Sources on microfilm and microfiche

• Census enumerators' returns 1841-1901

• International Genealogy Index for Great Britain

• General Register Office Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales 1837-1992

• Dorset parish registers

• Bishop's transcripts

• Dorset wills (with a surnames card index)

• Dorset electoral registers

Local newspapers on microfilm

There is no index of these newspapers, so you will need to have a specific date to search for, or browse for the article you need.

• Bridport News, June 1855 to Dec 2007

• Dorset County Chronicle, 1824 to 1957

• Dorset Evening Echo, May 1921 to September 2003

• Dorset Mail, 1928 to 1932

• East Dorset Herald, 1898 to 1918

• Poole and Dorset Herald, 1846 to 1939

• Sherborne Mercury/Western Flying Post, 1737-1867

• Southern Times, 1870 to 1940

• Swanage Times, 1919 to 1936

• Western Gazette, 1963 only, Jan 1988 to October 2003

• Weymouth Telegram, 1860 to 1927

Making copies from microfilm 

• There are microfilm reader-printers available if you would like to make copies of pages from microfilm or microfiche sources. Making your own copies here at the History Centre costs 50p for A4, 70p for A3. For copies made by staff on your behalf, the cost is £1.00 for A4, £1.20 for A3

• Duplicate copies of existing microfilm cost £100. The cost of microfilming original documents is by negotiation

• Please see our fees and charges for more information