Getting started

Family history research is a rewarding pastime, but it is not always easy. You will need to prepare yourself for patience, as it can involve a lot of reading through different types of records.

Like all good adventures, you must start from home. Gather together as much information and records from your family before going elsewhere. Certificates, letters, photographs and family bibles can form your first outline of a family tree, and give you pointers where to start researching.

Visit the archives

Book a seat in the research room at the Treasure House, in Beverley. Here you can look at historic records and view all our public artefacts. You're welcome just to pop by during opening times, but to make sure you get a seat and have our staff prepare any items before you arrive, it is best to book a seat online. Can't search yourself but know what you need? You can also pay for research on your behalf.

You can try searching for names in our online catalogue. Staff and volunteers are always adding family names and other descriptions for various historic records into the catalogue to help you find relevant items. This is an ongoing part of our work, and not all items will have been covered.

You can also find local area history, town records, maps and newspapers for Goole and Bridlington at their Local Studies Libraries. Each has a special collection of photos and ephemera relating to their area.

Image: Beverley Grammar School [staff] 1910 (archive ref PO-1-14-181)