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England Yorkshire  Sheffield

Guide to Sheffield history, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.





History
Preston is recorded in the Domesday Book as "Prestune" in 1086.

Preston is located on the coast of the North Sea, and in the center of what was originally the county of Lancashire. The River Ribble provides a southern border for the city. The Forest of Bowland forms a backdrop to Preston to the northeast while the Fylde lies to the west. The Ribble valley is a low-lying, fertile river valley, and has been farmed and grazed for centuries.

The Angles established Preston; its name is derived from the Old English meaning "priest's settlement"

During the Roman period, Roman roads passed close to what is now the centre of Preston. For example, the road from Luguvalium to Mamucium (now Carlisle to Manchester) crossed the River Ribble at Walton-le-Dale, 3⁄4 mile (1 km) southeast of the center of Preston, and a Roman camp or station may also have been here.

When first mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book, Preston was already the most important town in Amounderness (the area of Central Lancashire between the rivers Ribble and Cocker, including The Fylde and the Forest of Bowland). When assessed for tax purposes in 1218 – 19 it was the wealthiest town in the whole county.

The right to hold a Guild Merchant was conferred by King Henry II upon the Burgesses of Preston in a charter of 1179; the associated Preston Guild is a civic celebration held every 20 years and 2012 was the latest Guild year. It is the only Guild still celebrated in the UK and is thus unique.

Preston was a parish and township in the hundred of Amounderness and was granted a Guild Merchant charter in 1179, giving it the status of a market town. Textiles have been produced since the mid-13th century when locally produced wool was woven in people's houses. Flemish weavers who settled in the area in the 14th century helped develop the industry. In the early-18th century, Edmund Calamy described Preston as "a pretty town with an abundance of gentry in it, commonly called Proud Preston". Sir Richard Arkwright, inventor of the spinning frame, was born in the town. The most rapid period of growth and development coincided with the industrialization and expansion of textile manufacturing. Preston was a boom-town of the Industrial Revolution, becoming a densely populated engineering center, with large industrial plants. The town's textile sector fell into terminal decline from the mid-20th century.

Cemeteries (Civil)
UK Cemsearch

Preston Government offices

Findagrave

Genuki

Parishes
St Andrews


 * Address:
 * Blackpool Road
 * Preston, Lancashire, PR2 1ES

Christ Church, Fulwood


 * Address:
 * Victoria Road
 * Fulwood
 * Preston, Lancashire, PR2 8NE

St. Cuthbert, Fulwood


 * Address:
 * Lytham Road
 * Fulwood
 * Preston, Lancashire, PR2 3AR

St. George, the Martyr


 * Address:
 * Georges Road
 * Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2NP

St. James


 * Address:
 * Knowsley St, off Avenham Lane
 * Preston, Lancashire, PR1 3SA

St. John's Minster


 * Address:
 * Church Street
 * Preston, Lancashire PR! 3BT

St. Margaret's


 * Address:
 * Tag Lane
 * Ingol, Lancashire, PR2 3ZU

St. Matthews


 * Address
 * New Hall Lane
 * Preston, Lancashire, PR1 5XB

Preston All Saints

Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2RX
 * Address:
 * Elizabeth Street, (nr. Walker Street Carpark)

Non Conformists

 * Baptist
 * Calvary Christian Fellowship
 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
 * Full Life Church
 * Methodist
 * Presbyterian
 * Roman Catholic

Non Christian groups that meet regularly in Preston include:


 * Buddhist
 * Hindu
 * Jewish
 * Muslim
 * Sikh

Civil Registration

 * Lancashire BMD Org


 * Lancashire Genealogy


 * UK BMD Parish Records

Local Histories

 * Local Histories: Preston


 * BBC History: Preston

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Street Map of Preston


 * Old Maps of Lancashire


 * Old Maps of the UK


 * genuki gazetteer of Preston Lancashire

Newspapers

 * The Lancashire Evening News / Preston


 * The British Newspaper archive / Preston Chronicle

Occupations
Since the major overhaul of the English Counties in 1974, Preston was chosen as the seat of Government for Lancashire. The Lancashire County Council building is located on Fishergate. This change has provided many positions for employees within the new County Government.

Preston is a major center of the British defense aerospace industry with BAE Systems, the UK's principal military aircraft design, development and manufacture supplier, having its Military Aircraft headquarters located in nearby Warton. The company has two of its major facilities located some miles on either side of the city. BAE Warton is located to the western side of the city whilst BAE Samlesbury is located to the east, over the M6 motorway. BAE Systems also operate large office facilities at the Portway area within the city and at The Strand office complex.

The Westinghouse Electric Company (formerly BNFL) Springfields nuclear processing plant also lies to the west of the city boundary at Salwick.

The city is home to Alstom Transport's main UK spare parts distribution center (formerly GEC Traction Ltd). Matalan Retail Ltd was also founded in Preston under the name Matalan Cash and Carry. Although the head office of Matalan moved to Skelmersdale in 1998, the city still has the tax office for the company.

The financial sector also has a large presence in the city with a large selection of consultancies, insurance and law firms including national debt collection agency iQor Recovery Services Ltd.

Due to Preston's location as a transport hub, sitting between the M6, M55, M65, and M61 it is also home to several freight and haulage companies.

Societies
Preston Historical Society

Preston Branch, Lancashire Historical Society

Lancashire BMD organization

Archives
Lancashire Archives


 * Address:
 * Lancashire Record Office
 * Bow Lane
 * Preston PR1 2RE


 * Phone: +44 1772 533039


 * Lancashire Archives


 * Family Tree Resources for Lancashire

Web Sites

 * Preston City Council


 * Lancashire County Council