Gamble Building, Victoria Square, St Helens, WA10 1DY St
Monday-Wednesday 10am – 2pm
archives@sthelens.gov.uk to assist with your enquiry
01744 671748
Due to ongoing work within the Gamble Building, St Helens Archive Service is currently offering a remote service.
Our archive service is based in the historic Gamble Building in the heart of the town centre.
Our staff
1 Archivist
1 Archive & Library Assistant
1 Project Heritage Officer
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, St Helens Archive Service are currently leading on an exciting two-year project, ‘Creative Underground’.
The project will explore the history of creative industries across the region, launching during St Helens Borough of Culture in 2023. Read more about it.
Our building
What we collect
St Helens Archive Service collects, preserves and provides access to unique historic materials that relate to different aspects of life across the borough of St Helens.
The collection is a diverse, unparalleled resource for the study of the locality.
Some records are of regional and national significance, including records relating to Sir Thomas Beecham and the historic corporate archive of the Beecham’s Pills empire; items relating to the Gamble family.
Greenall Whitley Brewery account ledgers, correspondence and architectural plans; items relating to the Pilkington family and business; United Glass; The Medical Officer of Health reports highlighting local conditions during the Victorian period; archives of the Vulcan Foundry; The Sherdley Estate Papers and historic township estate documents; plus, St Helens Council (and its predecessors) historic collections.
St Helens Archive Service holds other records relating to local services, businesses and industry, transport, education, war, events, clubs and societies, religions, property, plans, photographs, family history and local history.
The online catalogue can be used to find out the reference numbers of items that you are interested in; to search the records that we hold in the borough archives, please visit the online catalogue. If you need additional help accessing the catalogue, please contact us.
Local History Resources
Maps, microfilm records and local studies reference materials are also available at Eccleston and Newton-le-Willows libraries, including a new digital microfilm scanner.
Eccleston Library 01744 677575
Newton-le-Willows Library 01744 677885
- Free access to Findmypast and 1921 census for St Helens Library Service members at any of the library PC or by WiFi access.
St Helens Community Archive
St Helens Community Archive is our online interactive resource containing over 4,000 photographs, video and audio files contributed by the Archive Service as well as by residents from across the borough.
Deposit Records
We are happy to accept deposits of unique, historic records that reflect the borough of St Helens, its people and places – past and present into the borough archive collections.
The documents we hold come from organisations and individuals and are stored in conditions suitable for their permanent preservation. Documents may also be cleaned, repackaged, or repaired to ensure their longevity.
If you have documents, you feel might be of interest, please contact us for further information and a tour of our facilities.
: 01744 671748
Most Unusual Item
Part of the Beecham’s Pills archive are a collection of 3-dimensional objects and products relating to the Beecham’s Group, dating from 1868 all the way to as late as 1989.
One of the many products within the collection is a boxed tube of Beecham’s Toothpaste and advertising leaflet.