The archives at The Box Plymouth are a treasure trove of information about the city and the wider West Devon area.
Archives
The Plymouth and West Devon Record Office was the region’s principal archive repository from 1952 until 2019. Now part of The Box, these unique and irreplaceable archives are available for public consultation, for family and local history and other forms of research – see our Access section below.
Key archive collections include:
- Church of England and Nonconformist church records (parish registers over 100 years old are available via Findmypast)
- Local government records including important records of the Second World War, its impact on Plymouth and the post-war reconstruction
- Hospital, prison and workhouse records
- Education records
- Records of charities, societies and local organisations
- Coroner’s and cemetery records
- Business records
- Merchant shipping registers
- Estate and family collections
- Personal archives such as diaries, correspondence and creative work
- Architectural and building plans and maps
- Records of parks and gardens
- Trade directories and printed sources
Local Studies
The Local Studies collection contains printed material that relates to Plymouth and the surrounding area. A carefully chosen selection of these resources is available at The Box to research histories of locality or family. The remainder of the collection is available via the local Library service.
The selection at The Box contains books on all aspects of local history ranging from Devonshire folklore through to histories of individual towns, parishes and people. The primary focus of the books is on the Three Towns of Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse. There are also books relating to topics of particular local interest which are reflected in The Box’s galleries, such as natural history, geography, industrial archaeology and famous local people.
There’s also a selection of books about genealogy, including guides for researching family trees. This is a reference collection which people are welcome to use on a drop-in basis (with no appointment necessary). The books are not available for loan, but will be available to be viewed in person during your visit.
