My Favourite Archive

Archives are used by over a million people every year in Britain, for leisure, business, school and academic, legal, learning and social reasons.

Archives can enrich lives, even unearth family secrets, entertain, engage and entice all who use them.

To find out more about the archives that people use in Worcestershire we asked visitors and staff at Worcestershire Record Office which ones they particularly liked and why.

All the responses received made for very interesting reading. Some of the results are available here – from letters, photos, maps and accounts, to wills and tax records, illustrating the wealth of documents which can be found in Worcestershire Record Office.

 Download the 'My Favourite Archive' responses from visitors and staff.  (141KB)

Entries include:

• Dougharty's Map Book of the Vernon Estates, 1731/2
• Quarter Sessions Extract, 1601
• Photograph of a Queue for Ration Books, 1942
• The Will of Sibille Fyncher of Himbleton, 1546
• A Register of Electors for East Worcestershire, 1851/52
• Diary of Victorine Janson from Surrey, 1860-1870
• Letter from George London to Mrs Vernon of Hanbury Hall, early 18thC
  Register of Apprentice Weavers, 1587-1632
• Extract from the household records of Anne and Phoebe Porter, mid 19thC
• Disafforestation Map of Malvern Chase, c1632
• Pirton Estate map drawn by Pearce, 1623
• Census of the Household at Witley Court, 1901

Other favourites

We were really pleased that so many people put their favourite Worcestershire Record Office documents or photographs forward for this exhibition. Unfortunately we could not display all of them here.

 A list of other 'favourite archives' that were highlighted is available to downloaded here.   (55KB)

Everyone creates archives, whether a diary, school report, photograph or even a shopping list. The role of the Record Office is to collect, catalogue and preserve a varied range of these documents and make them available to study.

So now you have seen some of our favourites, why not visit Worcestershire Record Office and find your own favourite.