Copies and research
Copying service
We can provide the following types of copies:
- prints from microfilm / microfiche
- photocopies
- digital (scanned) copies
- official copies of baptism and marriage certificates
certified copies of documents - for price details please see our current fees and charges
When requesting copies please tell us:
- Church registers - full date (day, month and year), name of the church, and names of the people you are looking for
- Archive documents - full archive catalogue reference, and page numbers if applicable
- Books - title, author, and page numbers
Please note that sometimes we may not be able to supply you with a copy due to copyright law or concerns regarding the condition of a document.
If you need us to search through the records, for example to find the correct page or entry, you will need to use our paid research service.
Research service
Research costs £26.25 per half hour, up to a maximum of £40 for two hours. You will need to complete a research request form and send a cheque made payable to Sandwell MBC . We cannot currently accept electronic payments.
Even if we are unable to find the information requested, you are still required to pay the fee in advance of any research undertaken. We will always try to advise you on how else you might be able to find the information.
For this charge, we will search:
- GRO index of births, marriages and deaths
- Census records
- International Genealogical Index
- We will also carry out searches in our collections, including school records, electoral registers, business records, parish registers and church records, photographs, newspapers and local history books.
We will send you a search report within 28 days, detailing what records we have searched, any information found and advice on other lines of enquiry.
A limited number of photocopies may be provided free of charge if that is the most economical way of presenting the results. Additional copying can be supplied for a standard charge. If copying is not possible, we will supply a transcript of the information.
Enquiries we do not charge for
Although we charge for carrying out research on your behalf, do not charge for requests to find out more about our holdings, for example:
- Do you hold the records of Mitchells & Butler Breweries?
- What books do you have on the history of Wednesbury?
- Do you have records of ARP wardens in West Bromwich ?
We do not charge for research carried out on behalf of an individual who has made a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998. These are requests about personal information held in the archives about you, such as your personal school record, information about a period you spent in hospital, or details about time spent in a Council children's home.