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England London  City of London

Guide to City of London ancestry, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.



History
The City of London is a city and county that contains the historic center and the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London from its settlement by the Romans in the 1st century AD to the Middle Ages, but the agglomeration has since grown far beyond the City's borders. The City is now only a tiny part of the metropolis of London, though it remains a notable part of central London.

Some recent discoveries indicate probable very early settlements near the Thames in the London area. In 1999, the remains of a Bronze Age bridge were found, again on the foreshore south of Vauxhall Bridge. This bridge either crossed the Thames, or went to a now lost island in the river. Dendrology dated the timbers to 1500 BC. In 2001 a further dig found that the timbers were driven vertically into the ground on the south bank of the Thames west of Vauxhall Bridge. In 2010 the foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4000BC, were found on the Thames foreshore, south of Vauxhall Bridge. The function of the mesolithic structure is not known. All these structures are on the south bank at a natural crossing point where the River Effra flows into the Thames.

Numerous finds have been made of spear heads and weaponry from the Bronze and Iron Ages near the banks of the Thames in the London area, many of which had clearly been used in battle. This suggests that the Thames was an important tribal boundary.

Londinium was established as a civilian town by the Romans about seven years after the invasion of AD 43. London, like Rome, was founded on the point of the river where it was narrow enough to bridge and the strategic location of the city provided easy access to much of Europe. Early Roman London occupied a relatively small area, roughly equivalent to the size of Hyde Park. In around AD 60, it was destroyed by the Iceni led by their queen Boudica. The city was quickly rebuilt as a planned Roman town and recovered after perhaps 10 years, the city growing rapidly over the following decades.

At some time between 180 and 225 AD the Romans built the defensive London Wall around the landward side of the city. The wall was about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) long, 6 meters (20 ft) high, and 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) thick. The wall would survive for another 1,600 years and define the City of London's perimeters for centuries to come. The perimeters of the present City are roughly defined by the line of the ancient wall.

Londonium was an ethnically diverse city with inhabitants from across the Roman Empire, including natives of Britannia, continental Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

In the late 3rd century, Londinium was raided on several occasions by Saxon pirates. This led, from around 255 onward, to the construction of an additional riverside wall. Six of the traditional seven city gates of London are of Roman origin, namely: Ludgate, Newgate, Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Bishopsgate and Aldgate (Moorgate is the exception, being of medieval origin).

By the 5th century the Roman Empire was in rapid decline, and in 410 AD the Roman occupation of Britain came to an end. Following this, the Roman city also went into rapid decline and by the end of the 5th century was practically abandoned.

The main focus of the following Saxon settlement was outside the Roman walls, clustering a short distance to the west along what is now the Strand, between the Aldwych and Trafalgar Square. It was known as Lundenwic, the -wic suffix here denoting a trading settlement. Recent excavations have also highlighted the population density and relatively sophisticated urban organization of this earlier Anglo-Saxon London, which was laid out on a grid pattern and grew to house a likely population of 10-12,000.

By the early 7th century the London area had been incorporated into the kingdom of the East Saxons. In 604 King Saeberht of Essex converted to Christianity and London received Mellitus, its first post-Roman bishop.

At this time Essex was under the overlordship of King Æthelberht of Kent, and it was under Æthelberht's patronage that Mellitus founded the first St. Paul's Cathedral, traditionally said to be on the site of an old Roman Temple of Diana (although Christopher Wren found no evidence of this). It would have only been a modest church at first and may well have been destroyed after he was expelled from the city by Saeberht's pagan successors.

Viking attacks dominated most of the 9th century, becoming increasingly common from around 830 onward. London was sacked in 842 and again in 851. The Danish "Great Heathen Army", which had rampaged across England since 865, wintered in London in 871. The city remained in Danish hands until 886, when it was captured by the forces of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and reincorporated into Mercia, then governed under Alfred's sovereignty by his son-in-law Ealdorman Æthelred.

In 1042 English rule was restored under Edward the Confessor. He was responsible for the foundation of Westminster Abbey and spent much of his time at Westminster, which from this time steadily supplanted the City itself as the center of government. Edward's death at Westminster in 1066 without a clear heir led to a succession dispute and the Norman conquest of England. Earl Harold Godwinson was elected king by the witangemot and crowned in Westminster Abbey but was defeated and killed by William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings. The surviving members of the witan met in London and elected King Edward's young nephew Edgar the Ætheling as king. However William the Conqueror eventually prevailed, signalling the last time England was to be defeated from abroad.

The new Norman regime established new fortresses within the city to dominate the native population. By far the most important of these was the Tower of London at the eastern end of the city, where the initial timber fortification was rapidly replaced by the construction of the first stone castle in England. The smaller forts of Baynard's Castle and Montfichet's Castle were also established along the waterfront. King William also granted a charter in 1067 confirming the city's existing rights, privileges and laws. Its growing self-government was consolidated by the election rights granted by King John in 1199 and 1215.

In 1097 William Rufus, the son of William the Conqueror began the construction of 'Westminster Hall', which became the focus of the Palace of Westminster.

In 1176 construction began of the most famous incarnation of London Bridge (completed in 1209) which was built on the site of several earlier timber bridges. This bridge would last for 600 years, and remained the only bridge across the River Thames until 1739.

Trade increased steadily during the Middle Ages, and London grew rapidly as a result. In 1100 London's population was somewhat more than 15,000. By 1300 it had grown to roughly 80,000. London lost at least half of its population during the Black Death in the mid-14th century, but its economic and political importance stimulated a rapid recovery despite further epidemics. Trade in London was organized into various guilds, which effectively controlled the city, and elected the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Cemeteries (Civil)
Swindon has 3 cemeteries and or crematoria. Information follows:

Whitworth Road Cemetery:


 * Whitworth Rd
 * Swindon SN25 3BG
 * Phone: +44 1793 523081

St Margaret Cemetery


 * Grange Dr
 * Swindon SN3 4JY

Kingsdown Crematorium


 * Kingsdown Ln
 * Swindon SN25 6SG
 * Phone: +44 1793 822259

Parishes
Swindon has a number of Anglican churches, and many of these have attached graveyards. These follow::

All Saints


 * Church Pl
 * Lydiard Millicent
 * Swindon SN5 3NE
 * Phone: +44 1793 772417

Christ Church


 * 26 Cricklade St
 * Swindon SN1 3HG
 * Phone: +44 1793 522832

St Margaret's


 * Stratton St
 * Swindon SN3 4YA

St Peter's


 * Penhill Dr
 * Swindon SN2
 * Phone: +44 1793 721921

St Andrew's


 * Parsonage Farm Hse
 * 21 Church Rd
 * Wanborough, Swindon SN4 0BZ

St Bartholomew's

Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon SN4 7BQ
 * 1 Church St
 * Phone: +44 1793 853272

St Mark's


 * Church Pl
 * Swindon SN1 5EH

St John's

Haydon Wick, Wiltshire, SN25 4QP
 * Thames Avenue/Westfield Way
 * Phone: +44 1793 726000

St Saviour's


 * Ashford Rd
 * Swindon SN1 3NS

St Mary's Lydiard


 * Lydiard Park
 * Swindon SN5 3PA
 * Phone: +44 1793 874221

St Sampson's

Cricklade, Swindon SN6 6AX
 * Bath Rd
 * Phone: +44 1793 979304

Holy Trinity


 * Shaw Village Centre
 * Ramleaze Dr
 * Shaw, Swindon SN5 5PY
 * Phone: +44 1793 874221

St Luke's


 * Broad Street
 * Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 2DS
 * Phone: +44 1793 526542

Non Conformists
Swindon is in an older section of the UK, and tends to be more conservative than many other parts of the country. The Anglican church is by far the largest percentage of the community. However there are many other churches, as listed below:


 * Baptist
 * Catholic
 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 * Chinese Christian
 * Evangelical
 * Gateway Church
 * Holy Rood Church
 * Jehovah's Witnesses
 * Methodist
 * Plymouth Brethren

There are a number of communities of non Christian religions including the following:


 * Buddhist
 * Scientology
 * Confucian
 * Jews
 * Muslim
 * Sikh

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the UK government from July 1837 to the present day. Prior to that, the only available records were those kept by the ecclesiastical bodies. For later records contact the Swindon registration office as below.

Swindon has an office for the registration of BMD data. It follows:


 * Civic Offices
 * Euclid St, Swindon SN1 2JH
 * Phone: +44 1793 522738

On line websites follow:


 * Swindon Council Offices


 * BMD records


 * Wiltshire County BMD records

Local Histories

 * localhistories.com: Swindon


 * Swindon Council local history


 * Central Swindon History Through Time by Mark Child


 * Swindon Illustrated History by Mark Child

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Google Maps: Swindon


 * Michelin street map of Swindon


 * oldmapsonline: Swindon


 * Swindon Gazetteer


 * genuki gazetteer of Swindon

Newspapers

 * Swindon Advertiser


 * Wiltshire Gazette and Herald

Occupations
While agriculture and market town activites were the major activities in Swindon up to the 20th. century, anf still are important, Swindon has now developed a diversified employment base.

In the Insurance and Financial arena, such companies as Nationwide Insurance, Intrinsic Financial Services, and Connect Group PLC provide major employment opportunities.

In the electronics arena, Intel, nPower, Fairchild Semiconductor, and Tyco are large players in Swindon and the Southwest.

In transportation and automotive, First Great Western (railways), MAN Truck and Bus UK, Cambria Automobiles, Castrol.

In general manufacturing and engineering; The Hardware Group, Openwork Ltd., Swindon Pressings, Arval UK, and Dick Lovatt.

Also providing major employment opportunities is the power company, Npower Ltd.

Societies

 * Wiltshire Family History Society


 * Swindon Society for History


 * Wiltshire and Swindon History Center

Archives

 * Wiltshire and Swindon Archives


 * Wiltshire County Council Archives


 * The National Archives: Swindon


 * Historic England Archives

Web Sites

 * wikipedia: Swindon


 * Swindon Borough Council


 * Wiltshire County Council