Contact us UK online banking (new window) UK online banking Search News About us Investor relations Citizenship Careers Products and services History Barclays Group Archives Share Email Print Our archives are unique, irreplaceable and priceless - they powerfully communicate the strength and depth of the values that underpin Barclays. Barclays Group Archives collects, preserves and provide access to records, in any format, with permanent business value or historic importance. From our archive centre in Manchester, UK, our team of four staff answer enquiries and welcome researchers both from within Barclays and from members of the public. The archives cover one and half miles of shelving and are held in secure, environmentally-controlled strongrooms. They date from 1567 right up to the present day, and are listed on a searchable database, available to access onsite. A small specialist reference library of Barclays and external publications on the history of financial services is also open for daily use by appointment. The records have come from Barclays as we know it today, and from our many predecessor firms. Many of these began as small family businesses, serving their local communities. In their correspondence and accounts, we can see not just the evolution of their business, but the growth of local, national and international economies. We can read about the philanthropic activities of our Gurney ancestors in East Anglia; the battles of the Backhouses in the North East to support industrial growth through the development of the railways; and the endeavours of northern businessmen in Manchester and Liverpool to create banks strong enough to support their burgeoning industries. In the records of the Woolwich, one of the few publicly available building society archives in the UK, we can trace the development of the movement that had such a huge impact on British home ownership. From the 20th century, we have records charting the growth of our modern business. In the leather-bound minute books, we can see each action taken that has led us to where we are now. In the thousands of files, photographs, diaries, reports, advertisements and plans we can unearth the reasons behind those decisions, and the impact of them. We can see how we developed from a British bank to a truly global one, while still managing to maintain local roots. We can see how we have constantly innovated, becoming a sector leader and introducing new ideas that really did change the world. The story of Barclays is so much more than the story of a bank – it is the story of the communities we serve, our colleagues, our buildings, our products. The archives allow us to share that story. To access the archives Barclays Group Archives is open Monday to Friday, 10:00 - 16:00. We are happy to answer enquiries by post, email or phone, and welcome visitors who wish to conduct their own research. Please note that visits are strictly by appointment, so contact us to discuss your research first. Contact us Address: Barclays Group Archives, Dallimore Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 9JA, UK Tel: +44 (0) 16 1946 3035 Fax: +44 (0) 16 1946 0226 Email: grouparchives@barclays.com In this section Our Quaker roots A quick history: From Goldsmith's shop to global business A quick history of the Woolwich Barclays Eagle Martins Bank Cash machines Bank notes Connect card Barclays home safes Barclaycard Barclays head office Lombard Street Barclays Group Archives Related sections Our awards Timeline: celebrating 300 years and counting Explore the last 300 years of Barclays history with our interactive timeline News About us Investor relations Citizenship Careers Results and reports Q3 2014 Interim Management Statement (PDF, 997KB) Barclays PLC Annual Report 2013 (PDF, 4.75MB) All financial results Press and media Press releases Barclays on social media Other links UK online banking Products and services Contact us Around the world Privacy policy Accessibility Important information Terms of use Cookie policy © Barclays 2014