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The Search Room
The Records Office is housed in the same building as the
City Museum and contains official City archives dating from the
14th century, parish records and large collections of material
deposited by local businesses, organisations and families. Entry
is free.
 The
records we hold...
The Records Office holds a wide range of material dating from 1313
AD to the present day including:
Portsmouth City Council records, including council minutes, electoral
registers, school log books and rate books.
Local church records (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Non Conformist)
with registers of baptisms, marriages and burials dating from as
early as 1538.
Records of local businesses, families and organisations.
Maps (including Ordnance Survey maps) of Portsmouth and surrounding
areas.
Census returns 1841, 1851, 1861, 1881, 1891, 1901 for the Portsmouth area (see Local History Guide for further details)
Cemetery records from 1749 (originals or microfilm copies).
Photographs and postcards.
Indexes
International Genealogical Index (IGI) for England, Scotland, Wales
and Ireland.
Name, place, and subject indexes to our holdings.
Extensive card indexes of parish register entries and census returns.
Tickets
You will be asked to sign the visitors' book. Portsmouth City Records
Office is a member of the CARN registration scheme; if you have
obtained a CARN ticket from another Record Office, you can use
it here, but if you have not, you can obtain one provided you show
us official proof of your name and current address, e.g. driving
licence or utility bill. Day tickets can also be obtained.
We also accept Public Record Office reader tickets, NUS cards,
and Portsmouth City Library tickets as valid identification.
Lockers
We ask visitors not to take bags into the searchroom, but lockers
are available outside the room.
Pencils
Only pencils may be used in the searchroom; ink blots and
biro marks will never come off!
Photographs
Please consult the staff on duty if you would like to photograph
a document and to collect a form.
Photocopies
Photocopying is only done at the discretion of searchroom
staff - if the condition of the item and copyright regulations
permit
this. Please consult the staff on duty, who will also be
able to
explain the scale of charges.
Document production
We normally produce documents in the searchroom between 10.00
a.m. and 12.45 p.m., and between 1.30 p.m. and 4.45 p.m.
Finding
aids
Catalogues of many of our collections are available on open access in the searchroom. In addition there are name, place, subject and other indexes, as well as printed sources relating to archives held locally and around the country. The staff on duty will be happy to explain how to use these, and how to order any documents you wish to see.
Some of our catalogues are available on the Access to Archives (A2A) website at www.a2a.org.uk. On this site, you can search and browse the catalogues of collections held in record offices and other institutions across England and Wales.
'A2A' is updated several times a year and we are planning to make more of our catalogues available on the site. However, if you do not find what you are looking for, please get in touch with us and we will help as best we can.
Documents on restricted access
Certain records are closed for between 30 and 100 years because
of the sensitive nature of their contents, and therefore
cannot be produced in the searchroom without special permission.
Some
documents
are too fragile to be produced in the searchroom.
During
your visit
Smoking - No smoking is allowed anywhere in the City Museum
and Records Office.
Eating and drinking - There is a tea-room on the ground
floor where a wide range of hot and cold drinks and snacks
is available.
Lavatories - Lavatories are situated on the ground
floor and the first floor.
Parking
You can park your car behind the City Museum and Records
Office.
Access
Access to the searchroom is by a flight of stairs, or a lift.
The building is fully accessible to wheelchair users.
Contact Us
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