Local History Centre
Welcome to Walsall Local History Centre, the Archive Service and Local Studies Library for Walsall Council.
We collect, preserve and make available records relating to the history of the borough. Among the kind of records which we hold are council minutes, accounting records for local firms, registers for non-conformist chapels, events programmes for local organisations, photographs, maps, recordings of peoples’ memories and sale catalogues. We hold records of Walsall Football Club, Shannon’s Mill and the Walsall Society for the Blind among many others.
What’s happening
Exhibition celebrates Walsall borough's historic Royal connections
A new exhibition looking at Walsall Metropolitan Borough’s links with the Royal Family opened at Walsall Local History Centre on Wednesday, 1 September 2012.
And ‘Walsall and the Royal Family’, which reproduces many fascinating documents, photographs and ephemera dating from the time of the first Queen Elizabeth to the present sovereign, forms a very special part of Walsall’s celebrations of this year's Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
From royal charters to visits to town centres, factories, grand openings and more, and from laying the foundation stone of the Council House and the Walsall Science and Art Institute to providing saddles for royal riders, Walsall and other towns within the borough have a long and proud association with the royal family.
Our latest exhibition, which reflects many aspects of those historic connections, is one of our largest yet, and has been researched, designed and produced entirely in-house, based on Walsall Metropolitan Borough’s extensive archives and local studies collections, by staff of Walsall Local History Centre.
It showcases a fascinating timeline of both royal and local history, and admission is free to all during normal opening hours (see below).
‘Walsall and the Royal Family’ runs from 1 February 2012 – 30 April 2012.
New course shines a light on family history
Have you compiled a family tree but want to know more about how your ancestors lived? Then Walsall Local History Centre has just the thing for you!
A new course starting soon at the centre in Essex Street aims to shine a light on the way we were by examining a variety of archives and other sources which you can use bring your ancestors to life.
Course participants will be able to look at sources at the Centre and further afield which help us to research areas such as the First and Second World War, education and schools, religious non-conformity and photographs. They will also have the opportunity to discover how to hunt for records for ancestors from different parts of the country.
The course runs 23 January - 6 February and 20 February - 5 March at Walsall Local History Centre. The cost is £30 for the full course, or £5 for each class. Booking is essential on 01922 721305.
Workshop to put flesh on the bones of family history
A special workshop taking place at Walsall Local History Centre is all set to show participants how they can discover more about their families and homes.
Twin sessions at the centre in Essex Street this month and next will reveal how to find out about the places where our ancestors lived, the jobs they did and how they spent their leisure time.
Once family historians have some names and dates for their ancestors they start wondering what their lives were like. This workshop will look at how to build up a picture of the communities in which they lived, worked and played. Using original archive records it will examine what their homes were like, the different job opportunities available to them, and more.
The workshop is on Saturday, 28 January 2012, 10.00 am -1.00 pm and is repeated on Friday, 3 February 1.30 pm - 4.30 pm at Walsall Local History Centre. The cost is £3.00. Booking is essential on 01922 721305.
Monthly Ancestry Online Intro Sessions
On the last Thursday of every month 2pm - 3pm we are holding Ancestry Online induction sessions, explaing how to get the most out of the online family history database Ancestry.com. This is one of the most widely-used genealogy databases, containing a wealth of information from Civil Registration to Great War medal holders records and much more. This session will help you to use Ancestry to explore your family history.
Advance booking is essential.
Admission free.
Contact Walsall Local History Centre on 01922 721305 to book this session.
Revised opening hours
As from Monday 2 May 2011 our opening hours will be:
- Tuesday 9.30-5.30
- Wednesday 9.30-7.00
- Thursday 9.30-5.30
- Saturday 9.30-1.00
Research service
All users are welcome to visit us to carry out their inquiries in person and there is no charge for access to the centre. However if you are unable to visit us we can carry out research on your behalf for half an hour or a maximum of one hour. The charge for the research service is £8 per half hour. The search forms and details are available on this website under the menu heading services, copy and research service.
Keep in touch
Facebook users can now keep in touch with what's happening at the Centre via our brand new Facebook page. Simply search for Walsall Local History Centre when logged in to Facebook, then click on Like to follow us once you have found our page.
Internet users can now sign up to follow Walsall Local History Centre’s news and announcements via Twitter messages by visiting the centre’s page at: twitter.com/WalsallLHCentre The centre’s Flickr page may be viewed at: www.flickr.com/photos/walsallhistory/
Contact us
Centre Manager
Walsall Local History Centre
Essex Street
Walsall
WS2 7AS
United Kingdom
Telephone (U.K.) 01922 721305- (International) +44 1922 721305
Fax (U.K.) 01922 634954 - (International) +44 1922 634954
E-mail localhistorycentre@walsall.gov.uk
This page was last updated on 02 February 2012