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Visiting the Society

Where are we?

a view of the library The Society's address is 14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7BA. Being close to the City, the Society's Library is conveniently situated for use in conjunction with many record repositories in London. It is within walking distance of the London Metropolitan Archive, and the Guildhall Library and close to other repositories.

Charterhouse Buildings is a cul-de-sac at the junction of Goswell Road and Clerkenwell Road (between the Pret a Manger sandwich bar and Pizza Express). The junction is about 500 metres north of Barbican station and a little further from Farringdon and Old Street stations. The Society occupies the last building on the left in the cul-de-sac.

Check with Google for a map of EC1

Traveling to the Society

Plesae note that there may be disruptions to Underground & Bus services at short notice and on Saturdays please check before travelling. Up-to-the-minute status reports of the transport network in London can be obtained from Transport for London web site.

Underground	Barbican and Farringdon stations are on the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. Farringdon Station, is also on the Thameslink line. Old Street and Angel stations are on the Northern Line (City Branch) St Paul's station is on the Central Line. Please note long-term engineering works have occasionally been affecting services on the Circle Line. On certain Saturdays, Old Street is the nearest Tube Station. Then by bus from Exit 6 (bus 55 or 243 to Clerkenwell Road). Or on foot from Exit 6 or 7 - then on past St Luke's Church to the Goswell Road crossroads. Charterhouse Buildings is in a cul-de-sac at the traffic lights at the junction of Goswell Road and Clerkenwell Road.
Bus	Buses 4, 55, 56, 153, 243 and 505 stop nearby.
Train	From Victoria, Paddington and Liverpool Street - take the Circle Line to Barbican Station. From Waterloo Station - take Bus No 4 direct, or the Northern Line to Embankment or Baker Street, then the Circle Line to Barbican Station. From London Bridge Station - take the Thameslink service to Farringdon or the Northern Line to Moorgate, then the Circle Line to Barbican Station.

Parking at the SoG.

Parking outside the SoG is restricted including Saturday until 1:30pm. There is some limited meter parking in Goswell Road.

Check with Google for details of Parking in EC1

Note: the Caxton House NCP Car Park in Cow Cross Street is also a coach park.

Parking spaces might be obtained, if arriving early or on Saturdays, in nearby Charterhouse Square, Glasshouse Yard or behind the 'Hat and Feathers' Pub in Great Sutton Street.

Access to the Library

The Library is open to members of the Society and non-members (see below) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday 10am to 6pm and Thursday 10am-8pm

The Library can be used by non-members on payment of a search fee as follows:

from 1 July 2011 2 hours £5
4 hours £10
Full day (including Thursday until 8pm) £18

Non-members will be asked to provide identification, evidence of an address and signature as they sign in at reception each time they visit. The following items may be used as identification:

UK residents

Passport, Bank or credit card, UK driving licence, Staff or Student id cards, Bank statement, Utility bill, County Archive Research Network card (CARN card)

Overseas non-UK residents

Passport, International driving licence, International Student identity cards, International driving licence.

When you arrive

The Bookshop, on the ground floor, is open to the public during opening hours

Members should swipe their membership card at the access point when entering and leaving the Library.

If you are not a member go to the reception desk where staff will arrange for a day seach pass.

Please see what should I bring? for items that are allowed into the library.

Disabled access

See our access guide for more information on the services and facilities available.

Cloakroom

Free lockers are provided on the ground floor for bags and restricted items. Secure coat hangers, also free of charge, are situated next to the lockers.

Common Room

There is a drinks machine, kettle, fridge, microwave oven and toaster in the Common Room on the ground floor and numerous cafes and restaurants in the immediate area. No food or drink may be taken into the library or lecture room..

Open Access Area

The Open Access Area is on the ground floor. This area is free and you do not need to obtain a Day Search ticket to use the resources here.
Here you will find computer facilities to access a number of online genealogy web sites, this area is self service.
There are also collections of leaflets that will help you get started on your research.

Library

The Library is situated over three floors. Details of the arrangements.

Copying material in the Library

There are photocopiers, film, fiche and laser printers in the library. Change for coin-boxes can be given at the library enquiry counters. There is a small daily charge for the use of personal digital cameras and other data storage devices. The laws of copyright must be obeyed: briefly - no more than 5% of any item may be copied and only for personal research. Use of any copy of material in the library for publication in any form, including on the Web, requires permission from the Librarian who can be contacted at librarian@sog.org.uk.

Family History Group Visits to the Society of Genealogists

The Society is always pleased to welcome groups and to provide either a tour or an introductory talk, depending on the size of the group(Maximum 15). Any larger group is given an illustrated talk. Bookings must be made in advance. A tour or lecture is free.

Most tours start at around 11.15am and finish about 1pm but other times could arranged.

Members of the Society who wish to show their own group around themselves are very welcome to do so, provided the group is no larger than about fifteen people and the Society knows you are coming.

Visitors may use the library after the tour and any formal group of six or more people is offered a discount of 20% on the normal day search fees which are £4 for 1 hour (from 1 July 2011 £5 for 2hours), £10 for 4 hours and £18 for a full day. If any one wishes to become a member of the Society after paying for a day search they are welcome to put the fee paid towards membership providing it is done on the same day.

These rates are offered on the basis of the organiser providing a list of the non-members attending and paying the fee as a single payment in advance. Any member of the group who is already a member of the Society or who joins on the day of the visit will, of course, not have to pay. There is no formal application form for visits as such - a list of names and addresses is sufficient.

All Groups must book in advance with the Genealogy Officer - email.

This page was last revised on 07-Jul-2011 11:17