SOURCES OF ORIGINAL MATERIALS FOR A 
HISTORY OF BURNLEY. 
This was the title of a paper read by W. A. ABRAM, F.R.H.S., 
of Blackburn, October 12th, 1880. 
In his introductory observations, the lecturer pointed out that 
although useful historical accounts of the Burnley district were con- 
tained in the later extended editions of Whitaker's ‘‘ History of 
Whalley,” and Baines’s ‘‘ History of Lancashire,” and the late Mr. 
T. 'T. Wilkinson’s “ History of Burnley Church ” was an excellent 
contribution to that branch of local history, yet nothing lke a 
complete history of the town and chapelry existed in permanent 
book-form ; and he suggested that such a comprehensive separate 
History of Burnley was a desideratum, which the Burnley 
Literary and Scientific Club might with propriety take the initia- 
tive in supplying. After referring to the branches of archzology 
and ecclesiastical history, Mr. Abram proceeded to notice seria- 
tim the various principal sources of information concerning the 
descents of local estates and families. We extract the following 
paragraphs from this portion of the lecture, which for the most 
part apply equally to the documentary materials available for the 
history of other Lancashire parishes or districts. 
1. Subsidy Rolls—What are known to antiquaries as the 
Subsidy Rolls are lists inseribed upon long narrow rolls of parch- 
ment, kept at the Public Record Office in London, of all assess- 
ments made upon Counties, Hundreds, &c., for contributions to 
the subsidies granted to the King or Queen from time to time. 
The Subsidies were the ancient system of public taxation in 
England for the support of the monarchy and the government. 
The records of the assessments for these Subsidies which are yet 
preserved extend over a period, roundly, of some three centuries 
from the reigns of the Plantagenets to that of Charles the Second. 
Under each parish and township they contain the names of each 
inhabitant taxed to the Subsidy, either on his lands or on his 
goods. They therefore supply the names of every householder 
in a locality of any account or propertied-qualification at the time 
