Guide to Ordnance Survey maps that cover the Borough of St.Helens

Please click on the link below to access a PDF document containing a guide to Ordnance Survey maps that cover the Borough of St.Helens

Download "Guide to Ordnance Survey Maps" PDF

Building plans and improvement plans for St.Helens 1851-1979

Please click on the PDF documents below to see lists of plans relating to buildings and streets in St.Helens. These plans are available to be viewed in the search room at St.Helens Local History and Archives Library.

After opening a document please press CTRL-F (if you are using a PC) or Command-F (if you are using an Apple Mac). A search box will be displayed in the upper right of the screen. Type in the name of the street or building that you wish to find in the search box. For an advanced search press Shift-CTRL-F (if you are using a PC) or Shift-Command-F (if you are using an Apple Mac). A new window will appear alongside the document with more search options. Make a note of the number and date of the plan that you are interested in so that staff can locate it when you visit St.Helens Local History and Archives Library.

Download "Building application plans for St.Helens 1851-1869" PDF

Download "Building application plans for St.Helens 1870-1940" PDF

Download "Building application plans for St.Helens 1944-1958" PDF

Download "Building application plans for Rainford 1924-1948" PDF

Download "Building application plans for Newton-le-Willows 1865-1962" PDF

Download "Improvement plans for St.Helens (flat plans) 1875-1979" PDF

Download "Improvement plans for St.Helens (rolled plans) 1847-1935" PDF

Download "Improvement plans for St.Helens (miscellaneous rolled plans) 1848-1981" PDF

Guide to the building application plans

Building application plans 1 to 702 were received by the St.Helens Improvement Commission during the period 1851 to 1869. The Commission was established in 1845 in order to combat some of the social ills of bad housing, drainage, provision of water and many other issues affecting the daily life of local people.

When the Improvement Commission achieved borough status in 1868 the numbering system started at No. 1 again. Therefore there are two sets of plans for numbers 1 to 702. Researchers should check both plan number and date to ensure they have requested the correct plan.

There are gaps within the numbering sequences of these lists which are the result of:

Staff will be able to investigate gaps in these lists caused by clerical error by consulting the ‘Registers of Estate and Building Plans’ (10 volumes), which are stored next to the original plan sequence.

This collection includes thousands of plans. Many of these are extremely fragile and may not be consulted until they have been conserved. If you are handed a very fragile plan by mistake, please consult a member of staff immediately.