Family and Local History
Watch our video on tracing your family history
If you are considering researching
Northumberland family or local history then you need go no further
than Northumberland Collections Service at Woodhorn. We hold
extensive collections which will assist you in tracing family and
local history including:
Whilst family history can be a rewarding
pastime, research can be time-consuming and at times frustrating.
If you are new to family history you should consider reading our
handy leaflet "Family
History in Northumberland; A Brief Guide". It contains loads of
helpful advice and contact addresses so you can begin planning your
research.
How do you start?
Family history begins with you. Gather as much
information as you can from living relatives and try to compile a
tree starting from you. Include birth or baptism dates, marriages
and details of deaths or burials. See just how far you go back
before you have unknown events. At that point your research really
begins. If you are unable to visit Woodhorn in person then why not
let Northumberland Collections Service undertake your research for
you. You can find out more details of this service by viewing the
Research web pages, just follow the
link.
What next?
Enrol on an evening class or buy a good book
to learn about the sources which are available at Local Record
Offices and on the Internet. The internet can be an excellent way
to trace events but always back up this work with evidence
collected from original sources.
User Guides / Visitor Information
Follow the links below to view all of our User
Guides. They cover a huge array of Family and Local History sources
and will prove invaluable before a proposed visit. Also the
Visitor Information webpage contains the
necessary information needed to plan your first visit.
North Northumberland Ancestors
If you have ancestors from North
Northumberland it may be necessary for you to visit the Records Office at Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Follow the link to the relevant web pages where you will find
sources available, opening times and contact details. If you are
unable to visit in person then you might wish to take advantage of
our Research Service. Follow the link to the
research web pages for further information.
Accessing the Electronic Catalogues
Using our
Electronic Catalogue might prove an excellent starting point to
identify sources held at Woodhorn. Also, many of our Family
Collections can be accessed via the
Access to Archives Website (A2A), follow the links to search
both catalogues.
Electronic Catalogue;
A2A
Research and User Guides
For further information
please contact: Northumberland Archives, Woodhorn
Queen Elizabeth II Country
Park, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 9YF
Tel: 01670 528080
E-mail: collections@woodhorn.org.uk
Opening Hours: Wednesday
to Sunday 10 – 4 Monday and Tuesday Closed
