Bristol Record Office Online Catalogue

2009 NEWS - Bristol Record Office Online Catalogue Updated!  

In early March we published thousands more records in our online catalogue; bringing the total number of catalogue records that are now available to browse in our web catalogue to nearly 290,000. These records represent the active cataloguing and catalogue editing work that our staff have been doing during the last few years. Of course, although it was high-tech in its day, we are very grateful that technology has moved on from what was available to the data processors pictured here in Bristol City Council's 1960s Computer Centre!

The recently uploaded catalogues include material from all the types of archives we look after, including Bristol's schools, organisations, Council departments, public bodies, families, estates, individuals and ecclesiastical bodies. Some significant collections of records featured in the recent upload include the Society of Merchant Venturers; the Ashton Court estate; City Plan Books, which contain various plans of parts of the city of Bristol dating from 1707 to 1885; the Vaughan Collection, which includes over 9,000 photographic postcards of Bristol and its environs, dating from the early years of the 20th century; records of the Parish of St Michael, Winterbourne; records collected through the Bristol Black Archives Partnership.

The Online Catalogue contains descriptive information about many of the records held by Bristol Record Office, but users should be aware that it does not as yet contain references to every record held: catalogue data is being entered by staff on a continuous basis. From now on, we are hoping to be able to update the catalogue several times a year. Users should also be aware that the catalogues of some of our collections are currently only searchable via the Access to Archives (A2A) website (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a), including the catalogue for the records of the Port of Bristol Authority. We are working towards copying these catalogues across.

We do have a programme of digitisation, but at the moment, except in the cases of some postcards and pictures, what you will find on the catalogue are descriptions of the records rather than actual images of the records. To look at the records themselves you will need to visit our public search room or enquire about obtaining copies by post. Please see below for a link to our homepage, where you will find all you need to know about visiting us. Staff are always willing to answer any queries regarding holdings.

Whatever aspect of Bristol and its past or present you are interested in, there is something here for you. So click here to begin searching our online catalogue. There you will also find helpful tips on searching by clicking the 'Help' link in the left hand menu of the screen.