Visibility Options
West Yorkshire Archive Service
West Yorkshire Archive Service

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. From Summer 2011 the registers of baptisms, marriages and burials will also be available online via Ancestry.co.uk. You will be able able to access them at our offices or the local studies libraries in the district, as well as from your own computer.


If you wish to view original archival material you will need to visit the office where the documents are held. You can check the location of archives on our online catalogue. Further detail about the holdings of the Archive Service can also be found on this web site and in our Collection Guides. Please contact us if you require help, and staff will be happy to point you in the right direction.

 

Before you visit West Yorkshire Archive Service offices
The following tips will help you prepare for your visit and get the most of your time with us:

• Before your visit gather as much information as possible and bring copies of relevant documents to help staff advise you.
• Think about the questions you want to ask.

• Check the online catalogue for any relevant sources and let the office know the references you find.

• Leave plenty of time for your visit as identifying the records you need and searching for the information can take longer than you think.

• Remember pencil and paper, your CARN reader's ticket or ID if you don't have one. 


You can use our archives free of charge. The only charges we make are for certain extra services such as copying.

We hope you enjoy your visit. 


How to find us and Opening Hours

You will find details of the location, opening hours and contact details of our offices along with information on local transport facilities and parking for each offices here: Bradford, Calderdale (Halifax), Kirklees (Huddersfield), Leeds and Wakefield.

 

Booking spaces in the searchrooms
Avoid disappointment! – contact us before your visit.
• We don’t want you to turn up to find that we have no room for you, we don’t have the records you are interested in or that the items you require are not available so it is always advisable to talk to us before your visit.
• Bookings can be made by letter, e-mail or telephone.
• We will advise you on what we have available and whether to reserve a table or microform reader, depending on the records you want to consult. If you would like to visit within the next day or two please telephone.
• If you arrive without having made a booking we will make every effort to accommodate you, but cannot always guarantee that we will have space for you.
• Please bear in mind that some records are stored off-site and we may require 3 to 5 days notice to make them available.

 

If you have never visited us before, why not just come in to browse our catalogues and indexes? Staff will be happy to help you find your way around and you will be better prepared for your next visit.

 

Standard Visibility, click to change Visibility High, click to change