Local Studies

The Local Studies collection may help you with your family history research or finding out about the history of your house. Luton Central Library has a large collection of books, pamphlets, cuttings, microflim and microfiches on the history and develpment of Luton and Bedfordshire. There is also limited coverage of the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

The collection includes local newspapers on microfilm going back to 1874, and there are copies of local parish registers on microfiche, as well as the census returns for Luton from 1841.

There is a small collection of photographs illustrating the history of Luton, but we regret we are unable to make copies of these. There is a larger collection of photographs available at Luton Museum.

Luton Local Studies has a large number of local and county maps showing how the town has grown and changed over the past 150 years.  Some of the maps are large scale and show the outline of individual properties.

You can find the history of the hat industry in Luton by clicking on the link to Luton Libraries local history online. You will find information on the origins of the hat trade and its development through the years.  There are pictures and stories about the people involved in the industry.  More information will be added over the coming months, so do keep checking to see what's new.

You may also see the International Genealogical Index on microfiche, or access it via the PCs in the library. As long as you are a library member with a pin number, you may have 35 minutes free to explore the wide range of web sites on local and family history that may help you with your research. The library service now has a subscription to Ancestry.com - a major family history resource. This is available at all Luton Libraries.