County Library and Information Service
Community History
Guide to the Local Collections
Whitworth Collection
Rossendale District.
Lloyd Street
Whitworth
Rochdale
Lancashire
OL12 8AA
Tel: 01706 853261
Fax:--
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
14:00 - 19:30
10:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 19:30
Closed
10:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 17:00
14:00 - 17:00
10:00 - 13:00
4. Scope and arrangement of the collection
The small collection at Whitworth library principally offers information on Whitworth together with some more general works on Rossendale and Rochdale. There are no restrictions on the type of material acquired; at present, the collection consists of books and newscuttings, plus local photographs, slides and maps.
The collections at Bacup and Rawtenstall libraries should also be consulted during research into the Whitworth area, but unfortunately there is not a large amount of material available. A visit to Rochdale library could prove profitable.
Books may be made available for loan from the local collection.
5. Catalogues and bibliographies
Books and pamphlets have been classified using the Lancashire Local Studies Classification Scheme and details are included on the Lancashire County Library and Information Service's online Talis catalogue.
None. Directories can be found on the Library's online catalogue.
The current electoral register for the Whitworth area is available for consultation.
None. The main collection of rate books for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
9. Census enumerators' returns
None. For holdings of census returns for this area, please click here.
Rochdale Parish Register 1582 - 1616, 1617 -1641.
The main collection of parish records for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
A file for one year is maintained of both the Rochdale Observer and the Rossendale Free Press. A newscuttings collection is available for recent years. There is also a run of Rochdale's Alternative Paper from November 1971 – December 1973 and from April 1974 – March 1980, after which date it ceased publication.
Lancashire Lantern includes an index to stories from local newspapers covering several areas of the county.
None.
In the map collection, there is a photocopy of Saxton's Lancashire map of 1577.
The Ordnance Survey maps consist of the following sheets in the 6" to 1 mile scale: Whitworth sheets for 1895 and 1967.
14. Council minutes and minutes of official bodies
LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL. Minutes, current copy only.
ROSSENDALE. Borough. Minutes, 1986 -
Black and white photographs depict a variety of scenes in the Whitworth area, some of which are aerial views. No negatives are available. There are also some 2" x 2" 35mm slides, again of general views. Copies of photographs can be obtained through the Lancashire Library Photographic Service, subject to copyright restrictions.
The Library is currently developing an online database of photographs from the county's various library collections; this is available as part of Lancashire Lantern.
16. Sound and video recordings
None.
None. The main repository of archives for the county is held at the Lancashire Record Office.
None.
None.
A microfiche reader and photocopier are available.
21. Books useful as introductory reading
FISHWICK, H. The History of the Parish of Rochdale in the County of Lancaster. James Clegg, 1889.
HOLYOAKE, G.J. History of the Rochdale Pioneers. Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1893.
NEWBIGGING, T. History of the Forest of Rossendale. 2nd ed. Rawtenstall: J.J. Riley, 1893.
ROBERTSON, W. Rochdale and the Vale of Whitworth. William Robertson, 1897 and new facsimile edition, 1992.
SALT, J. A Study of Whitworth valley. Thesis, 1985. Typescript.
SOME buildings and places of interest in the Whitworth Valley. Whitworth: Vardel Printers Ltd., 1975 (limited ed.).
WEST, J.L. The Taylors of Lancashire - bonesetters and doctors 1750 - 1890. H. Duffy, 1977.
22. Other Family History Sources
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).