Help and tips on researching Saltaire

But if you’re already pretty familiar with the village’s past, why not consider doing some historical detective work? It’s called research. In a world with a world-wide web, it’s a good deal less taxing than it used to be. And it can be a lot of fun.

So, you’re amenable to the idea…

• Step 1: ask yourself “What aspect of Saltaire’s history interests me?”
• Step 2: focus down on something specific and manageable. If you do, conducting your research will be so much easier.
• Step 3: define your objectives by establishing the questions that your research will answer.

Don’t know any historians?

Not a problem. The Saltaire History Club knows them all.

Just email historyclub@saltairevillage.info.

And we’re not precious so feel free to chat to the Saltaire Collection at saltairestories@gmail.com

Or our friends at the Saltaire Village website at history@saltairevillage.info.
 

Why search the web?

Because Saltaire research usually means looking back no further than 1800 and it’s in the recent past that the web excels.

So enter a number of terms in your favourite search engine and see what comes up. Be flexible, be creative - and when you get a lead, pursue it.

Record your findings

By this point, you’ll be finding stuff out – and it is essential that you record fully and carefully anything you find.

Fully and carefully means (for example) that when you consult a book, you record the author, title, date, whatever material you think important, and the page numbers of that info - and that you double check everything.

Curiously, fully and carefully also means recording those places you explore where you find nothing. It’ll save you time in the long run!