West Sussex County Council: Research Service

Are you interested in your ancestry ?
Does your family come from Sussex?
Would you like to find out more about them?
If the answer is 'Yes' to these questions

BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO IT YOURSELF

Then our Research Service is for you! Our experienced staff will carry out searches of documents such as census returns, parish records, wills and electoral registers, to help build up a picture of your ancestor.

You may like to have photographs of the Church where your ancestors were married and details of any property they owned. We can also help with many other local historical enquiries too numerous to list on these pages. For further details of this service, contact the Record Office for an explanatory leaflet e-mail records.office@westsussex.gov.uk (please quote your postal address).

SHORT RESEARCH SERVICE If you are unable to visit the Record Office in person, members of staff can make limited searches in response to enquiries. Where such an enquiry takes up to 30 minutes of staff time a short research fee of £15 is payable. (Please note that with effect from 2nd April 2007, and in line with current practice in many other record offices, all enquiries requiring examination of original documents by staff will attract a research fee)

If you have trouble reading or understanding a difficult document then our Transcription and Translation Service is the answer for you. Translation from Latin to English is a frequent request.

STILL INTERESTED?
Then see our competitive charges

RESEARCH SERVICE CHARGES
Research per hour £30.00
Short Research Service (30minutes) £15.00
Photocopies  black and white A3 and A4 - 50 pence each
Colour Photocopies A4 £1.25 each and A3 £2.50 each
Transcription and Translation £30.00 per hour
House History (Three Hours Minimum) £90.00

PAYMENT METHODS
Credit Card (Visa, Delta, Mastercard, Switch, JCB, Solo)
To pay using any of the above cards, please provide your card number and the expiry date.
For Switch card users we also need the issue number and start date.

Cheques/Postal Orders/Money Orders:-
made payable to WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL in:-
Pounds Sterling
Eurocheques in Pounds Sterling
International Money Order payable in Sterling
Currency in English notes or dollar bills

HOW TO REQUEST A SEARCH
Once you have read this page and completed the Application Form,  please submit your details on-line to the West Sussex Record Office.