For Users
Business archive collections are rich sources of information that can enhance personal family research, the understanding of local history and form the basis of academic research projects.
The National Register of Archives (NRA) and the National Register of Archives for Scotland (NRAS) are the best places to start a search for a particular collection or records of a specific industry. The two sites complement each other but generally the NRAS will y have more detailed information about collections and often full catalogues online.
The National Archives have information about business history records held in the UK.
ArchivesHub has prepared an excellent starter guide to using archives for research.
Geneaology use
- We have prepared a guide to using business records for family history to get you started.
- Using business records for family and local history - the slides for a presentation given in October 2010.
Academic use
- We have prepared a guide to using business records for academic research as a leaflet to get you started.
- Finding business archive collections - the slides from the presentation given at the 2012 Meet the Archivists event.
- A list of business archive collections from the Association of Business Historians.
- A list of resources and links related to economic and business history in the UK have been prepared by the Netherlands Economic History Archive.
- From the Royal College of Physicians: Unlocking the Medicine Chest a guide to original resources on the history of medicine, ideal for thesis research.