Archives

Research Service

Westminster Research Service

Westminster City Archives offers a research service for customers who are unable to visit the Archives Centre. We specialise in local history, building history and Gillow furniture history.

For family history we can supply copies of parish register entries where the exact date and church is known or census entries where the exact address is known. The service costs £4.00 per item copied.   For family history research we recommend that you use a professional record agent. Details of agents can be obtained from the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives, 29 Badgers Close, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 5RU (www.agra.org.uk).

How to use the service

 Please write to the Westminster Research Service, City of Westminster Archives Centre, 10 St Ann’s Street, London SW1P 2DE, including your telephone number if possible, or e-mail archives@westminster.gov.uk. We aim to respond to your enquiry within four weeks. The charge for local history, business history and Gillow furniture research is £35 per hour (including VAT). The minimum charge is one hour’s research. Building histories are individually priced.  Advance payment in sterling is required for all orders. A pro-forma invoice and VAT receipt can be provided. We can take payment by credit card (except American Express) – please send details of card type, card number, expiry date and name of account holder. We advise you not to send these details via e-mail for security reasons.

You will receive a full written report listing the records consulted and the information found plus copies of most of the relevant records(conservation permitting). Any additional copies can be supplied on payment of an extra fee. Even if no positive results are obtained, we will try to advise you of other possible avenues to pursue, but we are unable to refund your research fee.

Building history

To discover the history of a building in Westminster, please supply us with the current postal address and, if possible, a small photograph of the main façade or some indication of date. The charge for building history is £55 per hour (including VAT). Building histories are individually priced depending on the age of the building and the amount of detail you require - please ask for a quotation. We will check standard reference books as well as our own information index and cuttings file. Our report will include copies of maps and book illustrations. We will also check if we have any prints, photographs or architectural plans. If the building is not already well documented and if the street has been renumbered, it might be necessary for us to trace the previous occupiers through directories, rate books and deeds to see when the building first appears. The census returns 1841-1901 can supply interesting additional information about the occupiers.

Gillow furniture history

The City of Westminster Archives Centre holds the estimate sketch-books of Gillow from the mid-18th century to the early 20th century. There is a complete index of furniture types and also of names and addresses of patrons up to 1825 plus an index of Gillow making numbers. If you would like us to search for your piece of furniture, please enclose a small photograph and indicate an approximate date if possible. We will send you a copy of the sketch and specification if we find it, but we are unable to give valuations: an antique dealer or auction house should be able to help you with this.