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Doncaster Archives collects and preserves the Doncaster district's heritage of historical documents and makes it available to members of the public in its reading room.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, it will be necessary to register you as a reader. 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. 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 (below) and send it to us with the appropriate payment.
Information about the wide range of records available at Doncaster Archives can be found in its published Guide. This is available from Doncaster Archives at a price of £5.00 plus £2.00 postage and packing (UK sales only). There is also information on the Family and Local History Alphabet page.
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.
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.
Please be aware that Doncaster Archives will be closed for the whole day for staff training on Monday 13 September 2010.
Coming Events
On Thursday 9 September, 1-5pm, to mark this year's St Leger Festival
Doncaster Archives hosts:
They’re Off! A Day at the Races
Canter to Doncaster Archives' public reading room, where you’ll get a grandstand view of archives illustrating the history of Doncaster races: under starter's orders in the year 1615 and heading for a photo finish in modern times.
Family & Local History Alphabet
