Resource Directory

Discover a curated collection of resources for local and family history research.

From archives and maps to publications and specialist sites, these links are here to support and inspire your work. We update this directory regularly — suggestions are always welcome.

See also our Society Directory.

Browse A–Z: A | C | H | I | N | P | V | W

Showing: Archives

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A

AIM25

Access to archives from over fifty institutions in London and the M25 area.

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Archives Hub

Archives Hub brings together descriptions of thousands of the UK’s archive collections. Representing many archives across the country, Archives Hub is an effective way to discover unique and often little-known sources to support your research.

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Archives Network Wales

Searchable index of archive sources in Wales.

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C

Community Archives and Heritage Group

Supports and promotes community archives across the UK.

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H

Heritage Gateway

Portal to multiple heritage datasets and records.

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Historic England Archives

Catalogue of photographs, plans, and drawings of historic sites.

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Historical Directories Project

University of Leicester project providing historical directories.

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I

Images of England

Photographic record of England’s listed buildings.

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Institute of Historical Research

Research institute offering resources and seminars in history.

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N

Name & Place

Name & Place is a structured research platform for recording, connecting, and exploring people, places, and sources — supporting both individual researchers and societies in building lasting, searchable archives.

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National Archives of Scotland

Major archive covering Scottish history and records.

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P

The Portico Library, Manchester

Manchester’s original 19th-century home of literature and learning.

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V

Vision of Britain

Maps, statistics, and historical descriptions of Britain.

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W

Workhouses

Comprehensive resource on workhouses across Britain.

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Why BALH?

Nick Barratt Historian and Author

Where did your ancestors live?

It is impossible to trace the history of one’s family without considering where they lived. Local history societies and one-place study groups have researched and published content that will allow you to place the lives of your ancestors in the context of their local communities, villages, towns and cities as well as some of the key socio-economic factors that lay behind their development. They often use the same sources as family historians, and can help provide an alternative interpretation of a document or suggest new resources to help your research.

Nick Barratt, Historian and Author

Meet the team

Joe Saunders Trustee

Joe Saunders

Joe is a freelance historical researcher and writer, specializing in family and house histories as an Associate of AGRA. Based in Westmorland, Cumbria, he engages in local history projects, including a memorial for Settle-Carlisle Railway workers. He is pursuing a PhD at the University of York on the book and print trade in early modern England. His research spans seventeenth-century printing, the Levellers, and English radicals. He contributes to Placecloud and the Viae Regiae project, mapping historical transport routes. A BALH Outreach team member, he is honored to help inspire and support local historians as a Trustee.

Joe Saunders, Trustee