Resources
The Gloucestershire Record Office is the main depository for genealogical sources in the county. The majority of parish registers, bishops transcripts, census returns and probate records are held there. Photocopies or digital photographs of register entries can be taken; (marriage certificate copies are particularly popular as they carry your ancestors' actual signatures or marks). Copies of wills proved in Gloucestershire from 1541 to the 1940's are available there; they are fully indexed so that an ancestor may be found even without a date of death. Other useful source material held at the Record Office includes quarter sessions and petty sessions court records, gaol records, electoral registers, poor law and other parish records, school registers, marriage allegations, apprenticeship registers, estate and family archives. The office also has a number of very useful indexes to probate, non-conformist and gaol records as well as an excellent general index to miscellaneous material.
Gloucestershire Record Office also houses The Gloucestershire Collection - previously held at Gloucester Library. This collection includes local newspapers dating back to 1722, many have death notices indexed by name. There are also extensive collections of books, pamphlets, photographs, prints, tapes and slides relating to the county.
The Bristol Record Office holds parish registers and bishops transcripts for the Archdeaconry of Bristol parishes. There are also holdings of local court records, apprenticeship records, shipping registers and hospital records along with many other archives relating to Bristol.
There are a number of Local Studies Centres based in the libraries of the main towns of Gloucestershire, namely Cheltenham, Cirencester, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cinderford, Stroud, Tewkesbury. These collections hold local resources such as newspapers, books, pamphlets, maps, directories, photographs and prints. The Tewkesbury Historical Society database held at Tewkesbury Library is a good example of how useful such specialised local sources can be. This excellent resource has indexed information concerning many past residents of Tewkesbury gleaned from many sources such as local newspapers. The Gloucestershire Family History Society (GFHS) also has a Resource Centre which holds its collection of books, journals, indexes, reference material and pedigrees of members.
Worcestershire and Herefordshire
For Worcestershire material, Worcestershire County Record Office is the main depository and for Herefordshire, Herefordshire County Record Office .
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