Peterborough Archives Service

In our archive collections we have:

• original, rare, and often unique source material dating from the 1200s onwards
• the best local studies collection in the City
• free access to lending and reference books
• free access to “Ancestry” with staff support
• all the back copies of historic local newspapers
• the largest collection of maps and plans of the area
• evocative photographs of Peterborough including the popular Kitchin Collection

Archive Opening Hours

To find out what you can come and use and for some advice on how to start your research, visit our local history and family history pages.

If you know what you want to research, try searching for it on our online catalogue. Currently this contains over 4,500 catalogue entries covering all aspects of Peterborough’s history.

The Kitchin Collection Online

The Kitchin Collection is a compilation of black and white photographs mostly taken in and around Peterborough between about 1960 and 1970 by the late Mr Ramon Kitchin. You can now search and view over 700 of his photographs online.

Enquiries and research service

If you can’t make it to the library, ask us about doing research on your behalf. We often do checks of parish registers, census returns and local newspapers, as well as more extensive research using our collections. Contact us by telephone on 01733 864160 or email archives.services@vivacity-peterborough.com.

If you would prefer to learn more about researching the past why not explore some of the research courses that Vivacity run throughout the year!

New Research Collections

To view any of these collections either drop into the Archives Service in the Central Library or ring the staff on 01733 864160.