Archive collections
The main categories of records include:
Official records: 19th and 20th century quarter sessions, magistrate
court and hospital records.
Local Government: Records of Rotherham Borough Council and its predecessors,
and urban and rural district councils prior to 1974. These records include minute books,
financial records including rate books, building plans, school records, workhouse registers
and maps and plans.
Church and Chapels: A large collection of original non-conformist registers as
well as parish registers on microfilm/fiche registers (please note that Rotherham Archives
and Local Studies do not hold the originals).
Business and Industrial: Records of local businesses and industry
including Parkgate Iron and Steel Company, Yates and Haywood (Iron Founding),
Beatson Clark (Glass Industry), Guest and Chrimes (Brass Founding), and the
records of local coal mines and many smaller businesses.
Military: The York and Lancaster Regimental archive collection consisting of almost 16,000 items including personal papers, war diaries, operational records, trench maps, training materials, photograph albums, and the Regimental Library.
Individual, Family and Estate: personal papers, deeds, estate papers
and maps from local families and individuals including John Guest, Dorothy
Greene, the Bosviles of Ravenfield, Verelsts of Aston, and the Walker family.
Solicitors Records from several local solicitors and the large Parker Rhodes collection which includes title deeds, plans, estate papers, Enclosure awards and records of work for 19th century coal owners and industrialists.
Charities: Records of several small local charities; the Feoffees of the Common Lands of Rotherham collection of administrative and property records which spans six centuries.
Local Studies Material
The main types of records include:
Books and pamphlets: 9th century and modern printed material covering Rotherham, the surrounding areas, and the wider Yorkshire region.
Photographs: A large collection of photographs of Rotherham and surrounding areas.
Annual Reports: A selection of reports produced by Rotherham Borough Council and predecessors, local hospitals and trusts, and other local organisations.
Trade directories: 19th and 20th century Rotherham and Sheffield trade directories including early Yorkshire directories.
Presscuttings: A collection of presscuttings from local newspapers indexed in volumes and covering a wide range of subject areas and places.
Journals and Newsletters: Material published on many subjects by local and regional groups.
Maps and plans: Printed and hand-drawn maps and plans of various areas of Rotherham and of individual buildings.