Genealogy Chat

Are there Archive centres all over the place or just in selected areas? I live in Chichester but my family came from Wiltshire, Newington, Lambeth, Bermondsy, Southwark and Horsham. Would I need to go to each of these areas or will i find the details all in one location? Only ask as I have never been and now the kids are at full time school and Hubby has new job im rattling about like a pea in a drum. corrina

Corrina The only silly question is the one not asked! The Family Records Centre in London has births, marriages and deaths indexes for the whole country as well as the complete census collection. Other national documents are at Kew. All counties have at least one records office, usually in the county town, which has local parish registers, newspaper runs, GRO indexes, quarter-sessions documents etc. A lot of your rellies come from the London area, so you would probably find it worthwhile to visit the London Metropolitan Archives, which is a convenient 5 mins walk from the FRC. You can check what they have on their website. If you aren't sure where to find what you want, you can post here, or you can go to the Access to Archives site - type a2a into a search engine. nell

Each county has a County Records office which holds parish baptism, marriage and burial registers, local census returns and a whole lot more just for their own area. Sometimes some of this is in local libraries as well. For your London boroughs the London Metropolitan Archive probably holds their parish records, and that's just round the corner from the Family Records Centre in Myddleton Strret which holds census returns and the GRO indexes for the whole of England and Wales so you could find a lot in a day out (or several!) in London. The church of Latter Day Saints (mormons) has family history centres in several places. If there is one near you they will order parish registers and census returns on microfilm for you to view at their centre. Good hunting Judith

Thank you for the help. Ive been Hunting for a birth of Thomas Ryman for all eternity it was in about 1812 give or take a year, i have searched familysearch till i went cross eyed with no luck. looks like ill be dragging hubby to london on his day off and bribing my brother in law to baby sit!!! many thanks Corrina

Chichester has a lovely modern record office. I think it should cover Horsham, if not the records will be at Lewes. I have found Chichester very friendly: a member of staff even took time out when the place was officially closed to give me advice. Wiltshire records are at Trowbridge. Much more old-fashioned but bursting with information. The family history societies for both areas have produced lots of indexes which may prove useful. Brenda

LOL i must be having a blonde day...... I forgot about the records office! ill have to pop there tomorrow. many thanks corrina ( banging head on table) xx