Trafford Local Studies Centre

Our mission

The Trafford Local Studies Centre (TLSC) collects and preserves material relating to the former towns and rural areas which, since 1974, make up the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford. These areas include Altrincham, Bowdon, Hale, Timperley, Sale, Ashton-on-Mersey, Urmston, Stretford (including Trafford Park), Carrington, Partington, Warburton, and Dunham Massey.

Our collections include archival records created by organisations or institutions, business records, and personal papers. Our art and heritage collection is comprised of artefacts and works of art with links to the local area. If you wish to access the archives, make an appointment at least one working day in advance.

Our location

The Centre is located on the ground floor of Waterside House, in Sale (M33 7ZF). Our facilities include a Reading Room for the purposes of archives research and study, as well as a local history research space consisting of public computers, microfilm, and microfiche readers.

Our library stock specialises in local and regional history research, and is comprised of reference collections, lending stock, periodicals, and journals. We also hold an ever-increasing range of genealogical material to aid family history research, available both in print and online.

Interested in researching our collections? View the archive’s online catalogue.

Opening hours

For information about our opening hours, visit our Exploring Trafford’s Heritage website.