Booking is essential.

Please note that during Bank Holidays your local facility opening times may differ – please contact us for more information.

What can you research here?

Family History

To help the family history researcher we have created a dedicated Family History section in our searchroom. Here you will find copies of the records that people have found most useful for tracing their ancestors, including monumental inscriptions and lists of men who might be liable for military service. Once you have finished looking at these we may be able to suggest other records that might be of use to you. These include Registers of Electors, Valuation Rolls, poor relief records, school admission registers and estate records.

Local History

You can find out about how your local area’s infrastructure has developed over the years. We have records here that will tell you all about Argyll and Bute’s roads, bridges, piers, buildings and estates.

House History

Have you ever wondered who lived in your house in years gone by? You might be able to find out here. If you live in one of the former burghs you might even be able to see the original plans.

Accessing the Archives

Initial enquiry

Unless your enquiry is very simple (for example whether or not we hold the school admission registers for a particular school) please contact us via email or letter. This will ensure that we can clearly understand the nature of your enquiry and have all the relevant facts to hand. We will be able to tell you whether or not any of the records held here are likely to contain the information you are looking for; if not, we may be able to tell you where any such records are held.

You can visit us in person

We advise that you book a place before you come. We will do our best to accommodate all customers, but we only have a limited number of places available. Please bring photographic proof of identity and proof of address with you, e.g. a utilities bill plus passport, or a photo driving licence.

The archives are now housed in a separate building to the searchroom, this means that from time to time we may be unable to produce any records. If severe weather has been forecast please contact us before arriving for your booking.

If you are unable to visit us

We can carry out a limited amount of research on your behalf. Please contact us for details of our current charges for this service. We can also provide copies of some records, depending on copyright constraints.

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