Visiting the Archives

 

 

Appointments are essential. Tel: 01384 812770.  We do not take telephone calls betweeen 1.00pm and 2.00pm but the searchroom stays open.

 

NEWSPAPERS:  Please note that from 14th April until further notice, original newspapers will be unavailable due to the refurbishment of the newspaper storage area.

 

We occupy a converted school building.

 

There is ample free car parking on site.

 

If you want to come by train, we are 10 minutes walk away from Coseley railway station.  There are three trains per hour from Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton.

 

If you are coming by bus, we are a 2 minute walk away from a main bus route. Bus numbers 125 and 126 run between Birmingham, Dudley and Wolverhampton along the Birmingham New Road, stopping at the row of shops at Roseville (Coseley), near Bank Street.  The bus number 581 stops on Ivy House Lane, almost on the corner of Mount Pleasant Street, Coseley, and is 1 minute walk.

 

 

The material which we hold is only available for consultation in our search room. It cannot be borrowed.

 

Please note that you may not be able to see some manuscript items less than 100 years old, as they may have restricted access conditions on them due to the Data Protection Act. Please phone or write in advance of your visit if you wish to look at records less than 100 years old to check whether you can see the records you require. It may not always be possible to give you an answer immediately, but if this is the case, we will respond within 20 working days. These restricted access conditions do not apply to parish registers, and so these can be viewed freely.

 

Advanced bookings are necessary, especially when using records held on microfilm or microfiche. This includes most records used for family history, such as parish registers, census returns, IGI, and GRO indexes, as well as 25" Ordnance Survey maps, some trade directories, some electoral registers and newspapers.  It is also essential to book a table space for looking at original documents.  We have a large map table, so if you wish to view maps, please ask to book this.  Telephone 01384 812770 during our opening hours to make a booking.

 

We operate the CARN reader's ticket system (County Archive Research Network). Everyone wishing to use the Archives and Local History Service is required to register on their first visit and bring their ticket with them on each subsequent visit. CARN tickets are valid for 4 years. To register, you should bring 2 forms of identification, one of which must give your current address (e.g. driving licence, benefit book or utility bill) and the other needs to have your signature (e.g. credit card). County Archive Research Network tickets issued from other offices can be used here.

 

Much of the material we hold is unique and irreplaceable and some rules are necessary to protect it from accidental damage and theft. We ask all users to help us to ensure the survival of our holdings for future generations by: