What information does the Index Room have?
In this room you will find catalogues and indexes to our collections. The door into this room locks automatically and you will need to ask a member of staff to open it for you.
This is also where our microfilm and microfiche readers are located. We have a large number of these machines and several reader printers so you can print your own copies.
Using our Catalogues and Indexes
A catalogue is a descriptive list of the documents in an individual archive collection while indexes bring together references to particular names, places or subjects from different catalogues.
It is often helpful to look at a catalogue description of any item you find in the indexes as you may feel that the information given in the catalogue entry is sufficient for your purpose without seeing the original document (although you are always welcome to do this).
You may also decide that the item is not relevant to your research and you do not need to see it, which can save you time.
Our catalogues are in three formats
- Bound volumes
- Box file
- Cards
Our main indexes
- Personal names
- Pictorial
- Places
- Maps
- Sale catalogues
- Subjects
- Wills
In addition, several of our family and estate collections are individually indexed, as are some of the marriage licence bonds. There is also an index of the 1851 census for most of the parishes in the county.
Photocopies of the pre-1812 Bishop's Transcripts for Northamptonshire and Rutland and of some early parish registers for Northamptonshire are also available.
The Bollen Blore marriage index was purchased from Mr C Bollen Blore of Northampton by the Record Office in April 2000.