Tracing your Family Tree
Getting started
The Local History and Archives Library holds a wide variety of local, regional, national and international genealogical sources, all of which may be freely consulted in the Search Room. As there are so many records to choose from, there are plenty of finding aids available also two free leaflets entitled:- Tracing your family tree.
- Tracing your family tree overseas.
Brief list of some of our genealogical holdings
Many of the following records are held in different formats e.g. electronic database, microfilm, microfiche, paper copy or original record so if the information required is not forthcoming in one format it is sometimes useful to try another. This might seem confusing but there can be variations in the amount and type of information in each format, while many records are either incomplete or not available on the Internet.- Census returns for England and Wales.1841 – 1901
- Church registers of christenings, marriages and burials for the Borough of St.Helens and some other areas in Lancashire
- Civil Registration indices of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales. 1837 – 1990
- Civil Registration indices of British nationals overseas. c. 1796 – 1990s.
- Directories of St.Helens and some other local towns and villages.
- International Genealogical Index or Family Search
- Local newspapers c. 1855 to the present day.
- Photographs of St.Helens and nearby areas.
- Registers of Electors for St.Helens. 1870 onwards.
- Ordnance Survey maps of the whole of the Borough of St.Helens and beyond.1840s onwards.
- Tithe maps
- Wills and inventories.
The Local History and Archives Library also holds a wealth of local history material and is the official repository for the historic records of the Borough of St.Helens. It is also recognised as a Place of Deposit for certain classes of public record.
If you are new to family history research or you have encountered a difficult problem and don't know which source to use, there are always members of staff on duty who will try to point you in the right direction. Before visiting the library it is always a good idea to telephone first to make sure we hold the records you require or to check whether you need to book an appropriate microform reader or computer.
Please contact us on 01744 456952
