For #FamilyHistoryMonth and the National Archives' #EYACommunity (Explore Your Archive Community Month) we want to share and demonstrate how our holdings can be great resources for anyone researching their family tree. Having come to prominence in recent years with TV shows like Who Do You Think You Are, researching your family history, or genealogy as it is known, can be an extremely rewarding journey of discovery and you don't have to be a celebrity to do it! Many resources are readily available and free to access via local libraries and archives. But how do you get started?
Image credit: BBC Television https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1200x675/p01q1jkd.jpg
Here at De Montfort University Special Collections we may be able to help you if you are seeking information about a family member or friend who worked at or attended the institution and/or its predecessors. As a small university archive we do not have access to online platforms like Ancestry, but, dating from 1870, our records do contain over 150 years' worth of DMU and local community history, culture and activities. Below are some examples of the types of records we hold and what they contain about individuals.
Registers and Graduation Brochures
DMU was founded as the Leicester College of Art in 1870 and our holdings include registers which can confirm if an individual enrolled or attended a course. But more than that, they reveal some personal details as well offering some potential leads, as the image below demonstrates:
Above: Front cover of the first College of Art register containing entries for 1870-1901.
Above: Organised alphabetically, the image shows entries for students whose surnames begin with the letter 'A'. As well as the student's name, we have a reference number, their age, the date they enrolled, their or their father's occupation and their address. The 'F' next to occupation indicates the student was funded by their employer. The student body predominantly comprised workers employed by local factories and workshops in the shoe, textile and hosiery trades, for example. So, it is worth noting that just because an individual worked from a young age does not mean they did not also attend a vocational college as part of their employment training.
Our catalogue of registers is available to view here: https://de-montfort.epexio.com/records/D/004
At the other end of the student journey, since the College became a Polytechnic and then university, our graduation brochures contain the names for all students who graduated for all courses that have been awarded by the institution.
Above: Front cover of Leicester Polytechnic Graduation Brochure, 1991-1992.
Above: A page from the above brochure listing the names of students graduating from the School of Engineering and Manufacture.
A complete digitised catalogue of our graduation brochures is available here: https://de-montfort.epexio.com/records/D/011
Committee Minutes
Our various series of committee minutes (Board of Governor's, Academic Board, etc.) record all the activities and decisions made throughout the university and its predecessors, including staff appointments, promotions and retirements. Below is an entry and transcription for a meeting of the General Committee which took place on 22 October, 1888, regarding tutor Agnes Farnam and her suitability for the role of Head of Women's Arts and Crafts.
Unfortunately, it seems the only reason preventing them from appointing her was the fact that she was a woman. As well as hinting at the personal stories contained within the entries, here we can also find more about the social context and attitudes influencing and affecting people's lives.
Staff and Student Magazines
Over the years staff and students of varies faculties, departments and schools have produced their own magazine. As well as providing insight into the evolving culture of the institution they have been very useful to our users when researching family history. With our help, one enquirer was able to find a photograph of her father.
Above: Front cover of the College magazine, The Prism, Dec 1937.
Above: the image where the enquirer was able to find a photo of her father with his colleagues and peers, bringing much surprise and joy to us all. She subsequently donated her father's qualification certificates, contributing to the preservation of the story of DMU and its students.
Above: Qualification certificate for Reginald Johnson who achieved a first class award for his examination in Leather Manufacture, 1936.
To view our staff and student magazines please see: https://de-montfort.epexio.com/records/D/030 Some have been fully indexed and digitised, allowing you to search and read through online.
The above is only a small selection of some of our resources relating to the history of DMU and how they may be useful when researching family history, but there are other options, such as our DMU Annual Reports, Press Cuttings, staff and student work, Events Brochures and many more.
Other Collections
As well as preserving materials relating to the university, we also hold collections relating to the history of the local area and DMU's subject strengths and research centres. Our sports collections in particular have been very useful to researchers when attempting to connect with the activities of their ancestors. Below is one example from our prestigious England Boxing archive, but there are many other collections and subject areas to choose from, which all hold genealogical possibilities!
Above: It was in this boxing programme, for the Grand Finals Silver Wings, 1942, where a researcher was able to find the name of their grandfather! You can find out more about our England Boxing collection here: https://de-montfort.epexio.com/records/S/003
Contacting us and Other Services
We understand how important it is when researching your family history and staff in Special Collections are more than happy to help. It brings us real pleasure and satisfaction when we are able to share in the personal journeys of our readers. If you would like to enquire about any of these resources, using our collections to research your family history, or donating material, please do get in touch using our archives@dmu.ac.uk email.
Other services which provide access to electoral registers and Ancestry and other records include:
The Record Office for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
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