Obituaries and Death Notices

Obituaries – accounts of the life and achievements of deceased persons – usually appear in newspapers but they may also be found in journals or as separately published commemorative items.

 

Death notices – announcements placed in the newspapers by members of the family – may give information including the date and place of death, age, names of close relatives and details of the funeral. Notices can be found in early newspapers from the 18th century but it was probably not until the 1930s that it became common practice.

 

18th century - date

 

Sheffield Local Studies Library, Central Library.

 

Most obituaries and death notices appear in local newspapers.  The majority of newspapers are available on microfilm.

 

As most newspapers and cuttings are only available on microform we strongly advise that you book a film/fiche reader in advance of your visit please telephone on 0114 273 4753 or email us at localstudies.library@sheffield.gov.uk

 

Yes, we can normally supply copies for private study purposes, subject to the usual copyright regulations. Please contact us at localstudies.library@sheffield.gov.uk for further information.

 

An index of almost 8000 obituaries that are likely to be found in the local newspapers was compiled by Peter Harvey in 1984.  It covers the period 1850 - 1975. The index (available for reference at Local Studies and at Sheffield Archives (ref. BIOG/17)) gives the date of death. Inclusion of a person’s name does not guarantee that an obituary was published but it is likely because of the sources used. In most cases the obituary appears within a day or two of the death but sometimes it may take longer, for example when a person with Sheffield connections died elsewhere.

 

The Local Studies card index to local newspapers, c. 1930 - 1959, and the press cuttings files from 1960 to the present day also include obituaries.

 

References to obituaries may also be found in the Local Studies card and online catalogues. These include specially compiled collections, notices in journals or volumes of press cuttings, eulogies and published appreciations.

 

There are no indexes to the death notices that appear in Sheffield newspapers