Archivist Graeme Edwards introduces the Archive research guides.
Have you ever wondered what sort of records exist at the Somerset Heritage Centre that may help you research your family history or the history of your house? Have you struggled to locate our digitised Somerset records on Ancestry or pondered whether you can view any of our maps online? Then wonder, struggle or ponder no more.
Research Guides and Catalogue
You see, guides to many of our collections, together with advice on researching various topics, accessing and using records and requesting research and copies, can be found in the Research Guides section of our online catalogue.
What was that? You didn’t know we had an online catalogue? Ah yes, our online catalogue provides access to over 807,700 catalogue entries, as well as a growing number of indexes (527,401 entries at the last count). You can search for keywords relevant to your search and even narrow your search results to a specific date range, collection or type of record. The online catalogue help section provides lots of handy tips on how to use it.
Useful Advice and Instructions
But we’re getting side-tracked, back to research guides. You’ll find useful advice regarding the types of records that can help you trace the history of your Somerset family or house. There are step by step instructions on how to view some of our maps online via the ‘Somerset Historic Environment Record’ and ‘Know Your Place.’ If you’ve been struggling to find an ancestor using Ancestry’s indexes but have a good idea of the year and parish where they were baptised, married or buried, we even have a guide that explains how to go straight to the images of the registers so you can search them, page by page.
In fact, there are research guides on a wide range of subjects, including the Poor Law, LGBT sources, the Somerset Light Infantry, mental health, education, the Quarter Sessions, local newspapers and probate. As well as providing useful information regarding some of the main types of records we hold, you will also find guides concerning our research and copying service, accessing restricted records, depositing archives and how to request permission to publish or share images of our documents. We’ve even put together a few reading lists on certain topics such as trades and crafts and crime and punishment.
So, before you get in touch, have a look at our research guides – you may find they point you to the relevant records or provide an answer to your question. You can also find details of our services (including our booking system) under the ‘planning a visit’ and ‘services’ section of our webpage.