Doncaster Archives

Introduction to the Archives

Doncaster Archives collects and preserves the Doncaster district's heritage of historical documents and makes it available to members of the public in its reading room.

It has air-conditioned and humidity-controlled strongrooms, with well over a mile of shelving, storing records ranging in date over eight hundred years from the 1190s to the 1990s. Amongst them are records of businesses, charities, courts, churches, hospitals, schools, local authorities, political parties, trade unions, local societies and smaller collections of records of all descriptions. 

On your first visit: If you are not a member of Doncaster Library & Information Service, it will be necessary to register you upon arrival. To do this, we will need a proof of identity. This should be an official document which includes both your name and address: a driving licence, council tax or other bill, for example. 

Booking a seat: It would be advisable to give us notice of your visit. The reading room can get very busy, especially during holiday periods, and it would be useful to be able to guarantee you a seat, especially if you are coming from a distance to visit the archives.

Where to find us: Please visit the following website to view a location map for Doncaster Archives

Use of laptop computers: Please note that whilst you may use your laptop in the reading room of Doncaster Archives, it must have a valid portable appliance test (PAT) certificate if you intend to run it from the mains electricity supply.

Ordering copies of archival documents: It is possible to order photocopies of many of the documents in our care, but some are subject to certain restrictions (for example, we are unable to provide copies of parish register entries). In the first instance, we ask that you contact us directly to find out whether a document is suitable for copying, and also to obtain a quote for the provision of a copy. Once you have done this, please complete a photocopy request form (available on the right) and send it to us with the appropriate payment.

Information about the wide range of records available at Doncaster Archives: If you would like to view information about the holdings of Doncaster Archives online, then visit the Access to Archives website at www.a2a.org.uk. This website allows you to access brief descriptions of all the major holdings of Doncaster Archives as well as full catalogues of the records of many of the archives available, including businesses, courts, hospitals and landed estates. There is also information on the Family and Local History Alphabet page.

Family historians might like to download a copy of the South Yorkshire Family History Guide (please see the document on the right-hand side of this this page), which provides a broad overview of the principal genealogical resources to be found at the archive and local studies services in Doncaster, Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley: church, chapel and cemetery registers, trade directories and probate records. A further section describes some of the ever-increasing range of internet and other electronic sources available within the library services of the four South Yorkshire local authorities.

Research service: If you are unable to visit Doncaster Archives in person, you might like to take advantage of our in-house research service, which is able to carry out historical research on your behalf, at cost. 

Preservation: If you have, or know of, any written records which you think should be preserved for posterity, please contact Doncaster Archives for help and advice.

Opening Times

Opening times are Monday to Friday from 9am to 12.45pm and 2pm to 4.45pm. The Archives service is closed at weekends and on public holidays.