West Sussex Record Office
What's on at the Record Office
Find out about events coming up at the Record Office.
Tell me moreWe hold regular evening talks on Tuesdays and family history workshops on the first Wednesday of each month.
About our events
Talks on Tuesday
'Talks on Tuesday' cover a wide range of fascinating subjects presented by our experts. All talks start at 7.00pm and last 1 to 2 hours, including refreshments.
For on-site talks, tickets cost £8.00 (non-refundable) per person and must be booked in advance from the Record Office. Online talks are either £5.00 per person or free of charge.
See below for our current scheduled talks and ticket prices.
Coffee Time Workshops
Do you want to research your family tree but don’t know where to start? Would you like to research the history of your house or learn how to read old handwriting? If so, sign up for our coffee time workshops.
On the first Wednesday of each month, our special mid-morning sessions will give you the opportunity to learn from the experts in a relaxed atmosphere.
We will introduce you to the incredible range of archive material available at the Record Office - dating from 780 AD to the present day - and how best to use the sources for research.
At West Sussex Record Office you can be assured of a warm welcome from our friendly and knowledgeable staff. We hope you will join us, whether it's for one session or all of them!
See below for our current scheduled workshops.
Talks on Tuesday
West Sussex in photographs 1850s-date: Worthing Library collections
Enjoy some pictorial treasures from 2 million photographs held at Worthing Library and learn the remarkable stories of those who took and collected them.
Let a visual feast unfold as County Local Studies Librarian, Martin Hayes, shows you some wonderful images of West Sussex from the finest collections.
Annie and Walter Gardiner, Jack Watts, Terry Child and others were characters associated with some stunning photographs and picture postcards; names which deserve to be better known. You’ll leave this presentation with a greater appreciation of the photographer’s art.
The talk will last at least an hour, with an opportunity to ask questions via the chat box.
Date: Tuesday 26 October 2021
Time: 7.00pm
Location: Online only
Tickets: £5.00 - book West Sussex in photographs 1850s-date: Worthing Library collections.
Transatlantic Ties: American History in West Sussex
Learn about the many connections between America and West Sussex through fascinating documents at West Sussex Record Office.
Project Archivist, Jo McConville, opens the lid on our transatlantic ties project and explores the documents in our archives which connect West Sussex and its people to the eventful and tumultuous history of the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Themes include the War of Independence, emigration, the transatlantic slave trade and the Civil War.
There will be a chance to see the Sussex version of the Declaration of Independence and a range of other original documents.
The talk will last around an hour, with an opportunity to ask questions via the chat box.
Please be aware that the talk will include documents relating to slavery which some attendees may find distressing.
Date: Tuesday 30 November 2021
Time: 7.00pm
Location: Online only
Tickets: £5.00 - book Transatlantic Ties: American History in West Sussex.
Record Office friends
A regular programme of events is also organised by the West Sussex Archives Society. For more information, visit their website.
Contact details
- Email record.office@westsussex.gov.uk
- Tel: 01243 753602
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Address
3 Orchard Street, Chichester, PO19 1DD -
Additional information
Our address for correspondence is: County Archivist, West Sussex Record Office, County Hall, Chichester, PO19 1RN
Find us
By car
We are based in the heart of Chichester, very near to County Hall. The A27 trunk road runs through Chichester for links to Brighton and Portsmouth, while links to London are provided by the A23 and A24. Chichester is approached from the north via the A286 from Midhurst; and the A285 from Petworth.
By train
We are about a 10 minute walk from Chichester train station, which is served by a regular train service from London Victoria. There are also services from Brighton and Portsmouth.
By bus
The closest bus stops are at Orchard Street, West Street (Cathedral) and Avenue de Chartres.