Guides
We have a selection of downloadable guides to help you with your research and get the most out of your visit.
Guide to school records
Our school records can provide information about pupils, teachers, school life and the local area. Records include logbooks, admission registers and photographs. Each guide (including notes on access restrictions) is available to download.
Guide to Women Against Pit Closures
Women Against Pit Closures (W.A.P.C.) was a female-led national, political movement supporting miners, their families and entire communities. In Barnsley, these women fundraised, fed miners and their families, went on the picket lines, marches, organised events, meetings and rallies. This guide is grouped into subject categories for ease of use and will be helpful for both researchers and those with a general interest in the subject.
Guide to nonconformist records
The nonconformist guide provides an introduction to our holdings of Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Independent and Wesleyan Reform Union records, as well as providing information on all the smaller, 19th and 20th century denominations known to have been represented within the Borough.
Guide to local government
We hold records relating to Barnsley Council and many of the former councils before 1974. This includes the old County Borough of Barnsley and the urban and rural districts that make up the present metropolitan borough area. The collections contain a wide variety of topics, but the most commonly used include meeting minutes, building plans and rate books. The guide has a useful alphabetical index arranged by place name to find the relevant council responsible for an area. Please note we have a limited number of records relating to the former county councils, as these collections are held elsewhere in Yorkshire.
Guide to parish councils
Parish councils form the tier of local government that is closest to the people of the area. Our collections cover most parish councils in the Barnsley borough area. Types of records collected include meeting minutes, newsletters and the use of recreational facilities.
