- LOCAL STUDIES & ARCHIVE CENTRE
- EXHIBITIONS
- COLLECTIONS
-
GUIDES & RESOURCES
- Interactive map: Trafford Blue Plaques
- The First World War in Trafford - Research Database
- Trafford History Trails
- Guide: Research your British Ancestors using Ancestry
- Guide: Research your Caribbean Ancestors using Ancestry
- Guide: Research your Irish Ancestors using Ancestry
- Guide: Research the History of your House
- Guide: Organising your Family History Research
- Guide: Understanding census records
- 'Get to Know Your Grandparent(s)!' Children's Interview Activity Sheet
- CONTRIBUTE
Browse Exhibits (19 total)
Windrush, Calypso & Cricket
Wednesday 21 June 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain in 1948. To celebrate this hugely significant moment in British history Trafford Local Studies have contributed to and organised special events and displays.
Windrush, Calypso & Cricket is a digital exhibition that runs alongside a physically curated display of loaned material at the Trafford Local Studies centre. The physical display features contributions from the National Jazz Archives, BBC Film Archives, Lancashire County Cricket Club, and local community members. A main focus point in the exhibition is legendary Calypso Singer Lord Kitchener (real name Aldwyn Roberts) who was a Trafford/Manchester resident for the majority of his 14 year stay in England between 1948-1962. Lord Kitchener is widely regarded as the “Grandmaster” of calypso music. As part of our Windrush 75 Activity Day at the Limelight Centre, Old Trafford, award winning poet and Lord Kitchener fictional biographer Dr Anthony Joseph delivered an author talk on the great Calypsonian.
Manchester Artist Venessa Scott has created Windrush themed activity sheets for this year's 75th anniversary, which are available to collect at the Trafford Local Studies centre and across all Trafford libraries.
If you would like to share your Windrush story, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us on 0161 912 3013 or by our email trafflocals@trafford.gov.uk
Coronation of HM Charles III
Saturday 6 May 2023 is the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. To celebrate this historic occasion Trafford Local Studies have created a specially made virtual exhibition highlighting Charles’s visits to the metropolitan borough of Trafford. Through the decades His Majesty's royal visits have championed all that is great about Trafford, with Charles receiving a warm welcome by crowds of well-wishers on each of his visits. The content of this virtual exhibition has been researched, curated and created by both Trafford Local Studies staff and volunteers.
Download and print our specially made Coronation Activity Booklet at home or visit any of the 13 Trafford libraries during the Coronation period to collect one in person. This Coronation themed activity booklet is for all ages, featuring: fun facts, interesting information, spot the difference, word search, design your own royal cypher and more.
How are you celebrating King Charles III coronation? Whether you are having a street party, big lunch event, family get together or private party, we would love to collect material relating to this historic day. Please click here to access our contribute page to donate your coronation photographs and digital material to our newly launched digital archive.
'Happy and Glorious': Celebrating H.M. the Queen's Platinum Jubilee
This year we are celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee with a number of exciting projects: alongside displays in some of Trafford's local libraries, we have a new display in Local Studies, which shows the ways each of our towns celebrated previous Jubilees and Coronations from the 1860s to the present day. We've also created 32 lamppost signs to go on display in Trafford's neighbourhoods. Each of the signs is unique, and illustrates a historical photograph from our archive collection.
Finally, this digital exhibition brings all of these projects together. For those in our audiences who cannot visit Local Studies in person, 'Happy and Glorious' highlights the records and objects in our permanent collection related to historic, royal celebrations. It also includes a number of images found on the lamppost signs across Trafford.
We invite you to browse our collections and exhibits, then visit our 'Contribute' page to show how you have celebrated this year's Jubilee! The images, videos, or stories you contribute will be added to our 2022 Platinum Jubilee Archive Collection.
This project was generously supported by the National Archives' Archives Testbed Fund.
Women's Football in Trafford
INTRODUCTION
In the weeks leading up to the Women’s EUROs and the first match at Old Trafford on Wednesday, 6 July 2022, we have explored the history of women’s football in Trafford. The Trafford borough may cover little more than forty square miles, but significant games, teams, and tournaments have taken place across the region, and have played their part in the development of the sport. Here, we’ve highlighted the female players, the teams, the games, and the moments which have formed part of Trafford’s women’s football history.
There are records of women’s football games in the area going back to the late-nineteenth century. In 1921, a game between Dick, Kerr Ladies and Bath Ladies at Old Trafford was watched by over 30,000 visitors, and throughout the twenty-first century significant games were staged at White City, Stretford, Timperley, and other venues across the borough.
Over the last fifty years many prominent teams have been established in the area: such as Sale Hotel, Trafford, and Redstar (to name a few), while Trafford women have played for prominent teams outside of our borough.
This virtual exhibition forms part of a National Heritage Lottery Funded project connected with the Women’s EUROs, and aims to capture not only the voices of women from Trafford who played football, but also those who played for women’s football teams based in Trafford. Trafford Local Studies is uncovering these stories through an oral history programme, virtual and on-site exhibitions, and a contemporary collecting programme.
We are keen to hear the memories of women who have contributed to this rich history of women’s football in the area. We are also keen to locate objects – such as match programmes and other memorabilia – which helps us tell this story.
If you are from Trafford or played for a team based in our borough then please get in touch. Your memories will help to develop our archive and ensure future generations are aware of the experiences of women footballers.
Project contacts: Trafford Local Studies at 0161 912 3013 or contact Gary James, Trafford EUROs Engagement Officer, at gary.james@talktalk.net.
Hale War Memorial Centenary, 1922 - 2022
Friday 11 March 2022 marks the centenary of Hale War Memorial. The memorial is located at the junction of Broomfield Lane and Hale Road. Inscribed on its bronze plaques are the rank and regiment of 156 men from Hale, who died in the First World War. A further 57 names were added, of those who gave their lives in the Second World War.
Digitising the Trafford Photographic Collection
We've been delving through the archives to bring you some fantastic images from the Trafford Photographic Collection. Find out how we've been cataloguing and preserving these for future generations, and have a look through a selection of our favourite photographs.
Trailblazing Women of Trafford
Through this virtual exhibition, you can learn about the significant women who have called the Trafford area home, and shine a light on their pioneering exploits.
Each week you can learn about a different woman, from articles researched and written by Trafford Local Studies staff and volunteers.
The Liberty to Read: A History of Libraries in Trafford
To celebrate the Manchester City of Literature's Festival of Libraries, Trafford Local Studies Centre brings you a brand new virtual exhibition exploring the histories of the borough’s libraries.
Trafford on Screen
Trafford is the star of the show as we take you on a tour of filming locations in the borough.
Holocaust Memorial Day
Holocaust Memorial Day encourages remembrance of the six million Jews and millions of others who lost their lives at the hands of Nazi persecution. The 27 January was chosen as this date marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in 1945.
Trafford Local Studies have searched for local connections to the Holocaust, to both aid remembrance and acknowledge this dark moment in history.