The Ulster Historical Foundation is a long-established, highly reputable research and publishing agency. It offers its extensive knowledge to help on the sources available to discover Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors.
We are an educational non-profit organisation. Our aim is to encourage an interest in the history of the province of Ulster; promote a positive image of Northern Ireland overseas; strengthen the links between Ireland and those of Ulster descent; broaden access to historical documents and records for Irish and Scots-Irish genealogy; and to inspire pride in Irish and Ulster heritage and culture.
Since established in 1956 the Foundation has become one of the leading genealogical research organisations in the British Isles, with a worldwide reputation for the delivery of quality search reports, lecture tours in America and Australia, and the promotion of international conferences here in the north of Ireland.
It has become a major publisher of specialised and scholarly works of Irish interest that commercial considerations might have prevented from reaching the bookshops. More emphasis now is concentrated on building considerable databases for the use of its members.
The Ulster Historical Foundation was founded in 1956, at the direction of Sir Basil Brooke (later Lord Brookeborough), the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. In 1969, it was reorganised as a voluntary trust and named the Ulster-Scot Historical Foundation.
In 1975, it became the Ulster Historical Foundation, affirming its role to serve all denominations and traditions in the province. Between 1956 and 1987, the Foundation was an integral part of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Since 1988, it has been a separate organisation, and in 1991 moved to premises in College Square East in the centre of Belfast. In November 2006, it moved to new premises in Cotton Court, Waring Street, Belfast, moving again to 49 Malone Road in November 2009 and finally moving to the Corn Exchange Building, 31 Gordon Street in 2014.
The Foundation is established for exclusively charitable purposes and is registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC100280. It is presently governed by a trust deed dated 7 October 1998, and a scheme of incorporation dated 10 May 1999, which establishes the Trustees as a body corporate. The Foundation is administered by a Board of Trustees that meets quarterly.
There are sub-committees covering finance and resources, and publications. The Executive Director, appointed by the Trustees, manages the day to day operations of the Foundation with the assistance of a small staff made up of full time and part time employees.
Over these years the Ulster Historical Foundation has developed into one of the principal genealogical research agencies in Ireland and a leading publisher of quality historical, educational and genealogical books. It also operates a membership association called the Ulster Historical and Genealogical Guild, the aim of which is to bring together people from all over the world in their quest to discover Irish and Scots-Irish ancestors.
Ulster Historical Foundation is entirely self-funded. We depend on the support of our customers and members to continue to provide the range of services that we currently offer.
