About the Research Centre
The Society has a new Research Centre at Clarence House, 46 Humberstone Gate, Leicester LE1 3PJ. We are on the second floor, in the Gwen Cook room (there is a lift available).
OPENING DATE – WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2026 at 10.30am.
Clarence House
The building was designed by Edward Burgess in 1877 and initially housed the Wyggeston Hospital Girls’ School. It continued in that function until 1928 when the school relocated to Regent Road.
The City Boys’ School then moved into the premises, becoming the City of Leicester Boys’ Grammar School in 1944 until they moved to Downing Drive, Evington, in 1966.
Clarence House then became part of Charles Keene College of Further Education, continuing its educational function until the reorganisation of Leicester’s Colleges in the 1990s/2000s, when it was repurposed for community use with Age Concern (later rebranded to Age UK). It was listed Grade II on 14 March 1975.
Get access to online resources
The Research Centre has several computers which provide access to Ancestry, Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive. Findmypast is particularly useful to anyone researching ancestors from Leicestershire and Rutland as it is the online site which provides access to digitalised copies of almost all of the counties’ parish records.
In addition to online websites, all of the computers have access to the full range of data compiled over the years by the Society, including indexes not available online. Our ‘Shop’ on this website lists the majority of this data.
Make use of our library
The Centre also has a large collection of books relating to Leicester’s history, Leicestershire and Rutland’s towns and villages, Leicestershire’s military history and county trade directories. A full list of all books is on this website under the ‘Research’ tab. Please note that the books are for reference only.
The Centre is run by LRFHS volunteers who are always happy to provide help to visitors if required.
Charges for using the Research Centre are – Members £2, Non members £3
Visiting the Research Centre
Address:
Leicestershire and Rutland Family History Society,
Clarence House, 46 Humberstone Gate,
Leicester LE1 3PJ.
Tel: 0116 2559738
Opening Hours
| Wednesday | 10:30am to 3:00pm |
| Thursday | 10:30am to 3:00pm |
| Friday | 10:30am to 3:00pm |
If you are travelling from some distance, please contact us in advance to make sure the records that you want to view will be available and to reserve a computer. Please phone us on +44 (0)116 255 9738 during opening hours.
Closures/Public Holidays
The Research Centre will be closed from 3pm on 2 April 2026 and will re-open at 10.30am on 8 April 2026.