FRIENDS OF CUMBRIA ARCHIVES [FOCAS] Registered Charity No 1011624

KENDAL: CUMBRIA RECORD OFFICE

Address:  Cumbria Record Office, County Offices, Kendal LA9 4RQ

Telephone:  01539 773539/40

Fax:  01539 773538

Email enquiries:  kendal.record.office@cumbriacc.gov.uk

Hours of Opening:  Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

Notice required:  No appointments necessary for general research.  Some collections held at out stores require at least 48 hours notice to produce.

Disabled Access:  Access available via the back door of County Offices.

Copying facilities:  One black and white photocopier; staff make copies subject to the condition of the document and copyright.

Cataloguing system/guides to records:  There are typed catalogues available for most archive collections, available in the searchroom. For online catalogues see Catalogues and Guides.

Scope of collection:  This office looks after archives relating to the historic County of Westmorland, and holds some records for the Sedbergh district of Yorkshire and the eastern part of the Furness Area of Lancashire.  Further details are available on the Cumbria Archive Service Website.

Books:

Local history – traditions & customs, history of towns and villages, dialect, biographies of local personalities, local artists, archaeology, local industries etc.;

John F Curwen Library of early Lake District guide books and other Westmorland and Furness sources;

Fleming Library of Cumbrian Local History;

Transcripts of Parish registers for Cumbria, Lancashire Parish Register Society; Transcripts for the local 1851 census, trade directories, sale catalogues for notable properties;

Reference guides to archives, palaeography and place names.

Periodicals/Journals: 

Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeology Society 1866-present;

Northern History 1966-present;

Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire vols 109, 118, 119, 123-43.

Maps/plans:

Mostly complete collection of 1858 (1^st edition) and 1900 (2^nd edition) 6”/1mile and 25”/1mile OS maps for Westmorland;

Large scale maps of Kendal 1858, 1900; Kendal Town Plans, 1797-1853;

Varied collection of maps for Westmorland c.1575-present including Appleby Borough map 1754 and private estate maps from the 16^th century onwards;

Tithe, Corn Rent and Enclosure maps for Westmorland.

Photographs:

Various collections relating to Westmorland including prints of J Hardman photographs of Lake District life c.1940-1960, and the Jackson collection of postcards of Westmorland, c.1900.

Manuscript/archive collections:

Official records: including Westmorland Quarter Sessions (1658-1970), Westmorland County Council (1889-1974), Kendal Borough records (1575-1974), Appleby Borough records from the Royal Charter of 1189 to 1974, and other local government records;

Statutory records: including Westmorland Poor Law Unions (including Kendal Workhouse, Rating and Valuation maps), deposited plans of early railways, c.1840, and Kendal Canal, opened in 1819;

Family and Estate archives: including Fleming of Rydal Hall which incorporates the political papers and household accounts of Sir Daniel Fleming (1633-1701); Hothfield of Appleby Castle, including the Great Books of Record and other papers of Lady Anne Clifford, 1590-1676; Wilson of Dallam Tower; Browne of Townend, a family archive of a Lake District statesman;

Church of England and Non Conformist parish registers and other records;

Business Archives: from land agents to butchers, accountants to blacksmiths including Pattinsons (builders of Windermere), Thomas Mawson (Landscape Architect) and Provincial Insurance Ltd.;

Societies: including Friends of the Lake District, Fell and Rock Club, local Women’s Institutes, sports clubs including Kendal Rugby Club, amateur dramatics and music societies and historical societies including the Appleby in Westmorland Society and the Cumbrian Railways Association;

Solicitors: including Arnold Greenwood and Milne Moser of Kendal.