Bedfordshire Archives Enquiry and Research Service

The archives service exists to enable people to research things for themselves. However, we realise that sometimes you may require a little advice to get you started or that you may not be able to visit the service to carry out your own research.

Basic enquiries about the service and our collections

The answers to most basic questions about our service and our collections can be found on our website or via our online catalogue. Please search these before contacting us.

If you then cannot find the answer to a question about the service or our holdings please contact us and tell us what you have already tried.

Research

In certain circumstances we can carry out research for you, there is likely to be a charge for this.

We can:

• Carry out research on local history, properties and general subjects that involves consultation of archival documents held within our stores. Please be specific about what you are looking for, what research you have already done and the maximum amount you are prepared to pay using our online enquiry form. Charged by time per 15 minutes (see our current scale of charges).

We cannot:

Carry out genealogy research. For genealogy research that you are unable to carry out yourself we advise you to contact a professional researcher through the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives.  The Bedfordshire Family History Society may also be able to assist you.