ABOUT US
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Which office should I visit?
Copies of most registers of baptisms, marriages and burials (the most frequently requested sources for family historians) are available on microfiche at each of our offices in Bradford, Calderdale (Halifax), Kirklees (Huddersfield), Leeds and Wakefield, and at the Yorkshire Archaeological Society.
If you wish to view original archival material you will need to visit the office where the documents are held. There is an Archive Service office in each West Yorkshire Metropolitan District, in Bradford, Calderdale (Halifax), Kirklees (Huddersfield), Leeds, and Wakefield. The Wakefield office also houses records of the former county administrations of the West Riding of Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council.
You can check the location of archives on our online catalogue. Further detail about the holdings of the Archive Service can also be found in the sections on family history and local history, and in our series of published guides. Please contact us if you require help, and staff will be happy to point you in the right direction.
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Do I need to reserve a seat?
Yes please. By operating a seat reservation system we can help you to make the most of your time at the archives. When you contact us to make your reservation, we will advise you whether you need to reserve a place to look at original archives or a microform reader, depending on the records you wish to consult.
Some records are stored off-site and we may require several days’ notice to make them available.
You do not need to book to use the microfiche and film readers at Calderdale (Halifax), Kirklees (Huddersfield) and Bradford libraries.
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On Arrival
On arrival at Leeds and Wakefield you will need to press the buzzer so that the staff can let you into the building.
At all of our offices, you will be asked to sign the visitors’ book. This indicates that you have read and understood some simple searchroom guidelines, which are designed to protect our unique and irreplaceable archives. But please do bring a pencil, as we do not allow pens to be used when you are handling unique archival material.
We are now members of the County Archive Research Network (CARN) readers’ ticket scheme. Please bring your CARN readers’ ticket with you when you visit. If you do not have a ticket please bring official proof of ID which includes your name, address and signature.
What is CARN?
CARN is a national scheme to provide readers tickets for local authority archive services in England and Wales. Tickets are valid for 4 years and can be used at any of the 70 archive services that are part of the scheme.
Click here for more information.
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Facilities for visitors
| Car Parking | The Registry of Deeds building in Wakefield has its own car park, which is free for Archive Service visitors. Our other offices do not have car parks. For details of public car parks please see individual office details. |
| Access |
West Yorkshire Archive Service has two buildings which do not provide easy access for people with mobility difficulties; Leeds and Wakefield.
We are making some changes which will help and we are also working on longer-term plans for archive service accommodation. However we recognise that the short-term alterations will not help everyone.
If you are researching Family History, access to fiche and film copies of widely-used Family History sources for West Yorkshire are available at several local libraries. Information on which libraries and what they hold will be made available on our web site.
If you are researching other topics and need access to different records normally housed at Leeds, Wakefield or Bradford we propose the following options:
- Photocopies / digital copies of sources. This will depend on the size, fragility and number of the records you need to use. Subject to copyright, we will provide up to ten copies / images free of charge.
- Temporary transfer of relevant sources to our offices at Calderdale, Kirklees or Bradford which are easily accessible. Staff at the office holding the records will help you identify the sources you will need and will help you to make a seat reservation at Calderdale, Kirklees or Bradford. The records will be transferred for a maximum of one month from the date of your first appointment to use them. We reserve the right not to transfer any item which is too fragile to be transported. We cannot transfer registers from the Registry of Deeds at Wakefield.
The temporary transfer arrangement is not available to any researcher who can normally gain access to the office which houses the records.
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| Toilets | There are toilets available at all of our offices. |
| Lockers | We ask visitors to Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield to leave all coats and bags in a secure locker. |
| Refreshments | Eating, drinking and smoking is not allowed whilst you are looking at the archives, because of the danger of accidental damage. Some offices have small rest areas for the consumption of readers’ own refreshments. Please contact staff for information on nearby cafes, pubs, etc. |
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Do you have details of places to stay?
The Yorkshire Tourist Board has an online search and booking service:
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If you cannot visit in person
For those unable to visit any of our offices we offer a research service.
Simple enquiries about the availability and location of records can be answered free of charge. Please also contact us for suggestions on possible sources for particular research projects.
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