Southbourne
Explore the history and community of Southbourne.
Images
Images of Southbourne can be found on our West Sussex Past Pictures website.
Go to 'Advanced Search: Catalogue' and search for 'Southbourne' in 'Any Text'.
Further images of Southbourne are also available on the West Sussex Record Office Online Photo Database.
Newspapers
The current edition of the Chichester Observer is available to view at Southbourne Library and kept for one month. A browsable collection of newspaper cuttings on local topics is kept at Southbourne Library.
Back issues of the Chichester Observer 1961-2016 (incomplete) are available on microfilm at Chichester Library.
Search the library catalogue for more details.
Back issues of the Chichester Observer 2017 and 1914-1925 and 1939-1945 are available to view on the public computers in all West Sussex Libraries, as searchable digital copies.
Further coverage of Southbourne can be found on the Village Magazine, Chichester Observer and Chichester Post websites.
The West Sussex Gazette is available to library members from home via Press Reader.
The Times Digital Archive includes some coverage of events in Southbourne and West Sussex from 1785-2014 and is available to all library members from home. The British Newspaper Archive has digitised copies of the Chichester Observer 1887-1949 (incomplete). You can access the BNA for free through the public computers in any West Sussex Library.
For any enquiries about newspapers, please use our Ask a Librarian form.
Maps
A current map of Southbourne can be found on the Ordnance Survey website.
Historic maps of Southbourne are also available on the National Library of Scotland Maps Database.
Directories
Some Kellys Sussex Directories can be found on Ancestry - available free in all West Sussex Libraries. Some directories are available as digitised copies on the public computers in all libraries - see our Digitised Directories Helpsheet. You can search the library catalogue to see which directories are available on microfiche. For any queries, please use our Ask a Librarian form.
House History
If you are researching the history of your house, the National Archives House Research Guide is a good place to start.
West Sussex Record Office also have many sources to help with your investigations.
Online Resources
Southbourne Neighbourhood Plan
St John the Baptist Church, Westbourne
Woodmancote Mission Chapel, Westbourne
Francis Frith’s collection of old photographs:
Westbourne Village History - one man's personal account of living in Westbourne
Family Search genealogical resources and links:
Free database including billions of indexed records from around the world including UK parish registers and census. You will need to sign up for a free account. Records include:
Genuki genealogical resources and links
Free virtual reference library of genealogical information for the UK and Ireland.
History of Westbourne and area
Places of Interest
Largest discovered Roman house in Britain.
Local Walks
Local Information
Local Organisations
Southbourne Community Association
Westbourne Village Local History Group
West Sussex County Council Local Clubs and Societies Database
More Help and Information
For further information and help with any of these resources, please fill in an Ask a Librarian form and the Enquiries Team will be happy to help.