Worcestershire Archives and Libraries

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Beginning Research
Record Types
Worcestershire Background
Local Research Resources

Boundary Changes Affecting Records[edit | edit source]

  • Worcestershire was abolished as part of local government reforms in 1974, with its northern area becoming part of the West Midlands and the rest part of the county of Hereford and Worcester.
  • Worcester areas then in the West Midlands were Warley (now in Sandwell), and Stourbridge and Halesowen (now in Dudley).[1]
  • In 1998 the county of Hereford and Worcester was abolished and Worcestershire was reconstituted, again without the West Midlands area.[2]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service
The Hive
Sawmill Walk
The Butts
Worcester, Worcestershire WR1 3PD UK
Telephone: 01905 822866
Email: hiveadminteam@worcestershire.gov.uk
Website


Dudley Archives and Local History Service
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
Council House
Priory Road
Dudley, West Midlands DY1 1HF UK

Telephone: 0300 555 2345
Email: dudleycouncilplus@dudley.gov.uk
Website
Catalogue


Sandwell Community History and Archives Service (includes West Bromwich)
Smethwick Library
High Street
Smethwick, West Midlands B66 1AA UK

Telephone: 0121 558 2561
Email: archives_service@sandwell.gov.uk
Website
Our collections

Libraries[edit | edit source]


Worcester Library
County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2NP UK

Telephone: 1905 822722
Worcestershire Libraries and Learning Service

Museums[edit | edit source]

For a long list of Worcestershire museums, go to List of museums in Worcestershire in Wikipedia.


Worcestershire County Museum at Hartlebury Castle
Hartlebury Castle
Hartlebury, Worcestershire DY11 7XZ UK
Telephone: 01299 250416
Website

The County Museum, housed in the former home of the Bishops of Worcester, is a fascinating place to explore. In the museum galleries you can discover social history, toys through time, travel & transport and the intriguing story of Worcestershire's past. Visitors can also see room sets such as the schoolroom and scullery, which are regularly brought to life by visiting schoolchildren and period rooms that focus on the Victorian and Civil War eras.

Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Foregate Street
Worcester, Worcestershire WR1 1DT UK
Telephone: 01905 25371
Email: gallerymuseum@worcestershire.gov.uk
Website

Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum is housed in an elegant Victorian building in the heart of Worcester. The beautiful interior is a warm and friendly place, with something for all the family to enjoy. Immerse yourself in the special exhibitions, events and activities throughout the year. The museum gallery has lots of amazing things to see including dinosaur footprints, Worcestershire Sauce archive and many more interesting objects from a real Roman mosaic to a Native American totem pole.

The Commandery
Sidbury
Worcester, Worcestershire WR1 2HU UK
Telephone: 01905 361821
Email: commandery@worcestershire.gov.uk
Website

The Commandery's civil war past is a story unlike any other; it is the very site of the Royalist headquarters during the decisive Battle of Worcester, the final battle of the English Civil War in 1651.

Civil Registration Offices[edit | edit source]

The General Register Office holds a central copy of all birth, marriage, and death registrations in England. These certificates can be ordered from their website (a login is required but it is free to register and search). However, in some cases research can be more efficient working with the smaller, more specific records collections of county/district registry offices.


Sometimes research might be required to determine where a town or parish was in a former registration district, or even its current district. For a list of the historic and current registration districts and their parishes, see UKBMD: Registration Districts in Worcestershire.



  1. "West Midlands (county)", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Midlands_(county), accessed 25 February 2023.
  2. "Worcestershire", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcestershire, accessed 25 February, 2023.