Bibliography

PUBLISHED MATERIAL

Britain in Old Photographs: Bedford
Richard Wildman, 1995; Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd

Bedford, A Pictorial History
Richard Wildman, 1991; Phillimore & Co Ltd

Bygone Bedford
Richard Wildman, 1974; White Crescent Press

Bedford Past and Present
(old photographs with modern comparisons)
Richard Wildman, 1975; Paul Hooley and Associates

The Beginnings of Bedford (up to c. 1600)
David and Evelyn Baker, 1985; Bedfordshire County Planning Department

Bedford's Oldest Streets
Alan Crawley and Ian Freeman, Bedfordshire Archaeology Vol. 18, 1988; Bedfordshire Archaeological Council
Bedford's Oldest Streets Part II, Vol. 19, 1991

Bedford Portrayed, 18th and 19th Century Bedford Through Artists Eyes
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Museum 1992

Bunyan's Country, Studies in the Topography of The Pilgrim's Progress
A J Foster MA, 1901; H Virtue and Company Ltd

The Story of Bedford and History of Bedfordshire
Joyce Godber, 1984; Bedfordshire County Council
(JG had been County Archivist of Bedfordshire for 20 years)

*The Pilgrim's Progress: Retold for Children
Laurence G S Morris; Christian Literature Crusade

*The Best of John Bunyan
Compiled by Robert Backhouse; Hodder and Stoughton

John Bunyan his Life and Times
Vivienne Evans, 1988, 1995; The Book Castle, Dunstable

*Bedfordshire Historical Records Society
Vol 55, The Minutes of the First Independent Church (now Bunyan Meeting) at Bedford 1656-1766; edited by H G Tibbutt.

*Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (a Spiritual Autobiography)
John Bunyan, 1666
Recent editions published by Penguin Classics

Most of these will be available for reference at either of the following or perhaps your local library. Also County Town Books, 7 High Street, Bedford, Tel: (01234) 341789 sells local history publications.

Those publications marked with an asterisk are available from the foyer of Bunyan Meeting.

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service
County Record Office
County Hall
Cauldwell Street
Bedford MK42 9AP
Tel: Bedford (01234) 228833/228777

Bedford Central Library
Local Studies Library
Harpur Street
Bedford MK40 1PG
Tel: Bedford (01234) 350931

MAPS

John Speed 1610 (county map of Bedfordshire and Bedford town)*
Thomas Jefferies 1765 (county map)*
Inclosure Map 1795 and schedule (Bedford)
Bryant 1822 (county map)
Reynolds Map of Bedford Town 1841*
Ordnance Survey maps, including very large scale * (facsimile copy of 1920s Bedford map published by Alan Godfrey)

* Those maps marked with an asterisk are available in facsimile editions from County Town Books and the various museum shops in Bedford.

All the above maps are available for reference at the County Record Office, which has one folder containing photographic copies of all the main town maps enlarged to 25" to the mile (Ref. XI/88). The Local Studies Library has a copy of an old teaching pack from the 1970s which contains facsimile maps and text.

OTHER ORIGINAL SOURCES

Directories of Bedford Town from 1785 to the 1960s.
These were the yellow pages of their day with entries divided by name (then listing address or trade) or trade (giving address). They can be used to find out more about particular streets and the people who lived and worked there.

Census returns.
These are completed every 10 years and give details of every household street by street. They do not always give an identifiable house number, but they do show how many people lived in each house, their age, gender and place of birth.

Rate Books.
These give an annual record of the rates charged on each property going back to the early 18th century.

Poll Books.
These give a record of people entitled to vote in Parliamentary elections.

All these are available for reference from the County Record Office.

FURTHER SUPPORT

Further support, advice and research facilities are available from the following organisations:

Bedford and Luton Archives and Records Service, County Record Office

Local Studies Library, Bedford Central Library

The Historical Environment Record
County Hall
Cauldwell Street
Bedford MK42 9AP
Tel: Bedford (01234) 228072

Produced by IT Unit
Bedford Borough Council

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