Local Studies Centre

Starting your family history

Starting your family history at Barking and Dagenham Local Studies Centre.

First of all

Work back in time, generation by generation, starting from yourself. Start by asking elderly relatives for information, then draw up a family tree based on what you now know. Even approximate dates of births, marriages and deaths will save time and effort later on.

On your first visit to the centre

Have a look at introductory guides, such as Getting Started in Family History (Public Record Office). We also have Family Tree Magazine and Family History Monthly.

Check out the Genealogical Research Directory 2000-2002 on CD-ROM to see if anyone else is researching your family.

Some people collect every reference to a particular surname - these are listed in the Register of One-Name Studies, produced by the Guild of One-Name Studies. We hold the current edition.

Next steps - Records covering the whole country

The General Register Office indexes to births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales 1837-1996

These are on microfiche, and are arranged quarterly within each year (January - March, April - June, July - September, October - December). We only have the indexes, not the information on the actual registers. For this, you will need to order certificates, quoting references given in the index.

We also offer internet access to Free births, marriages and deaths, a database of General Register Office indexes to 1900 which is steadily being added to. Some years are comprehensively covered, others not.

Tracing ancestors before 1837

We hold, on microfiche, the International Genealogical Index compiled by the Latter Day Saints Church (Mormons). It is arranged by county and then by surname, and contains entries for baptisms and marriages drawn from parish registers and other sources.

It's by no means complete - Barking and Dagenham are both not covered, for example. Also, it is worth checking the Latter Day Saints Family Search website, which offers an online database of the International Genealogical Index and other records.

The Census, 1841-1901

This is compiled every 10 years, and gives details of everyone living at a particular address on census night. We have the 1881 census on CD-ROM covering the whole country. The 1901 census for the whole of Britain is also available online. Viewing the index to this is free, but there is a charge for seeing individual entries.

We stock the census vouchers - personal callers only, and please contact us first at the address shown as availability is sometimes limited.

The next section covers local records. Were your ancestors from Barking or Dagenham?

If they were, you are likely to discover plenty of information about them at the Local Studies Centre. The most useful sources are:

Census returns

1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901.

Parish records for St Margaret's Church, Barking and St Peter and Paul, Dagenham

Find out whether your ancestors were baptized, married or buried at our local parish churches.

St Margaret's Church register of graves

This list of monumental inscriptions was compiled in 1930.

Rippleside Cemetery burials 1886-1902

Contains over 4,000 names.

Electoral Registers from 1900

Find out exactly where your ancestor lived. The house may still exist!.

We also have:

Trade directories

A very useful source if your ancestor was a farmer or trades person.

Newspapers

Look for birth, marriage and death announcements. Sometimes obituaries were very detailed. We have the Essex Times 1866-1888, the Barking Advertiser from 1888, and the Dagenham Post from 1928.

Tithe schedules and Tithe maps

Look here to find out exactly where your ancestor was living in the 1840s.

Dagenham poor rate books, 1839-1913

These list owners and occupiers of property.

Maps

A wide range of maps, including the Ordnance Survey, showing how the borough has changed throughout the ages.

Opening hours

Valence House is closed for refurbishment until May 2010.

Facilities

Café open 9am - 4pm

Level access

Easy parking

Toilets