Tracing your family history? Researching your house history? Interested in your town, village or community? Investigating an aspect of Borders life?
The facilities at the Heritage Hub are open to anyone to come and undertake their own research. The service is free, with charges only made for photocopies and printouts.
If you are unable to visit us, you may wish to take advantage of our Enquiry Services where you can choose from a number of options.
Basic Enquiries
We offer an initial free 30 minute enquiry service. In the time available, we will:
- Check a record where you are able to give a specific date and place.
- Advise on sources appropriate to your research.
- Advise on the cost of supplying relevant printouts/photocopies.
- Advise on the use of our Remote Research Service.
Remote Research Service
For a more detailed response to enquiries, we offer a Remote Research Service.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What topics do you research?
We will research any topic relating to the heritage of the Scottish Borders – that is the four counties of Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Roxburghshire, and Selkirkshire.
Please note we cannot undertake broad research on topics such as “History of the Textile Industry in Hawick”, or “The Border Reivers”, although we will advise you on sources available.
What do you provide?
At all levels of service we will provide a package that includes:
- A specified length of research time.
- A report on sources consulted and results found – both positive and negative. We cannot guarantee that our research will find the details you require, but we will do our best to provide relevant information from Heritage Hub resources.
- Photocopies or printouts of relevant material up to the maximum number stated.
- Suggestions on further avenues for your research plus advice on other sources or organisations that may be able to help.
- In a unique initiative we are now working jointly with the Scottish Borders Registrar Service and, as part of the research, can access, for a fee, the post- 1855 birth, marriage and death certificate records held only by the Registrar.
How do I request a search?
We ask you to give us a description of the information you are looking for, what you already know, and what sources you have already consulted. To ensure the most efficient use of the research time, it is important that you are specific as possible, particularly regarding names, dates and places.
The form must be printed, signed personally and then returned with your payment.
How much will it cost?
The different levels of service are outlined below. All charges are VAT inclusive.
Looking for something different as a present? Ask about our Remote Research Gift Vouchers.
One Star Service for One Hour of Research
- Ideal if you want a search of indexes to census returns, old parish records and monumental inscriptions for help with some basic family history research - most likely to focus on 19th century records.
- Particularly useful if you are at the early stage of family history research and do not have access to online records.
- Use this service also if you require a newspaper report where you can give at least the relevant month and year.
- Cost of £25 includes a maximum of 5 free printouts/photocopies and 1 digital image.
- For an additional £15 fee, records such as post-1855 birth, marriage and death certificates can be checked by the Registrar.
Two Star Service for Two Hours’ Research:
- Appropriate for circumstances that require a search for specific names or events in material that is not indexed e.g. certain census returns, newspapers (within a tight month/year time frame), archive material such as valuation rolls, poor law records, school log books, and militia lists.
- Cost of £50 includes a max. of 15 free photocopies/printouts, 3 digital images and a check of appropriate records by the Registrar i.e. post-1855 birth, marriage and death certificates.
Three Star Service for Three Hours Research:
- Suitable for in-depth research over a range of records and archives.
- Cost of £75 includes a max. of 25 free photocopies/printouts, 5 digital images. and a check of appropriate records by the Registrar i.e. post-1855 birth, marriage and death certificates.
Family History Presentation Pack:
- A comprehensive portfolio of information on your family history and the background to the lives of your ancestors.
- With a search of census records, old parish records, monumental inscriptions, archive collection, newspapers, maps and postcards etc., and a check of appropriate records by the Registrar i.e.post-1855 birth, marriage and death certificates.
- Includes an A3 blank ancestral chart. This is designed as a working document to help you record basic facts of both your paternal and maternal lines, and to help identify gaps that require further research.
Social History Presentation Pack
- A comprehensive portfolio of information on a parish or village – where and how people lived, their occupations, housing, churches, farms, schools, businesses, industry, estates and transport.
House History Presentation Pack
- A comprehensive portfolio of information on the history of a house - owners & occupiers, the local community, and the building itself.
- With a search of census records), valuation rolls, directories, estate records, maps, postcard collection, architectural guides etc.
Please note this research is for general historical interest only and does not cover legal aspects of ownership.
All Presentation Packs cost £100.00 each and will include up to 4 hours’ research, a maximum of 35 photocopies/printouts and 5 digital images, and a timeline chart to set the research in a wider context of local, national and international events.
All research is subject to current Data Protection legislation. Postage and administration charges are included in the cost. Additional photocopies/printouts, beyond the stated maximum can be provided at the standard charge. Staff will advise further on this.
We are also happy to discuss any particular requirements you may have with regard to research e.g. the transcription of old documents.
How do I pay?
Advance payment in sterling is required for all requests, with payment by cheque or International Money Order, drawn on a British bank and made payable to Scottish Borders Council.
We can also accept payment by debit or credit card.
If no positive results are obtained, we will try to advise you of other possible sources, but we are unable to refund the research fee.
When will I get the results?
All forms will be acknowledged on receipt and the research will be completed within twenty working days.
