Wolverhampton City Archives has retained its prestigious award from the National Archives.
It is a further boost for the service which in 2024/25 saw over 3,000 visitors across a year for the first time since pre-Covid and an increase of 23% on the previous year’s numbers – bucking the national trend.
In 2015 the service was awarded Archive Service Accreditation status, meaning it provides an excellent standard of customer service, preserves collections in line with national standards and is a robust, sustainable service which plans and delivers ongoing improvement.
Following a three-year review inspection National Archives noted: "The panel were impressed by the progress made around digital preservation since the award of Accreditation and the efforts made by the service regarding succession planning."
Wolverhampton City Archives house a wealth of material relating to the history of all parts of the City of Wolverhampton, including Bilston, Bushbury, Penn, Tettenhall and Wednesfield.
Its ever-growing collection includes maps, books, census returns, newspapers, records from local schools, churches, clubs, societies and businesses, electoral registers, and indexes to births, deaths and marriages. There are also over 30,000 photographs, plus films, sound recordings, memorabilia and much more.
City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, Councillor Obaida Ahmed, said: “Congratulations to the City Archives for retaining its accreditation. It is a testament to the excellent service the team offer to residents and visitors to the city.
“It is a valuable resource and is well utilised in the city by those wanting to research and explore the rich history that we have of Wolverhampton and its people.”
The City Archives is based at the Molineux Hotel Building on Whitmore Hill and is open on Wednesdays from 1pm to 7pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 4pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. Admission is free.
For more information about Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies, please visit www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk
