I believe there is some form of historical records archive on Shoreham street. Has anyone been to this place? What's it like in there?

My grandma used to research our family history in there, and I just wondered what's locked away down there.

I went this morning, they have all the records for all the churches in the sheffield area plus mountains of original documents, land records etc, but to find these things they have indexes for indexes, very complicated filing system they use but if you can stand it it is most interesting.

Sheffield Archives is most useful for records of 'Family History'. Census Returns, the national registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths; Parish Registers and records of non-conformist churches, civic burial-ground registers and inscriptions from gravestones etc.

If you're interested in the 'Local History' [buildings and the landscape, urban development, industry etc.] of Sheffield and the incorporated townships then the Local Studies section at Central Library is the place to visit. Lots of old maps and a good collection of old photograps.

There is of course a certain amount of overlap between the two.

If you can master the readers, you are 99pc there. Well worth a visit

Take a look at:
Sheffield archives webpages (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/libraries/find/archives/sheffield-archives)
and
Local Studies Library webpages (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/libraries/find/all-libraries/local-studies-library)

Hugh :)

You need to take at least 2 forms of ID

Very helpful staff and usually a full time researcher there. They will show you where everything is and how the machines work.