The author looks at the life of our poor ancestors and how to go about finding records. Where do you look when your ancestors owned no land, when they were in almshouses or workhouses, when they were vagrants or criminals, etc. The book includes sections on searching charity records, how to find ancestors who were pauper and vagrants, how to find those who may have been accused of, tried for or sentenced for committing a crime and where to look for records on debts and bankruptcies. An excellent resource for any genealogist, it is concise, informative and well written.

I found this a well written reference book with lots of information I found very helpful, I recommend for any interested in researching their families history

A big thank you to the author Stuart A Raymond, and Pen & Sword for this little gem of a book.
I’ve been researching my family history for a few years now, and at times I’ve hit many a brick wall. This book is packed full of helpful advice and tips for gaining knowledge about your poorer ancestors.
It also gives readers an insight to how their lives were.
I d thoroughly recommend to anyone looking to start their family tree, or even to advanced genealogists. A mist for any history lover

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read in return for an honest review

Thank you to Pen & Sword and Net Galley for an e-arc of this title in exchange for my honest review. What was intriguing about this book, and it did not disappoint, was that it focused on those of us who might've had ancestors that were less than wealthy. I come from farmers and coal miners, so many times I was disappointed with information and/or photographs that others have for their relatives, and I might not for mine. The author gives great assist in how to obtain your own information and focuses on this lesser-discussed aspect of family history. Highly recommend.

I think the best parts of this book are the historical accounts of the poor - various poor laws, the struggles of the needy, the "worthy" poor vs. the "unworthy" poor, etc. It offers up necessary reading for anyone looking to get a glimpse at the lives at their ancestors (as most of us had ancestors that were not wealthy). There are also sources to check into for finding records of the English poor. A must-read if you are a genealogist in this category!

Yet again Pen & Sword have delivered the definitive book for researching your Poor Ancestors.
An excellent book for beginners and experienced researchers. It includes how to use online sites and how to get the best from visits to archives.
It’s also illustrates the lives of are ancestor in a time before social welfare and health care. An interesting read even if you are not interested in your family history. By the end you will be!.