Whitby family history

Family History and House History – Whitby and beyond.

Within our library and archive we have vast resources to assist you with your search.

Apart from a library full of books on many subjects, particularly relevant to Whitby’s heritage, industry, people and shipping we have:

• Local family trees given by family members.
• Local property deeds stretching back as far as the 1600’s.
• Local and regional trade directories and guide books.
• Local street maps, many with additional notes.
• Project material on some of Whitby’s main streets – Church Street, Baxtergate, Grape Lane.
• War Memorial records for WW1, individual personal histories.
• Census and hearth tax records.
• Original wills.
• Local school archive material.

Local magazine collections –

‘The Link’ the parish magazine for the parish Churches of Briggswarth, Grosmont, Littlebeck, Sleights, Sneaton and Ugglebarnby 1914-2016),

and

‘The Viking’ the magazine of Whitby Grammar school from 1916-1976.

A great insight into life in the parishes, and what school life was like.

• Unique archive material such as our George Waddington and Percy Burnett collections. Compiled before photocopiers these hand written volumes are a wealth of local information brimming with Whitby history from centuries past.  Transcriptions of wills, deeds, church records, and much more material that came across the desks of these two gentlemen.
• Free access to Ancestry and Find My Past is available to researchers together with links to many other internet resources for family or house histories. Available by appointment with one of our research volunteers.

A touchscreen facility giving you searchable access to The Whitby Gazette from 1859-2013. A real trip down memory lane for anyone local.  We even have a high-level seat to take the weight off your feet as you get engrossed.

We are available to get you started, guiding you through what we have, where to go for further information and taking your journey onward.  Email us for a dedicated appointment or call in and browse our book collection and chat with our volunteers.