Lichfield History Access Point

Location

Opening Times

Tuesday to Friday 9am to 4pm

Saturday 9am to 3pm.

The HAP is closed on Monday and Sunday.

Booking procedure

Drop in for most resources.

Computers need to be pre-booked and you will nee to be a library member. Bookings can be made by telephone, email, or in person at Lichfield Library.

To book please email lichfield.library@staffordshire.gov.uk or telephone 01543 334539. Unfortunately there is no facility to book online.

About the HAP

The Lichfield History Access Point (HAP) is a space for active research located in a vibrant, historical building.

The space is available to drop-in to for self-facilitated research. There are a variety of physical resources and sources available – please see below for more information.

Computers are available to be pre-booked.  Digital resources, including ancestry, find my past and the British newspaper archive.

We are preparing to introduce volunteer led sessions to support visitors who want to find out more about our resources or are in the early stages of their research. Other events and activities will begin at the HAP from early 2023.

Access and facilities

Car parking: Public car parks available in town centre. For details visit Lichfield city car park map

Facilities: Accessible toilet and baby changing facilities available. The HAP is located upstairs, a lift is available. 

Please see Lichfield Library webpage for further detail.

There is a coffee shop in the Hub at St. Marys 

Sources available

Anglican parish registers

A wide range of registers of Staffordshire parishes are available on microfiche including Lichfield and Tamworth parishes. These include the post 1900 period that is not available online.

Some parish register transcripts are also available.

Nonconformist registers

Microfiche copies of nonconformist registers are limited but copies include some years for Brownhills, Burton-on-Trent, Fazeley, Leek, Lichfield, Longdon, Norton Canes, Stapenhill, Tamworth, Tutbury, Wilnecote and various other local areas. Please note that the coverage of these copies is not comprehensive.

Census returns

Census returns are available on microfiche for:

• 1841: North Offlow, South Offlow and South Totmonslow
• 1851-1891: Tamworth, Lichfield, Fazeley, Rugeley, Yoxall

A bound photocopy of the Gregory King Census of Lichfield taken in 1695 is also available on the open shelves

Electoral registers

Microfiche copies of electoral registers for:

• North and South Offlow 1832-1842.
• South Staffs 1843 -1867
• East Staffs 1868-1884
• Burton 1885-1888 1891-1902 1908
• Lichfield 1885-1902 1908

Hard Copies of electoral registers for:

• Lichfield 1951-53, 1954-1978
• Lichfield Rural 1970-72, 1973-1977
• Transcript of the City of Lichfield Polls 1710,1714,1718,1721,1755,1761,1799

Newspapers

Microfilms of the Lichfield Mercury are available for the following years

• July 1815 – March 1818
• 1830-1833
• 1877-1896
• 1898-2008

In addition, there are a small number of other newspapers available on microfilm these are:

• Staffordshire Advertiser 1856+
• Lichfield Advertiser 1865
• Lichfield Herald January – December 1883
• Lichfield Herald and City Times January – August 1897
• Lichfield Pioneer 1921 – 1922

Search aids: two printed indexes to newspapers are available covering the period 1899 – 1919.

Local history sources

There is also a wide range of printed local history material available.

Please note that original archival material relating to Lichfield is held at Staffordshire Record Office.