Collects and preserves the county’s written heritage. The archives of countless local organisations, families and individuals are stored there, ensuring that they can be studied by present and future generations of researchers.
The archives can help you to explore:
Family history
Local history
The history of your house
Local geography
Archaeological sites and historic buildings
Any aspect of Essex life past and present
National events from a local perspective
Sources
The Record Office’s collections are the prime evidence for the history of Essex and its people over a thousand years. They include records from:
Local authorities
Churches and chapels
Poor Law Unions
Schools
Local businesses
Landed families and estates
Local clubs and societies
The collections include:
Parish registers
Wills
Title deeds
Rate books
Maps and plans
Photographs, prints and drawings
Sound and video recordings
Census returns
Newspapers
Electoral registers
Books and pamphlets
The Essex Record Office in Chelmsford is on the riverside at Wharf Road. It is five minutes’ walk from the High Street, along the riverside path from the Meadows shopping precinct. If you are coming by car there are public car parks in Wharf Road.
You will need to apply for a readers’ ticket unless you already possess a County Archive Research Network ticket.
[Take proof of identity containing your name, address and signature, such as a UK driving licence]