A celebration to mark 50 years of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Record Office is planned for 2017, after it opened its doors in 1967, welcoming visitors to the collections of hundreds of historic documents stored in The Guildhall.
In the early days the archive contained just the Council’s own records, but since 1967 archivists have collected many thousands of documents from local businesses, families, private and public organisations, all of which tell the story of life in Bath over the centuries.
Local residents and visitors from across the world have been fascinated to find out more about life in Bath in earlier times.
The Record Office is open to all – access to the documents is free of charge and staff are always on hand to offer advice.
Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones (Conservative, Lansdown), Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Bath Record Office is a superb resource for anyone wanting to find out about the history of Bath, whether browsing through documents in the archive, attending a family history course, or interacting with archivists at one of the roadshows taking place across Bath and North East Somerset this year.
“If you haven’t visited, why not call in during 2017? There will be a series of special anniversary events, where you can meet the archivists, explore the strong rooms, and see fascinating documents relating to the history of the area and its people.”
Events during January-March 2017 include:
The Record Office reaches 50
Wednesday 18 January, 1.10-1.45pm
The Guildhall
Free
Talk by Colin Johnston, Principal Archivist, Bath Record Office
Discovering Bath’s archives: a researcher’s view
Wednesday 25 January, 1.10pm–1.45pm
The Guildhall
Free
Talk by Dr Amy Frost of Bath Preservation Trust
A Record Office fit for the future
Wednesday 1 February, 1.10pm–1.45pm
The Guildhall
Free
Talk by Gary Tuson, County Archivist of Norfolk
Advanced Family History Study Day – Understanding Archives
Friday 3 March, 10.00am-3.30pm
The Guildhall
£25
Beginners’ Family History Day
Wednesday 15 March, 10.00am-3.30pm
The Guildhall
£20
History At Your Feet – Bath Record Office tours
Wednesday 22 March, 10.30am and 11.30am
The Guildhall
Free but booking essential
Explore 900 years of historic archives in the Bath Record Office strong rooms in The Guildhall basement. Your tour will involve negotiating uneven floors, steps and low headroom. Call 01225 477421 or email a[email protected] to book.
