Database

The following tips should assist you when making a search of the DRO Database online. Alternatively you can click the button below to go straight to the search screen.

When trying to find information on a certain topic within this website database you can search using up to three keywords. You can also restrict your search to particular categories of records or to individual catalogues. Every word is indexed on the database (with the exception of certain very common non-specific words such as 'the', 'to' and 'with').

The database can only provide information on the precise words you type in, for this reason you may need to try alternative spellings for place names and personal names. For example, if you are looking for references to 'milburn', you could also search for 'milburne', 'mylburn', 'millburn'. Or, if you are looking for 'John Smith', you could make a separate search for 'J. Smith'.

In order to get the most out of a database search you should always try think about other words and alternative terms which could be used for the subject of your enquiry. For example, if you want to know what references there are to 'prisons', you could also try searching for 'gaols' and 'jails'.


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