Newcastle Local Studies Library
Newcastle upon Tyne City Libraries & ArtsLOCAL STUDIES LIBRARYGENEALOGY GUIDE No. 2TRACING YOUR ANCESTORS IN NORTH EAST ENGLAND |
Records available for genealogical research are varied in type and location. This guide includes the main sources which may be useful and lists the local libraries and record offices which may be able to help you.
Records are available for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 & 1891. Returns are released after 100 years. They are arranged by registration sub-district within the city. Returns for 1841 are difficult to read. The ages of adults are rounded down to the nearest 5 years; place of birth is not recorded. Returns from 1851-1891 provide precise details of age, status and place of birth. Cleveland, Durham, Tyne & Wear Record Offices and Northumberland Record Office all have returns for their respective counties. Libraries in Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham have returns for their own areas. The Northumberland & Durham Family History Society have compiled an index to the 1851 census covering much of the area.
Cleveland, Durham and Northumberland Record Office have original parish registers for their own areas. Tyne & Wear Record Office has microfilm copies of registers for areas within the former county of Tyne & Wear. Many larger libraries have copies of parish registers.
Most wills and inventories for the diocese of Durham (which includes
the counties of Durham & Northumberland) 1540-1858 are in the Archives and
Special Collections, Durham University with the exception of:-
*Wills for the peculiar of Hexham & Hexhamshire which are at the Borthwick
Institute, York.
*Wills proved at Newcastle 1858-1949 which are at the Northumberland Record
Office (part indexed).
Many early wills have been transcribed & indexed; copies are at most major
libraries. The Principal Probate Registry, Somerset House has all wills
proved in England & Wales from 1858 as well as wills for those who died
overseas but had property here. There is an annual index. Wills may
mention descendants, collateral and ancestors. They can also be used to
confirm or find deaths.
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Published for Newcastle from 1778-1968 and for rural areas from 1827-1968. They vary in quality and are selective in their listings. Larger libraries have collections although few of them are comprehensive.
Until the mid 1870's these were often arranged alphabetically by name. Later lists are arranged by electoral ward then street name. Most libraries & record offices have collections for their areas.
To use these effectively dates of deaths etc. are required, since few newspapers are indexed. Obituaries and reports of funerals can be useful sources of family information.
Boyd's Marriage Index provides brief details of marriages for a large
number of parishes in Northumberland & Durham for the period
1500-1812.
Various marriage indexes have been compiled for the local
area covering the period 1813-1837. Newcastle Central Library, Local
Studies Section & Northumberland Record Office have copies.
Index From 1st July 1837, all births, marriages and deaths taking place in England and Wales should be recorded. In the early days many births were not recorded, however by 1857 penalties were introduced to compel registration. The records of births, marriages and deaths are in quarters ending in March, June, September and December, 42 days are allowed to register a birth so try the following quarters if necessary. Each quarter is in alphabetical order. All indexes contain SURNAME, FORENAME(S), REGISTRATION DISTRICT, VOLUME, PAGE. From 1911 the birth indexes also give the mother's maiden name and the marriage indexes also give the spouse's surname. From 1866 death indexes give the age at death.
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Compiled by the Church of Latter-Day-Saints this index of christenings and marriages covers the whole world. Entries for the British Isles are arranged by county then surname and are in chronological order of event. The index is updated every few years on microfiche. Here is an example of a line:-
SURNAME FORENAME FATHER/MOTHER/SPOUSE SEX TYPE EVENT DATE TOWN/PARISH ARMSTRONG THOMAS THOMAS/ARMSTRONG/ M C 24 AUGUST 1823 ALFRETON HANNAH
This tells us that a male child was christened on the 24th August at Alfreton, Derbyshire. The index was not compiled as a research tool and should be used with caution. Errors of transcriptions have occurred and it is wise to check the original register, which may contain additional information.
Local Holdings are:-
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Newcastle Local Studies Library
Cleveland Central Library
Victoria Square
Middlesbrough
Cleveland TS1 2AY
01642 248155 X 3358/3359
(after 5.00pm and on Saturdays 247442 and 249440)
Monday-Friday 9.30am-7.00pm; Saturday 9.30am-5.00pm
Durham City Library
South Street
Durham DHl 4QS
0191 386 4003
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9.30am-7.00pm
Wednesday 9.30am-12.30pm; Saturday 9.30am-5.00pm
Darlington Library
Crown Street
Darlington DL1 1NB
01325 462034 or 469858
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9.30am-7.00pm
Wednesday and Saturday 9.30am-5.00pm
(Closed each day 1.00pm-2.15pm)
Gateshead Central Library
Prince Consort Road
Gateshead NE8 4LN
0191 477 3478
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9.00am-7.00pm
Wednesday 9.00am-5.00pm; Saturday 9.00am-1.00pm.
Newcastle Central Library
Princess Square
Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1DX
0191 261 0691
Monday and Thursday 9.30am-8.00pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9.30am-5.00pm
Saturday 9.00am-5.00pm.
North Tyneside:
Local Studies Centre
Central Library
Northumberland Square
North Shields NE30 1QU
0191 258811
Monday, Friday, Saturday 9.30am-5.30pm
Tuesday, Thursday 9.30am-7.00pm
Northumberland:
Libraries with local history collections at:
South Tyneside Central Library
Catherine Street
South Shields NE33 2PE
0191 427 1818
Monday-Thursday 9.30am-7.00pm
Friday 9.30am-5.00pm; Saturday 9.30am-1.00pm
Sunderland Central Library
Fawcett Street
Sunderland SRl 1RE
0191 514 1235
Monday, Wednesday 9.30am-7.30pm
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9.30am-5.00pm
Saturday 9.30am-4.00pm
Latter-Day Saints Genealogy Library
Queen Alexandra Road
Sunderland SR2 9BT
0191 5285787 (By appointment only)
Monday 10.00am-1.00pm;
Tuesday and Friday 10.00am-4.00pm, 6.00pm-9.00pm
Wednesday, Thursday 10.00am-4.00pm
Saturday 1.00pm-4.00pm
Cleveland Record Office
Exchange House
6 Marton Road
Middlesbrough
Cleveland TS1 3AA
01642 248321
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9.00am-5.00pm
Tuesday 9.00am-9.00pm; Friday 9.00am-4.30pm
(Appointment Necessary)
Durham Record Office
Lower Ground Floor
County Hall
Durham DH1 5UL
Tel: 0191 386 4411
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8.45am-4.45pm
Wednesday 8.45am-8.30pm; Friday 8.45am-4.15pm
Saturday 9.00am-12.00pm
(Appointment Necessary)
Durham University:
Archives and Special Collections
University Library
5 The College
Durham DHI 3EQ
Tel: 0191 374 3610
Durham University terms:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9.00am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Tuesday 9.00am-8.00pm (Pre booking necessary for Tuesday evenings)
During vacations:
Monday-Friday 9.00am-l.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Northumberland Record Office
Melton Park
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 5QX
Tel: 0191 236 2680
Monday 9.30am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-8.00pm
Tuesday and Friday 9.30am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays
(Most family history sources at Northumberland Record Office. See below:)
Northumberland Record Office
The Kylins
Morpeth
Northumberland NE61 2EQ
Tel: 01670 504084
Monday and Friday 9.30am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-5.00pm
Tuesday 9.30am-1.00pm, 2.00pm-8.00pm
Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays
(Appointment Advisable)
Tyne and Wear Archive Services
Blandford House
Blandford Square
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4JA
Tel: 0191 232 6789
Monday, Wednesday-Friday 9.00am-5.15pm
Tuesday 9.00am-8.30pm
(Appointment Advisable)
The Northumberland and Durham Family History Society (Secretary: Mr John Ashburner, 10 Melrose Grove, Jarrow on Tyne, Tyne and Wear. NE32 4HP) publishes a Journal three times per year, which contains articles on the above libraries and record offices and has a "Members and their interests" section.
In all cases one should check holdings in record depositories to avoid wasted journeys.
Revised Feb. 1995
City of Newcastle upon Tyne
Community & Leisure Services Department
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Text scanned in with permission 6 May 1995 by Brian
Randell
Layout amended by Brian Pears 20 June 1996 and alterations made
as follows:
St Catherine's House Indexes - content of indexes clarified
Northumberland Record Office - opening hours updated
Northumberland Record Office - opening hours updated
Tyne & Wear Archives Service - address corrected
[Last updated: 2nd March 2006 - Brian Pears]