|
Links
Categories of links are provided in the list below. Click on the category below to take you to the appropriate list of links for that category.
West Sussex County Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites linked from this page
Go to top of page
Archives
Archives are records produced by individuals, families or organisations (such as local government
organisations, companies or universities) during their activities or business. Archives may be in
various formats, including paper files, parchment documents, bound volumes, maps, plans, audio and
video recordings and photographs. They may be of any date, from early centuries up to the present day.
Archives are retained by their creators, or in record offices and other repositories, because of their
abiding interest for researchers - interest which their original creators might never have expected.
The principal organisation collecting archival material in the County is:
West Sussex Record Office acquires and preserves the documentary and recorded heritage of West
Sussex for reference and enjoyment by present and future generations; to make these available to
all who wish to see them, and to provide an expert advice service where appropriate. The collections
include records of local government from the sixteenth century, the Diocese of Chichester and its
parishes and those of businesses, families, estates, societies and schools. It also holds records
of West Sussex hospitals, the West Sussex Constabulary and The Royal Sussex Regiment.
Other organisations holding local archival material include:
Go to top of page
Books and Public Libraries
Local public libraries have large collections of books on the history, landscape and people
of Sussex but the largest libraries, particularly Worthing, also collect other printed items
relating to the history of West Sussex, such as directories, ephemera, maps, newspapers, pamphlets,
periodicals, photographs and pictures and property sale catalogues. Larger libraries also hold
material on microfiche and microfilm, particularly census returns and parish registers.
Other book and library services:
Go to top of page
Family History
Supported by the Federation of Family History Societies this is by far the biggest and most
useful site for U.K. genealogists; hundreds of links to other sites; best place to start for
those new to family history research
Searches the catalogues of most County and City record offices, and other repositories holding
archives, throughout England, by keyword and other means.
A portal to County and City record offices in the UK
For Birth, Death and Marriages:
Search all the indexes to English and Welsh births, deaths and marriages, 1837 to 2001;
a charge of £5 per 50 page views is made
Free BMD aims to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths
for England and Wales using volunteers and provide free Internet access to the transcribed records;
currently there's partial coverage 1837-1910
A free website designed for anyone who is researching their family tree and has got stumped.
The site offers free space for researchers to list particular family names, dates and locations
and appeal for information on them from other genealogists, via e-mail [see also surname lists on
Cyndi's List and Genuki below].
Records of burials overseas and in the U.K. by the Commission mainly during the two World Wars
but also in other conflicts
A portal linking to over 240,000 websites divided into over 150 categories are listed:
world-wide coverage, particularly good on the U.K. and North America; far better at locating
obscure or specialised sites than search engines.
The N.O.F. funded Leicester University project which scanned and indexed around 300,000
pages from 400 directories covering England and Wales from the 1850s to 1919.
Access to over 7 million names in indexes to sources held by the Society of Genealogists
An electronic directory of family history resources in over 180 library authorities in the U.K. and Ireland.
Searchable databases provided by family history societies all over the U.K., containing over 50
million records, small fees payable.
Describes the sources and services at the FRC and particularly how to order copies of birth, death & marriage certificates
including the latest charges.
Includes the International Genealogical Index, published by the LDS Church has over 957 million references to people world-wide; includes over 40 million British parish register entries mainly baptisms and marriages from the 1530s to about 1900; now includes the 1881 census for England and Wales;
has had 14.7 billion hits since launch in 1999.
Free downloadable charts and blank recording documents see their 'Toolkit' section, plus
many useful articles.
Co-ordinates efforts of local family history societies and has extensive publishing programme
A guide for those wishing to learn more about their family history including advice for tracing
family trees.
Leading U.K. society specialising in family history research
Irish Sites
Scottish Sites
Over 34 million indexed entries covering parish register baptisms and marriages 1553-1901,
Statutory Register index to births, deaths and marriages 1855-1901/1926 plus censuses of
1881, 1891 and 1901; pay-per-view.
Portal to various sites for researching Scottish ancestry.
Welsh records
Portal site leading you to information on sources, searchable databases, old counties.
See also these books:
- P. Christian, The Genealogist's Internet (TNA, 2003)
- C. Peacock, The Good Web Guide to Genealogy (Good Web Guide, 2003)
Go to top of page
Film
Go to top of page
Historic Buildings and Gardens
Go to top of page
Local Government
Go to top of page
Maps
Sussex Maps
- Interactive map of West Sussex showing places to eat, drink, stay, visit, plus countryside, public footpaths and other rights of way, railway stations, tourist information centres, walks [including wheelchair], wildlife reserves.
- Old Sussex Mapped [free digitised examples of Sussex maps 1610-1840]
NB large scale O.S. maps of West Sussex, down to 1:1250 scale [50:1 mile], can be accessed at all public libraries [staff terminals only] in West Sussex.
Other map websites including West Sussex information
Current map services
Go to top of page
Museums
Museums specialise in collecting, safeguarding and making accessible objects and other
significant materials (e.g. photographs, ephemera). There is a strong network of community-based
local history museums throughout West Sussex, which hold collections that relate to their localities.
There are also subject- and site-specific museums, and a links to these follow below. Some of the
collections are searchable via the Gateway, while the West Sussex Past: Pictures database enables access
to the highlights of the photographic collections of seven partner museums.
Museums in West Sussex:
Other museum services:
Go to top of page
National/International/Thematic
Go to top of page
Newspapers and Journals
Go to top of page
Photographs
Go to top of page
Places to Visit
See also Historic Buildings and Gardens, and Museums [above]
Go to top of page
Preservation Materials
Go to top of page
Publishers
Go to top of page
Societies and Organisations
Many societies and organisations with an interest in heritage matters exist in West Sussex.
A searchable database of them is maintained by the County Library Service.
Here's a selective list of those which collect and supply heritage information of Countywide
interest. See also Towns and Villages section below for organisations for particular
towns and villages.
Go to top of page
Subjects and Themes Countywide
See also Societies and Organisations above
Go to top of page
Town and Village Websites
The Parish or Town Council for many villages have websites. West Sussex County
Council provides links to most.
Go to top of page
Universities
Go to top of page
|
