The Research service can search parish registers and other parish records for that elusive Dorset ancestor. It can search census returns, wills, manorial records, newspapers, published and unpublished works to trace the history of a house or a family. In addition we can consult our indexes and catalogues to identify other sources. 

Sometimes our catalogues contain groups of documents that have not been individually described. If these appear to be of interest to you, the Research service can examine the group, identify and describe any documents which appear to be relevant, and provide a quotation for providing copies.

The Research service can also transcribe, translate or provide a précis of a document.

What you can expect from the research service

Wherever possible, we will search the original records for the information you seek.

• If we hold records only as microfilm or transcript, for example, bishops' transcripts and some non-conformist records, we will inform you in our letter or e-mail confirming your booking
• We will provide you with a report detailing any entries found for the surname or place name requested and any variant spellings, for example, Read/Reed/Reede/Rede. We include all entries found for a surname, whether or not they include the individual in which you are particularly interested. So there may be entries which you have already obtained from another source. The report will include the references of the original documents
• We will provide up to three microfilm printouts, for example from newspapers, where that is the most effective way of giving the information requested
• We will advise you on further or alternative sources which might be of interest to you in the light of our findings
• We will advise you on the cost of supplying copies if you are interested in particular entries found

A word of warning: Due to the nature of the records, the way that they were written or the way that they were kept we cannot guarantee that we will be able to find the information that you are searching for. It may not have been recorded or may have been recorded in a different parish or county.

What we need from you

We hope our application form will help you to set out your request. The essential items of information are:

• The surname of the family with which you are concerned
• The parish/es you wish us to search
• The type of record to be searched, whether a baptism, marriage or burial, or something else
• The span of years you wish us to search

Please do not send additional paperwork such as copies of birth certificates. If we are uncertain about any aspect of your request, we will contact you for clarification by post, e-mail or telephone, either in advance of starting, or, if necessary, while we are carrying out your search.

• Making an application to the research service