Guides and finding aids

General

Researching your family history

Researching your house history

Guide to parish records - This guide includes details of original parish registers, bishops' transcripts and transcripts held at the Centre for Kentish Studies (CKS) and Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Copies can also be purchased from the CKS shop for £7.00 (postage is an additional £1.30).

Black and non-European people in Kent - Evidence from the collections of the Kent Archives Service.

Guide to archives copying services - CKS and EKAC only.

From Kent to Virginia: Historic links between County and State

This publication - commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first English settlers in Virginia - is a compilation of Virginia documents and illustrations in the care of the Kent Archives and Local History Service. It is available in our three Achives centres priced £4.00. Get a taster of the booklet's content by viewing our Virginia page.

Kent on Film DVD

Kent Archives Service has been working with Screen Arts South East (the link opens in a new window) to produce a DVD compilation of historical films made in and about Kent.

The DVD is available to buy from The Centre for Kentish Studies, East Kent Archives Centre, Canterbury Cathedral Archives and town centre libraries, priced at £12.99.
To order telephone (01622) 694459 or you can post of email the downloadable form.

Women In Kent

A new illustrated booklet edited by Alison and produced by Kent Archives for the National Year of Reading, constituting a compilation of documents held by the Centre for Kentish Studies about women and the events that took place in their lives.
The women featured came from all walks of life, from the highest levels of aristocracy to the poorest of people, and the period in which they lived covers over 450 years, from 1425 to 1875. Their ages range from the 12 year old Eva to the 'discrete oulde and maiden gentlewoman' who compiled a recipe book. A letter from Jane Austen to her favourite niece Fanny Knight is included. The documents range from official and personal papers, court records and correspondence to a diary.

The booklet is available for sale at the Centre for Kentish Studies bookshop for £3.50.

Centre for Kentish Studies (CKS) guides

Guide for new users

A brief guide to the collections at CKS

A guide to the local history collection

Apprentices' database - The apprentices' database, containing more than 19,000 entries, is now available on a CD-ROM which can be searched in the CKS searchroom. The database can be searched in a variety of ways, for example, by name, place and occupation. It contains details of both apprentices and masters.

The history of health and medicine: an introduction to sources available at the Centre for Kentish Studies

East Kent Archives Centre (EKAC) guides

A brief guide to the collections at EKA