My local history project

 I thought I'd start this blog with a little bit of background about the local history project I've been working on. It relates to the history of Chetwynd End in Shropshire. For the last 100 years or so, Chetwynd End has been just the name of a short length of street in Newport, Shropshire, but until the 1890s it was a separate settlement in its own right, in the parish of Chetwynd. At that point in time there were about 50-60 houses in Chetwynd End, plus a few commercial buildings. Those buildings and their inhabitants are the subject of my research.

Initially I was mainly focused on the 19th and 20th century history of Chetwynd End, but I'm gradually accumulating more 18th century material, and I'd say that's where my research is currently focused, in the main. 

Chetwynd End, in the 19th century, was regarded as a middle class area, with several very large Georgian houses (7 bedrooms+) and a similar number of more modest but still middle class homes (4-6 bedrooms). In total there were around 25 such 'middle class' homes'. Based on my research so far, I would say that these were inhabited by a mixture of 'new money' and 'old money': 

• successful tradespeople, who had done well in life and wanted to move out of Newport High Street
• professionals such as solicitors
• minor gentry - particularly their widows and spinster daughters, or those who had come down in the world a little

The other 25-30 homes were generally referred to as 'cottages' - smaller than those described above - and were inhabited primarily by those whose jobs depended on the middle class inhabitants, such as their servants, grooms and employees. 

This blog isn't really about the findings of the project, though - it's more about what I've learned along the way, and it's as much to help me remember what I've learned as to share it with others! 

Having worked with technology - in the field of digital marketing - for 20-odd years, I'm particularly interested in how I can use technology to facilitate my research, enabling me to do more with less time.