Doncaster Council

Introduction to the Archives

Doncaster Archives is one of two sections that make up the Archives & Local Studies department, which in turn is a division of Doncaster Library and Information Services. It collects and preserves the Doncaster district's heritage of historical documents and makes it available to members of the public in its reading room.

Its air-conditioned and humidity-controlled strongrooms, with well over a mile of shelving, store 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 at 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: To view a location map for Doncaster Archives use the link under 'Related Links' in the left-hand menu on this page.

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.

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 other pages in this website in the pages that contain the Family and Local History Alphabet.

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.

Exhibition of Parish Records

Doncaster Archives became a Diocesan Records Office in 1979.  In the following 30 years the records of over eighty parishes have been deposited.  As part of our Family and Local History Fortnight (15-26 February)  Doncaster Archives is marking this anniversary with an exhibition with the theme of parish records.  Original parish records showing the wide range of sources available to family and local historians will be on display in the reading room and Doncaster Archives staff will be on hand to answer questions about the records. 

The exhibition will be held at Doncaster Archives on the afternoon of Thursday 18th February 2.00-4.45 p.m.

Exhibition of Maps and Plans

Doncaster Archives is holding an exhibition as part of our Family and Local History Fortnight (15-26 February).  We will be displaying a selection of original maps and plans in the reading room which will show the diversity of this type of source for both local and family historians.

Maps on display will include the 'Bomb Board' which shows the location, number and type of bombs dropped on Doncaster in the Second World War, tithe and enclosure maps, estate maps and Ordnance Survey sheets.  Doncaster Archives staff will be on hand to answer questions about the records.

The exhibition will be held at Doncaster Archives on the afternoon of Thursday 25th February 2.00-4.45 p.m.

Opening Times

Opening times are Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 12.45 and 14.00 to 16.45. The Archives service is closed at weekends and on public holidays.