Collections Development

Bedfordshire Archives Service has acknowledged strengths and weaknesses in its holdings - it is eager to turn weaknesses into strengths and also to further boost existing strengths.

Strengths in our countywide coverage

• Quarter Sessions and Petty Sessions archives
• Local authority archives (County, District and Borough Councils)
• Town and Parish Council archives
• Ecclesiastical parish records
• Nonconformist church records (especially Methodist archives)
• Family and estate archives
• Title deeds and related documents
• Prison records
• Military records
• Hospital and mental health records
• Illustrations
• Genealogical material
• Records of agriculture, husbandry and land management
• Solicitors records

Weaknesses in our countywide coverage

• Minority groups - ethnic minorities and non-Christian religions
• Local authority archives (unitary authorities)
• Business archives - especially local and smaller businesses and industries
• Political papers - of parties, societies and individual politicians
• Records of trades unions and of pressure groups
• Records of voluntary services
• Clubs and Societies - social, recreational and sporting