Using Business History Explorer

Introduction: BHE Online is accessed via the Search button at the top of the home page.

Three areas of searching are available. The first is a keyword search across four vital fields. The second is a seach in fields relating to business/industry entities. The third is a search in fields relating to publications. Multiple field searches can be made across business entity/industry and publication fields.  

A. Keyword searching:

The Keyword Search searches four vital fields simultaneously, viz: 1] Business/industry entity name; 2] Publication title; 3] Notes field [a text field] linked to business/industry entities; 4] Notes field [a text field] linked to publications [a text field]. The two notes fields give summary details of the content of a publication and of the history of a business.

B. Business/industry entity fields searching:

Business/industry entity name: Enter the name of the business for which publications are being sought. A schedule of businesses is returned. This schedule will include the business being searched for and/or any businesses connected with it either as subsidiaries/acquisitions/disposals/etc. Some names might not be relevant as they are retuned simply on account of having a like-sounding name. Tap on a business name and details of the business are returned.

These details are: A] 'Other business names' under which it operated or with which it was somehow connected, being name changes, merger partners, acquistions, etc; B] 'Locations' being the sole or most significant geographical locations at which the business operated; C] 'Sectors' being the business sectors/subsectors to which the business belonged; D] 'Notes' being a text field providing a short profile of the history of the business. This profile is based on easily accessible sources [which sometimes conflict in their content] and should not be regarded as authoritative - the profile is provided only for general guidance; E] 'Publications' being a list of publications relating to the business - tap on a publication name to drill down to details of the publication.

Sectors: Each business/industry is allocated one or more business/industry sectors/subsectors. To search by these either add text or tap on the browse add button to return a schedule of sectors/subsectors. Tap on the search button at base of the screen to return results.

City: This is the city/ town/village at which the business carried on its principal activities. To search by this either add text or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of places. Tap on the search button at base of the screen to return results.

Local authority: This is the unitary, county or administrative area [as at 2012 when BHE was first published] in which the business is located. To search by this either add text or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of local authorities. Tap on the search button at base of the screen to return results.

County (1974): This is the county in which the business is located. These are the traditional counties either established or confirmed by local authority reorganisation in 1974 and now, in several instances, abolished and replaced by unitary authorities. The reason for the inclusion of this seemingly redundant location is that several traditional counties – such as Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Strathclyde, Tyne & Wear, West Midlands and West Yorkshire – coincide with areas of common historic economic activity which gives them relevance to BHE. To search by this either add text or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of Counties (1974). Tap on the search button at base of the screen to return results.

Region: This is the region in which the business is located. To search by this either add text or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of Regions. Tap on the search button at base of the screen to return results.

Country:  This is the country in which the business is located. These include England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To search by this either add text or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of Countries. Tap on the search button at base of the screen to return results.

C. Publication fields searching:

Publication Title: Enter some text relevant to the title being searched for. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results. A schedule of publications is returned. Tap on a publication title and details of the publication are returned.

These fields include A] Basic bibliographical details of the publication - eg author, year published, number of pages, etc; B] 'Topics' covered by the publication; C] 'Business/industry entity names' listing businesses about which the publication provides substantial information; D] 'Countries' about which the publication provides substantial information; E] 'Library' holding a copy of the publication - usually a UK legal deposit library; F] 'Notes' being a text field providing a short summary of the publication's content

Topic:  Enter topic name or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of topics. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Author: Enter name of author or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of authors. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Publication Type: Enter publication type or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of publication types. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Year published. Enter year, or year range, and tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Publisher name: Enter publisher's name or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of publishers. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Periodical: Enter periodical name or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of periodicals. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Country: Enter a country name to locate publications relating to that country. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results.

Publication Group: Enter a publication group name or tap on the browse all button to find a full list of publication groups. Tap on the search button at base of screen to return results. A publication group comprises publications having the same function - eg Winners of the Wadsworth Prize for Business History; 'Employee handbooks'; 'Historical document transcriptions'; Genealogical tables; etc.

D. Order of search results:

Search results can be ordered by relevance or by letter of alphabet