Wales Archives and Libraries

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Wales

Archives and Libraries

Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the FamilySearch Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.

County Archives, Libraries, Museums, and Record Offices

Here you will find links to Wiki articles providing information and links to archives, libraries, museums, and record offices at the county level:

British Newspaper Archives
Colindale Avenue,
London NW9 5HE
England

Most newspapers have archival records that can be accessed. Unfortunately Wales no longer has a National Newspaper. However there are many local and regional newspapers, as well as on line newspapers. The British Newspaper Archives works in partnership with the National Archives.

Libraries

British Library at St. Pancras
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
England

The British Library is the national repository for all published materials in England. Because its collection is so complex, usually only experienced researchers use it.

Guildhall Library
Aldermanbury
London EC2P 2EJ
England

Guildhall Library has many guild (occupation) and business records.

Society of Genealogists
356 Holloway Road
London N7 6PA Ehgland
Telephone: (020) 7251 8799

The Society of Genealogists has extensive records from all over England. They also have the largest collection of transcribed parish registers in England.

Public Libraries

Public Libraries in the United Kingdom This website frequently provides a link to the online catalog of each library in the directory.

Public libraries collect many published sources such as local histories, city directories, maps, newspapers, family histories, and parish registers.

Museums

Ebbw Vale Works Museum, Unit 15 Cwm Draw Industrial Estate, Newtown, Ebbw Vale NP23 5AE Telephone: 01495 350941 Email: ev_works_at@btinternet.com

The archive contains a large number of legal and estate documents dating back to the 17th century, including the original agreements on farmland purchases for building the first furnaces and documents relating to the acquisition of ironworks and collieries during the periods of industrial expansion. The collection also has information relating to the mineral rights, water reserves, maps, plans, balance sheets, minutes of shareholder's Annual General Meetings and records on the development of processes and products, staffing and the changing skills of the personnel of the works.

Record Offices

General Register Office

Main article: General Register Office for England and Wales

Research your family history using the General Register Office Gov.UK guide.

The General Register Office (part of the Identity and Passport Service) houses government birth, marriage, and death certificates from 1 July 1837 to the present for all of England and Wales. Copies may be obtained either online or by post from the General Register Office or from the local register office where the event was registered.

Ordering certificates

Postal address:
Certificate Services Section
General Register Office
PO Box 2
Southport PR8 2JD England

Email: certificate.services@gro.gsi.gov.uk
Website: Certificate ordering service
Telephone: +44 (0)300 123 1837 (8am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Saturday 9am to 4pm)

County Record Offices

See County Archives, Libraries, Museums, and Record Offices, above for links to an Archives and Libraries Wiki article for each county .

In England each, county has one or more offices that house records about the particular county. Records of genealogical value in these offices include land records, church records, taxation records, probate records, miscellaneous indexes, and collections.
Some county record offices have personal or place-name indexes to some of the records in their collection.
County record offices are open to the public. Some require a reader’s ticket.
If you write for information, be as concise as possible. The offices are small and have limited staff, so you may have to wait a few weeks for a reply.
If staff members are unable to search their records, you may ask for a list of record agents who can search the records for you.

Reference books giving addresses and maps locating county record offices:

Gibson, J.S.W. and Pamela Peskett. Record Offices--How to Find Them. [England]: Federation of Family History Societies, c1987. FS Library Collection. WorldCat.
Church, Rosemary, and Jean Cole. In and Around Record Repositories in Great Britain and Ireland. 3rd ed. Huntingdon, Cambridge: Family Tree Magazine, 1992. (FS Library book 942 J54cj; computer number 0673604.) This gives street and mailing addresses and maps showing the locations of offices. WorldCat.
Record Repositories in Great Britain: A Geographical Guide. 10th ed. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1997. (FS Library book 942 J54r 1999; computer number 0638954.) This gives street and mailing addresses of the repositories, along with their telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and Internet sites. WorldCat.

General Guides

Some guides to English archives and libraries are:

Foster, Janet, and Julia Sheppard. British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the United Kingdom. 3rd ed. New York: Stockton Press Ltd., 1995. (FS Library book 942 J54f 1995; computer number 0763911.) (BYU FS Library book CD 1040 .F67 2001 4th ed.) This guide lists addresses, major records, and publications of various repositories in the United Kingdom. It is indexed by county and by type of collection.
Iredale, David. Enjoying Archives: What They Are, Where to Find Them, How to Use Them. Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore & Co. Ltd., 1985. (FS Library book 942 A5i 1985; computer number 0183662.) This guide describes the heritage of documents in Great Britain and a few of the archives where documents are stored. It explains the work of the county record office, how the staff preserves manuscripts, and a method for reading old records.
Moulton, Joy Wade. Genealogical Resources in English Repositories. Columbus, Ohio: Hampton House, 1988. Supplement published 1992. (FS Library book 942 J54m; computer number 0469640.) (BYU FS Library book CS 414 .X1 M94 1996.) This book contains addresses and describes the holdings of county record offices, genealogical and family history societies, and other repositories. Maps of repository locations are included.
Tallon, Maura. Church in Wales: Diocesan libraries Item 8 on film.

Inventories, Registers, Catalogs, and Schedules

Most archives have publications that describe their collections and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before you visit or use the records so you can use your time more effectively. Many published inventories, guides, catalogs, and directories for archives and libraries are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under:

WALES - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS

WALES, [COUNTY] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS

WALES, [COUNTY], [CITY] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS

GREAT BRITAIN-ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES-INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS-INDEXES