Researching your family and local history

The BBC's 'Who do you think you are?' programme has made tracing family history very popular. Researching your local area or house can also be absorbing, so you can use this page to point you in the right direction

West Glamorgan Archives Service
01792 636589
www.swansea.gov.uk/westglamorganarchives
The Archive service caters for all kinds of study, including researching the history of your house or the area where you live, tracing your family tree, and much more. You'll also find help to research relatives that were sailors on West Glamorgan registered ships.

The Archives service can be found at the Civic Centre (County Hall) in Swansea and the service is available to the public as detailed below -

Opening hours:
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday: 9am-7pm
Wednesday: 9am-5pm
Thursday: 9am-5pm
Friday: 9am-5pm
Saturday (Family History Centre only): 10am-4pm

There is a search room and a family history room with helpful and enthusiastic staff who can help you discover the past.

The Archives and Museum Service now have an online shop where you can purchase cards and books about the local area.  Log on to  www.swanseabayhistoryshop.com today!

Swansea Library Service
www.swansea.gov.uk/libraryresearch
Swansea Library Service can also help you with useful links to the online index to The Cambrian newspaper, which is an important finding aid for those researching the history of South Wales and for family historians.
You'll also find links to the Dylan Thomas collection and lists of what can be viewed at the Reference Library on microfiche and CD-ROM.

The National Archives
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
The National Archives of England, Wales and the United Kingdom has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from Domesday Book of 1086 to government papers recently released to the public.

The website contains a wealth of useful information which includes military history, researching the history of a house and how to read old manuscripts (this section even includes an online tutorial and guide to the different scripts used). 

BBC website
www.bbc.co.uk/familyhistory

The BBC has a very useful site that gives many hints and tips to people researching their past, including areas about searching immigration records and the military.

Genes Reunited
www.genesreunited.co.uk
Genes Reunited is the UK's largest family tree and genealogy website. you can start by registering free, then you can try a search for your relatives or build your family tree.   You'll also find a link on the Genes Reunited website to the 1901 census which is searchable online and provides facinating information to family and local historians.

Ancestor Search
www.ancestor-search.info
Aimed at guiding newcomers and more experienced genealogists on where to seek information on their English and Welsh ancestors in a systematic structured way. 

Within this site is a county-by-county guide to the principal Local Studies Libraries, Archives and County Record Offices.