Local History Volunteer Opportunity
The Somerset Heritage Centre (SHC) in Taunton is currently running a project to digitise and transcribe its collection of Land Tax Returns.
These are annual returns between 1766 - 1832 showing the owner, occupier and taxable value for every house and plot of land in a parish. They are a wonderful name-rich resource for family and local history. The SHC has just completed the digitisation of the Wellington parish returns.
There are 1,087 images to transcribe and they are looking for volunteers to become involved. Full training would be given and the work can be done either on site at the Heritage Centre or from home (with a reasonable internet connection!).
SHC hasn’t set a target for volunteers, they appreciate that real life comes first and does get in the way at times, but the average amount of time they see remote volunteers giving is around 15 - 20 hours per month.
Sometimes it doesn’t work out for a volunteer and they may only complete a small part, but it’s such a large project that every little really does help.
To register your interest, seek further information on the project or just to talk it through, please contact Kate Parr, Local Studies Librarian,
or phone 01823 278805 / 01392 888700.
