section
1889-90 Post Office Chorley directory.
1891 Cotton spinners & manufacturers directory, Chorley section.
1895 Morris directory of Chorley.
1897-8 Telephone directory of N. Lancashire list of subscribers.
1898 Barrett's directory of Preston & Fylde.
1901 Kelly's directory of Lancashire Chorley section.
1905 Kelly's directory of Lancashire, Chorley section
1906 Barrett's directory of Preston & Fylde district.
1909 Kelly's directory of Lancashire, Chorley section.
1913 Kelly's directory of Lancashire, Chorley section.
1917 Barrett's commercial directory, Chorley area.
1924 Kelly's directory of Lancashire, Chorley section.
1932 Aubrey's Lancashire directory, Chorley section.
1936 Barrett's directory of Preston.
1939 Barrett's directory of Blackburn & district.
1940 Barrett's directory of Preston.
1948 Barrett's directory of Preston.
1949 A souvenir of the Golden Jubilee of Chorley and District.
1899-1949 Chamber of Trade.
1951 Barrett's directory of Preston.
1954-5 Town & Country directories, Chorley section.
1963-4 North West counties of England trades directory.
1964-5 Ashton & Denton directory, Chorley section.
1967 North West Counties of England trades directory.
1972-3 North West Counties of England trades directory.
1993 Chorley Economic Development unit directory.
Directories can be found on the Library's online catalogue.
8. Rate BooksElectoral registers for Chorley and District are held in bound form for 1918, 1927, 1939, 1958, 1971 - 3, 1977, 1979 onwards and on microfilm for 1905, 1909, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1945 and 1946.
9. Census enumerators’ returnsThe library holds Chorley valuation lists for 1844 and 1863. The main collection of rate books for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
10. Parish recordsThe census returns (1841 - 1901) are held on microfilm and microfiches for Adlington, Anderton, Anglezarke, Bretherton, Brindle, Charnock Richard, Chorley, Clayton-le-Woods, Croston, Cuerden, Duxbury, Eccleston, Euxton, Heapey, Heath Charnock, Heskin, Hoghton, Mawdesley, Rivington, Ulnes Walton, Welch Whittle, Wheelton, Whittle-le-Woods and Withnell, Coppull and Brinscall. Although outside the district there is coverage (incomplete) of Bispham, Blackrod, Bradshaw, Breightmet, Edgeworth, Entwistle, Harwood, Lever, Longworth, Lostock, Quarlton, Sharples, Tonge, Turton, Howick, Longton, Farrington, Rufford, Penwortham, Hesketh-with Becconsall, Much and Little Hoole, Parbold, Shevington, Standish, Tarleton, Worthington and Wrightington. Leyland, Hutton, Haulgh, Wigan, Aspull, Haigh, Appley Bridge, Lathom, Burscough, Standish with Langtree, Scarisbrick, Ormskirk, Skelmersdale.
The 1881 census and indexes are held on microfiche for the following counties: Lancashire, Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland and Cheshire.
Lancashire census on CD Rom for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1891.
The national 1881 census on CD-ROM is also available.
Name
1841 Chorley, Coppull.
1851 Chorley & District, Hindley, Pemberton, Up Holland, Ashton In Makerfield, Wigan, Longton, Bolton, Preston, Garstang, Brindle, Leyland & Rivington, Blackburn, Walton-le-Dale, Alston & Broughton, Standish and Aspull.
1861 Coppull, Lancashire (part not including Chorley) (CD ROM).
1871 Chorley & District, Lancashire (part not including Chorley) (CD ROM).
1881 Whole Country (CD ROM), Lancashire (microfiche)
1891 Chorley & District, Lancashire (part not including Chorley) (CD ROM)
1901 Chorley, Wheelton, Charnock Richard, Welch Whittle, Whole Country (online access)
Locality
1841 Chorley & District, Lancashire (CD ROM).
1851 Chorley & District, Lancashire (CD ROM), Hindley, Pemberton, Up Holland, Ashton In Makerfield, Wigan.
1861 Chorley & District, Coppull, Lancashire (CD ROM).
1871 Chorley & District, Lancashire (CD ROM).
1881 Chorley & District, Lancashire (microfiche).
1891 Chorley & District, Lancashire (CD ROM).
1901 Whole Country (online access).
Indexes on fiche are available for other areas as follows:
Bolton 1811, 1821, 1831
Blackburn 1851, 1891
Liverpool 1851
Wigan 1891
Lancaster Gaol 1851
11. NewspapersLANCASHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY vol. 1 -, 1898 –
This series is indexed by parish in the library’s sheaf catalogue and also in the Lancashire Record Office publication Finding Folk and the more recent The Yellow Handlist.
A limited number of duplicate volumes for local churches are available for loan.
Microfiche copies of the following Chorley district parish registers are held:
Adlington
St Paul Christenings & burials 1839 - 1900 Marriages 1843 - 1900
Charnock Richard
Christ Church Banns 1861 - 1900 Christenings & burials 1860 - 1900 Marriages 1861 - 1900 Services 1888 - 1900
Chorley
St George Banns 1838 - 1900 Christenings & burials 1836 - 1900 Marriages 1836 - 1900 Services 1843 - 1900
St Laurence Burials 1548 - 1856 Christenings & marriages 1548 - 1900
St Peter Banns 1854 - 1900 Christenings 1851 - 1900 Marriages 1852 - 1900 Preacher's books 1900
Coppull
Coppull Parish Baptisms 1757-1865, Marriages 1793-1865
Coppull, St John. Baptisms 1912-1951. Marriages 1912-1950.
Croston
St Michael Banns 1814 - 1900 Christenings & burials 1538 - 1900 Marriages 1538 - 1900 Services 1894 - 1900
Eccleston
St Mary Banns 1754 - 1900 Christenings & burials 1603 - 1900 Marriages 1603 - 1900 Services 1883 - 1900 Offertories 1890 - 1895
Euxton
Unknown Christenings & burials 1774 - 1900 Marriages 1838 - 1900 Services 1892 - 1900
Leyland
St Andrew Banns 1823 - 1828 1832 - 1900 Burials 1651 - 1814 1854 - 1878 Christenings & marriages 1651 - 1900
St James Banns 1855 - 1900 Christenings & marriages 1855 - 1900
Mawdesley
St Peter Christenings 1840 - 1900 Marriages & banns 1843 - 1900 Bishops transcripts 1884
Ormskirk
St Peter & St Paul Burials 1699 - 1714 Christenings 1678 - 1714 Marriages 1699 - 1714
Shevington
St Anne Banns 1887 - 1900 Christenings & marriages 1873 - 1900 Burials 1873 - 1900 Standish St Wilfred Christenings & marriages 1560 - 1900 Burials 1560 - 1900
Withnell
St Paul Banns 1882 - 1900 Christenings & burials 1841 - 1900 Marriages 1843 - 1900 Services 1893 - 1900
Registers on microfiche are available for a number of churches outside of the district. A separate list is available at the library. A list of marriage indexes is also available.
Monumental inscriptions in printed and microfiche versions for churches within and outside the district are also held. Churchyard plans and monumental inscriptions are held for the following:
Croston St Michael Transcribed 1999
Eccleston St Mary Transcribed 1996
Mawdesley St Peter & St Paul Transcribed 1997
Wrightington St James the Great Transcribed 1998
Wrightington St Joseph’s RC Transcribed 1995
The main collection of parish records for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
The I.G.I. (Mormon index) is held on microfiche for the counties of Northern England (1992 ed.) and for the rest of the United Kingdom and Ireland (1989 ed.).
12. Periodical and serialsChorley & District Times 1942 – 1959 Filmed
Chorley Citizen 1987 - Filmed Indexed
Chorley Guardian 1871 - Filmed Indexed
Chorley Standard 1864 – 1884 Filmed Indexed
1886 – 1907 Filmed Indexed
Chorley Weekly News 1908 – 1931 Filmed Indexed
Mar 1948 – Oct 1948 Filmed Indexed
Chorley Weasel Mar 1881 – Mar 1883 Filmed
In addition to the above the collection also includes the following cuttings book:
Bannister, John. Chorley Guardian Cuttings, 1884 – 1890. 2 vols.
A file of local newscuttings form the Chorley Guardian, Chorley Citizen and Lancashire Evening Post, filed by the Local Studies Classification Scheme, is maintained.
Lancashire Lantern includes an index to stories from local newspapers covering several areas of the county.
13. Maps and plansCHETHAM SOCIETY. Remains…, vol.1 - , 1844 –
HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCSHIRE AND CHESHIRE. Transactions, vol. 1 - , 1848 - .
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY. Transactions, vol. 1 -, 1883 - , incomplete.
LANCASHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY. 1898 –
RECORD SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. Vol. 1 -, 1879 –
CHORLEY HISTORIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Bulletin, 1959 – 1964, 1984 –
LEYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Lailand Chronicle, 1971 –
Lancashire Life 1990 -
Lancashire Magazine 1985 -
Lancashire History Quarterly 1997 -
Lancashire 1976 –
Local History Magazine 1984 -
The library produces an annual local history magazine, The Flat Iron, which includes articles by both staff and members of the public. A printed name, place and subject index is maintained.
14. Council minutes and minutes of official bodiesOrdnance Survey
6" to 1 mile The collection includes sheets of the 1st edition
(1:10000) surveyed 1844 – 1847, covering Chorley district. Various sheets are held for surveys in the 1930’s. From the 1950’s onwards there is good coverage for the district.
25" to 1 mile An extensive set of maps covering 1894 – 1938 is held.
(1:2500) From the 1950’s onwards district coverage is good.
1" to 1 mile Good collections of modern maps of the district are
2 ½ to 1 mile held.
(1:25000)
All new sheets of large and medium scale maps covering the area added to the collection on publication.
The Library holds reproductions of some early county maps and copies of eighteenth century estate maps, a 1769 map of Chorley. Other nineteenth century plans of Chorley and district are also held.
Geological survey and land utilisation survey maps are also held.
Goad shopping centre plans for Chorley from the early 1980’s are also accessible.
15. IllustrationsCHORLEY AND SOUTH RIBBLE HEALTH AUTHORITY. Minutes, 1982 –
CHORLEY TOWN COUNCIL. Minutes, 1899 – 1924
CHORLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL Minutes, 1925 – 1973, & 1976 –
CHORLEY DISTRICT COUNCIL. Minutes, 1973 – 1976
16. Sound and video recordingsThe bulk of the illustrations in the collection are monochrome photographs of people, places and events associated with Chorley and district. They range in date from the last century up to the present day and are arranged by the Local Studies Classification Scheme. There are also a few prints and drawings.
Subject to copyright restrictions copies can be made of most of the illustrations on request.
The Library is currently developing an online database of photographs from the county's various library collections, including Chorley's; this is available as part of Lancashire Lantern.
17. Documentary materialA small collection of dialect tapes and copies of radio programmes relevant to Chorley is available. Transcriptions of the programmes have been made.
18. Special collectionsThe library holds a few documentary items, notably:
Bible Of Richard Chorley.
Chorley Improvement Act 1853
Extracts from a book on Astley Hall by Thomas Townley Parker
Tootell’s Diary, 1796 – 1817. Traditionally attributed to William Tootell, who kept a private school in Chorley.
The main repository of archives for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
There is a collection of material on the subject of the Pilgrim Fathers and the early settlement of North America. Captain Myles Standish, who was supposedly born at Duxbury Hall, sailed with the Pilgrim Fathers on the Mayflower in 1620. The collection consists of sixty volumes, detailing the colonising of New England, the life of Myles Standish, descriptions of Duxbury, Massachusetts and the way of life of North American Indians. The books are not normally available for loan.
Newspaper indexes – see newspaper section.
Serials indexes – see periodical and serials section.
Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 on CD-ROM.
Database of articles and photographs of casualties of World War I in the Chorley Guardian – printed list by surname is available.
The I.G.I. (Mormon index) is held on microfiche for the counties of Northern England (1992 ed.) and for the rest of the United Kingdom and Ireland (1989 ed.)
21. Books useful as introductory reading2 microfilm readers, 2 microfiche readers, 1 reader/printer (film and fiche), 1 photocopier, and 18 PCs for internet and CD ROM access.
Advanced booking for this equipment is advisable.
BIRTILL, George. The field of churls: a history of Chorley from the conquest to the First World War. Chorley Guardian Press, 1970.
BLACKBURN, Robert Henry. Borough of Chorley, 1881-1931: jubilee souvenir. Sandiford, 1931
HEYES, Jim. A history of Chorley. Lancashire County Books, 1994
HODKINSON, Kenneth. Old Chorley ‘in the footsteps of Wilson’. CKD, 1988
PORTEUS, Thomas Cruddas. Astley Hall. Sandiford, 1923
PORTEUS, Thomas Cruddas. A history of the parish of Standish, Lancashire. Star ??, 1927
RAWLINSON, Robert. Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry as to the sewerage, drainage and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the town and parish of Chorley, London 1853.
VICTORIA history of the county of Lancaster, edited by W Farrer and J.Brownbill, 8 vols, (Constable, 1906-14). The most useful volume locally is volume 6, which includes Leyland Hundred.
WILSON, John, Chorley Church: the Story of the Old Parish Church of Chorley in Lancashire, Ballantyne Press, 1914. (This history of St Lawrence’s Parish Church has a wider interest in its good coverage of other aspects of Chorley’s history).
22. Other Family History Sources
A free guide to the collection is available called "Local Studies and Family History at Chorley Library".
Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 - 1919 (CD ROM).
Army Roll of Honour. World War 2 (CD ROM).
Database of articles and photographs of casualties of World War I in the Chorley Guardian - printed list by surname is available.
All our libraries provide free access to the Ancestry website which gives access to Census Records for England, Wales and Scotland 1841-1901) and indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages for England and Wales (1837-2005).