The reading room is the largest public area of Shropshire Archives. Everyone is welcome to use the reading room, all we ask is that you sign the visitors' book in the reception area when you arrive.
You can help yourself to items in the reading room but please ask if you would like assistance. All material held here is for reference only.
What you can use in the reading room
- records held on microfiche and microfilm
- computers with a range of CD ROMs and free access to Ancestry
- a selection of printed books and maps
- catalogues to help you find material held in store
Microfiche and Microfilm
A lot of our frequently used sources are on microfiche or microfilm. These are photographic copies of the original records. The machines are easy to use but please ask staff if you need help.
Sources on microfiche include:
- parish registers showing baptisms, marriages and burials
- General Register Office index to births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales, 1837-1980
- census returns for Shropshire, 1841-1901
- Ordnance Survey maps, old series
- tithe maps, c. 1840
Sources on microfilm include:
- the Shrewsbury Chronicle, 1772-1950
- the Shropshire Star, 1964-1999 (some gaps)
- some other local newspapers
- pedigrees of prominent local families
- copies of documents of local interest held at the National Archives or British Library
We recommend booking microfiche and microfilm readers in advance. For more information please select Visiting Shropshire Archives and then the advance booking and document ordering page. Why not download the attached PDF for a detailed plan of the machines?
We have a self-service printer for A4 copies of material on microfilm and microfiche. Staff can make A3 copies for you if required.
Please note: If you book a microfiche or microfilm reader or computer in advance it may be reallocated to another user if you are more than 1 hour late for your booking and you have not contacted Shropshire Archives about it.
CD ROMs and People's Network Internet Computers
Several indexes which are useful for family or local historians are available on CD ROM. These include the International Genealogical Index (or I.G.I.), the national 1881 Census index and Shropshire Burials.
You can also use the internet on all the computers. This is free but you must have a Shropshire Archives Readers Ticket or Shrosphire Libraries card. Please hand this to staff on the enquiries desk. You can use a computer for a maximum of 2 hours.
We have a subscription to Ancestry Library Edition which allows you to search census information and lots more free of charge.
For more information please select the link to Online and CD ROM sources from the Related information section at the bottom of this page.
We sell self-service print cards which can be used if you would like to print pages from the computers.
Maps
You will find lots of maps in the reading room. Maps on aperture card (used on the microfiche machines) include:
- old series Ordnance Survey in various scales from c.1880 to c.1930
- tithe maps c.1880 (with the accompanying apportionment giving owners/occupiers on microfilm)
- copies of estate maps
Maps in the map cabinets include:
- local Ordnance Survey in various scales from c.1950 to the 1980s
- field-name maps based on tithe maps c.1840
- town and county maps
- geological survey maps
A comprehensive guide to our map holdings is available in the reading room.
Printed books
The selection of printed books and periodicals available on the shelves in the reading room includes:
- local history books
- official publications e.g. listed buildings, census statistics
- county histories
- biographies of local people
- histories of Shropshire, its towns and parishes
- subject and parish packs
- periodicals
- family history books
- transcripts and indexes (e.g. parish register transcripts, monumental inscriptions, census indexes)
- trade and street directories
- national biographies and genealogies (e.g. Burkes’ peerage/landed gentry)
Please note: Most material is held in our stores and is brought out on request.
You can find out what else we have by:
- searching our on-line catalogue
- using the catalogue on microfiche
- asking a member of staff
The microfiche index to the local studies collection mostly covers books and articles but also includes some references to manuscripts, deeds and microfilms. The details are generally arranged by place then subject e.g. Shropshire: Railways or Shrewsbury: History etc. You can also search by author. Please note that since 1995 all new material has been catalogued onto computer and has not been added to the microfiche index.
The on-line catalogue can be searched by key word in the title. Please follow the link to What we hold at Shropshire Archives for more information on searching.
Once you have found the item you are looking for in the indexes, please make a note of the full reference number as well as details of the author and title on a book request slip. There is a stack of these on the enquiries desk. Take the book request slip to a member of staff at the enquiry desk, who will then fetch the item for you. Please return all items to the counter when you have finished with them.
Shropshire Family History Society Help Desk
On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings from 10am-1pm, volunteers from the Shropshire Family History Society run a help-desk in the reading room. Volunteers are able to help you get started on your family history and show you where some of the microfiche and microfilms are kept.
Original documents
These are issued in the Search Room which is a separate area. Please select the link in the Related information section to Guide to using the search room for further details.
Photocopying and photography
Please select the link in the Related information section to Guide to photocopying and photography at Shropshire Archives if you would like more information on making copies.