Headquarters & Research Centre

HQ02General

The Centre does not open on Bank Holiday weekends.

The Society's Postal Address is Somerset & Dorset FHS, PO Box 4502, Sherborne DT9 6YL, England; Telephone/Fax 01935 389611. The building address is Corner of Long Street and Soth Street. For those using a sat.nav. the actual building postcode is DT9 3BJ. Click here for a map. There is no parking at the Centre. The nearest is the two car parks along Long Street 4 minutes walk away. The Centre has a telephone answering machine and, although not manned every day, someone will always return your call when they are next at the Centre.

The direct e-mail address to the Centre, rather than the main Society one, is sdfhs@btconnect.com. Please note that although this e-mail address can be used for queries about Society Services run from the Research Centre, we are not able to accept credit card payments sent by e-mail, for security reasons.

The Society Headquarters is located at The Parade, Cheap Street, Sherborne, close to the Abbey. Opening times Monday, Friday & Saturday, 10.00a.m. - 1.00p.m., Thursday 10.00a.m. to 4.00p.m., the 3rd Tuesday of every month 7.00p.m. to 9.00p.m. and by appointment. The Centre is open free to members of the Society or on payment of £2.00 by day non-members.

Headquarters Open Evening

The Society HQ will be open on the third Tuesday of every month from 7.00p.m. to 9.00p.m. Also, the Society will be holding Family History Surgeries at the public library in Yeovil on the first Saturday of each month from 10 am until 3.30 pm.

The Centre is closed on Wednesday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays. Also Sherborne Pack Monday Fair Day. 

Closures for 2011 are as follows:- 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th & 30th April. 2nd May, 11th & 13th June. 27th & 29th August. The 23rd December until 5th January 2012.

Every effort is made to accommodate overseas members or people travelling long distances. Please contact the Centre to make special arrangements.

The Society will also be holding Family History Surgeries at the public library in Yeovil on the first Saturday of each month from 10 am until 3.30 pm.

HQ01Facilities

The Centre is the first port of call for our many out of county and overseas visitors and as the archive service in the County Record Offices becomes more stretched, it is here that more members are coming for initial advice on how to set about their research and what they can expect to find at the County Archives and the Public Record Offices.

The Centre is connected to the Internet and members may make use of this facility free of charge.

At the Centre you will find

  • The Society Library
  • The Society Booksales
  • The Dorset and Somerset Marriage Indexes
  • The Dorset and Somerset Monumental Inscriptions Index
  • The Somerset Baptisms Index
  • The 1881 Census Index, and copies of the 1881 and 1901 Censuses
  • The British Vital Records Index
  • The Wills Index
  • The Strays Index
  • Printed copies of Parish Records
  • Village Files
  • Somerset & Dorset Apprentices in London Index
  • Sherborne Castle Leases index

HQ03Research

Payment for research carried out by the Research Team can be made via www.parishchest.co.uk. Please contact the Research Centre for more details.

Ancestry.com/Findmypast/Origins.net

We have eight computers on which visitors can access the above sites using the Society's 'Library Licence'.

Headquarters Team

The Centre Management Team, consisting entirely of volunteers, runs the Headquarters:

  • Centre Manager - Barry Brock
  • Staffing - Magaret Clapperton
  • Librarians - Robin Ansell, Gail Barber & Rosemary Vowles
  • Book Sales - John Brooking
  • Membership - Bridget Laver
  • Pedigrees Index Service - Wendy Lugg
  • Fairs - Dorothy Bower
  • Projects - Angela McDonald
  • Military research - Iain Swinnerton
  • Publicity - John Marshall

Extra volunteers are always welcome, please contact the Centre Management Team.