Research venues

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Visiting a Records Office or Archive

Each County Record Office (CRO) website is listed on the relevant county page in the Reference Library on the UK County Index.

Please refer to this for specific directions and opening times.

Visiting a Records Office or Research Venue

Most research venues require you to have a CARN card (or reader ticket).

CARN is an abbreviation for County Archive Research Network.

To obtain a ticket, bring a proof of your identity including name, current address and signature (e.g. driving licence or household utility bill and cheque guarantee card) so staff can issue you with your free reader’s ticket.

Remember that UK passports alone are not sufficient as they do not provide proof of address. All ticket holders are required to keep to the searchroom rules at all times. These rules are to make your stay enjoyable and to ensure that the historic material in the Record Office survives for future generations. The record office reserves the right to suspend or refuse to issue a reader’s ticket. A full list of searchroom rules is displayed in each record office in reception, and in the searchroom.

Once you have a CARN card (or reader ticket as they are sometimes called) they are valid at most research venues. Different venues have different systems - some collect your card and return it to you when you leave the centre, others require you to keep it about your person whilst in the centre. Bear in mind that all people using the Research Centre must have a card. Some venues will allow people to sit in reception and wait for you, but not all.

Take notes with you

Take notes with you on paper rather than in a book or pad. Some venues strictly enforce the loose sheets only rule and will not allow folders or even spiral bound pads.

It is a good idea to make some brief notes as to what you wish to research in Biro as a heading for a few sheets. Once inside the Record Office, many will only allow the use of pencils so doing this will keep the information that you started with obvious to you.

Take some spare sheets but don't go over the top - many venues will search your belongings on the way in and the way out, so don't embarrass yourself by trying to take in things that are not allowed.

If you wish to use a camera you should ask. Some places allow the use of photography, others do not. Some venues allow photographs of some documents but not others. Most do not allow the use of a flash, so evaluate the use of the camera without flash before you take it.

Mobile phones may need to be switched off, or perhaps silenced. If you should need to use your phone whilst in the Records Office, please respect the needs of others and do so in the café or reception area, not in the search rooms.

Be comfortable

Some CROs have air conditioning, essential for preservation of documents, so wear layers and comfortable shoes and clothing that is easy to reach, stretch and sit in.

Wash your hands before you enter the search rooms if you can, and again if hands get sweaty - sweaty hands make for dirty documents! Pay a visit to the toilet before you enter the search room, since you may be halfway through looking at a vital fiche that the staff will require you to put away before leaving the room - very irritating!

Look around at the other people that are searching as well. Some will appear to know exactly what they are doing, and more than happy to help you wind a spool onto a fiche reeler. Some people will look as though they own the chair/the book/the entire Records Office (woe betide you...!) But remember - they were all first timers once upon a time too.

National Archives

National Archives search your bags. Guildhall & First Avenue House (wills) scan your bags. Lockers at First Avenue House are big enough to take a suitcase, I don't think any of the others are.

The entrance is on the right of the wedge-shaped building.; go up the steps or the ramp to the front door. There is an attendant who will want to check your bag. Best to go down to the basement to start with; here are toilets, refreshment area and cloakroom to leave coat (it gets warm upstairs). You will need a pound coin for a locker. Going back upstairs, walk through past the shop into big room dealing with BMD certificates.

There is an information desk, also the counter where eventually you will fill out coloured request forms and pay for your orders.

The first floor contains three areas of registers; births, marriages and deaths.

The floor above deals with census data; and there are interesting books.

The rooms, particularly the Map Room is huge, stuffy and with a very low ceiling, which personally makes me feel a bit queasy. You have to be very quiet in there and there's a couple of security guys who parade around the room - think school exams.

The register indexes are actually huge books, and heavy! Take down one book at a time and see what you can find. All the books are alphabetical by surname, Just a matter of working round all the other people, and getting through the years you want.

FRC has a sandwich carousel, drinks machines etc but they can run out. TNA has a big cafe/restaurant, but there is also a water cooler & you can take your own sarnies. National Archives. Do not eat or drink anywhere else in the building. The cafe is good and I like the fact that you can use the computer there to see if your documents are ready.

The security folk can be a bit intimidating, and they need to be vigilant may wander where you are working and check your belongings as you move around the building - don't feel intimidated. There's one particular man on the "going up the stairs" security check who is a mite scary! Woe betide you if you have loose papers in your possession! The research staff are all very helpful.

The bookshop is well stocked too.

Also, quick word of advice, look up what you want on A2A and order it online before you go - it's incredibly difficult to find stuff on the NA computers.

There is an information desk, also the counter where eventually you will fill out coloured request forms and pay for your orders. Leave enough time for the payment counter; quite a queue builds up from about 2 o'clock.

Staff have always been very helpful - i.e. printing off census from film.

London Metropolitan Archives

London Metropolitan Archives address is:

40 Northampton Road,

Clerkenwell,

London,

EC1R 0HB

LMA website: LMA Website

For people with disabilties visiting the LMA Disabled Access Services

By Tube: Circle / Metropolitan / Hammersmith & City Line to Farringdon Northern Line to Angel Rail King's Cross / St Pancras (about 1km / 0.7 miles walk) Farringdon Station (about 700 metres / 0.5 miles walk)

Bus Routes 19, 38 and 341 to Rosebery Avenue (alight at Tysoe Street or Mount Pleasant) Routes 63 and 259 to Farringdon Road (alight at Bowling Green Lane) Routes 55, 505 and 243 to Clerkenwell Road (alight at Clerkenwell Green)

Walking LMA is situated within easy walking distance of many other archives and historical institutions

LMA lies within London’s congestion Charge Zone. There are no parking spaces at LMA except for blue / orange badge holders. On street parking is metered.

A veritable treasure house. Impressive library of books on all aspects and areas of London and helpful finding aids for all parish records, electoral rolls etc arranged by London Borough. Staff helpful and lots of microfilm readers. Free water plus snacks machines in locker room. Major drawback is that it is only open alternate Saturdays though it does have late night opening during week.

Seems to be a long walk from any public transport.

Few printers - and they're coin-operated and don't give change. It's worth having small change with you: 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p unless you reckon you'll be doing so much it's worth buying a card.

The General Records Office, Southport

The GRO is not a venue that you can visit and conduct your own search.they do, however have occasional open days when visitors may be shown around the venue.

Quite often The GRO will have a stand at a local history fair, and advertise such events at this show. Its well worth a look if you are lucky enough to be in the area.

The tour is not so much as to help with family history research but more of an insight as the the way the venue is run and how orders for certificates are processed. There may , on these open days, be a chance to attend seminars and learn more about researching family history.

British Library Reading Room, London

Address The British Library,

St Pancras,

96 Euston Road,

London,

NW1 2DB

Trains: St Pancras, King's Cross, King's Cross Thameslink and Euston Underground: King's Cross/St Pancras, Euston and Euston Square

Buses 10, 30, 73 and 91 Parking: No car parking for the public onsite.

Car parks in Marchmont Street under the Brunswick Shopping Centre and NCP in Judd Street.

Metered parking is available on Ossulston Street (6 spaces).

Visitors with disabilities are advised to look at the website for specific advice as to accessiblilty

Covered area for bicycles. There are limited spaces available for coaches, and arrangements can be made in advance by contacting Visitor Services:

Tel: +44 (0)20 7412 7332

Opening times vary according to the day and are best confirmed on the website.

Registration necessary to use the facilities, but this is quick and easy. Go up the escalators and follow the signs for registration.

You fill in a form on computer, are given a queue number and wait to be called by a member of staff who will ask to see a photo ID of some sort -- passport driving licence etc, and proof of address -- bank statement, utility bill etc. there is a full list of possibilities on their web site.

They then take your photo and issue you with a readers card.

You then go down to the cloakroom where there are lockers of various sizes -- up to ones that take a suitcase! All need a one pound coin in the slot. Large see-through plastic bags are provided on a table near the entrance. Each reader is entitled to one for a laptop ( all sound must be switched off) and one for files, notebooks etc. Only pencil allowed, no sharp objects permitted, all restrictions spelled out for you on the plastic bags.

The Reading Room is on the third floor, accessible by the lifts right next to the cloakroom. Show your pass on entry. Lots of stuff on public access, indexes mainly in the form of bound volumes, available to help you know where to look on the shelf. Lots of muster rolls, BMDs etc on micro film, machines plentiful and in reasonable working order.

Items not on the shelves have to be ordered. You fill in a request form on the computer, enter your card no and create a password, then find what you want from the catalogue. This is a bit complicated but the staff are pleased to help out. Requested items take 70 minutes to arrive, so work yourself a schedule out accordingly.

Photo copies available. Check at the copy desk, staff will show you what to do or may insist on doing this for you. Copies can also be ordered for later collection or posting at a price of £1 per large sheet plus postage if applicable. They take credit cards.

Excellent loo on the same floor, quite luxurious!

Cafe available downstairs with hot and cold meals, sandwiches, soft drinks teas and coffees. Maybe wee bit pricey . Plenty of seats outside in the courtyard if the weather is fine, so take a packed meal and eat it in the fresh air.

Be prepared to have your plastic bag carefully searched when you come out. Staff are polite and courteous when doing so, and when you consider what treasures they hold, you can't blame them. Working conditions comfortable.

PRONI

Address: 66 Balmoral Avenue

Belfast BT9 6NY

Northern Ireland

Phone: +44 (028) 9025 5905 (Public Search Room)

Fax: +44 (028) 9025 5999

Email: proni@dcalni.gov.uk

Opening Hours Monday 09:00 am to 4:45 pm Tuesday 09:00 am to 4:45 pm Wednesday 09:00 am to 4:45 pm Thursday 10:00 am to 8:45 pm Friday 09:00 am to 4:45 pm

Occasionally, group visits are facilitated outside normal working hours. Contact Reader Services for details on group visits.

How to get there. By Bus: Use Metro 8 or 9 route; buses leave from Donegal Square East in Belfast City Centre. After alighting at Balmoral Avenue, it's only a short walk to the Public Record Office. By Rail: The Balmoral Railway Station on the Lisburn Road is about 400 to 500 metres away.

For further information on travel in Northern Ireland, whether by CityBus, UlsterBus or by NI Railways, see TransLink NI

By Car: PRONI is three miles south-west of Belfast City Centre by either the Lisburn or the Malone Road. Turn into Balmoral Avenue. If approaching by the M1 Motorway, leave the motorway at Exit 2, A55, direction Balmoral, King's Hall. There are very few car-parking spaces available in PRONI and these are allocated on a 'first come first served' basis although those with diabilities that make walking difficult will usually be accommodated, particularly if we are advised in advance of the visit. Cars may be parked locally, although visitors are reminded that cars cannot park in Balmoral Avenue before 9.30 am and after 4.30 pm.

Restaurant facilities: The PRONI Staff Restaurant is open to visiting members of the public between 10.00 am - 3.40 pm. A range of beverages, snacks and confectionery is served throughout the day with a full lunchtime menu service available from 12 noon to 1.40 pm

GROS

Office Locations

The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) has three offices, two are located in Edinburgh and one in Dumfries:

New Register House

3 West Register Street

Edinburgh

Scotland

EH1 3YT

New Register House for registration matters and family history research is at the east end of Edinburgh's Princes Street, directly opposite the Balmoral Hotel, a few minutes walk from the main Waverley railway station, the bus station and the airport bus stop. There is no space for car parking or for baggage storage. If informed in advance we can make arrangements for customers with disabilities.

Ladywell House

Ladywell Road

Edinburgh

Scotland

EH12 7TF

Ladywell House for census, population, household and vital statistics data is located in Corstorphine on the west side of Edinburgh. Head west on the A8 from the city centre and turn left at the Drumbrae roundabout. At the second set of traffic-lights turn left into Ladywell Road. Ladywell House is on the left about 75 meters further on. The Edinburgh buildings are normally open to customers between 09:00 and 16:30 hours, Monday to Friday.

Monreith House

The Crichton

Bankend Road

Dumfries

Scotland

DG1 4ZE

Open by appointment

LDS Family History Libraries

• A Guide to the Latter Day Saints Family History Libraries

Bank of England Archive & Museum

• Bank of England Archive

If you find any relatives that worked at the Bank of England, a visit to their archive is highly recommended, and the archivists are so very helpful.

I started off with a father and two sons there, and after my visit, I came away with the father's father, another two sons, 2 son in-laws, and a father-in-law.

You first look at the salary ledgers to give you an 'election' date into the bank, that date allows you to go to what amounts to the Governors 'appraisal books' which give date of birth, family relationships, religion, schooling, past employment, political or club memberships, attributes and weaknesses. They are carried out annually and note promotions and demotions, and the general performance of the employee. Then back to the salary books for date of 'quitting' retirement and death together with the pension value and any purchased investments, and sometimes the will itself.

I became overwhelmed by it all, and have had to make another appointment for a return visit. It is by appointment only, cameras allowed - they will only photocopy 2 or 3 pages. It's a remarkable place.

National Newspaper Archives

• British Library ~ Newspapers

Check their website to see if they advise about parking. I've not seen any available spaces. Colindale is within sight of the underground station, so it may be worth finding parking near a station further out. You can eat sandwiches on the premises, but the area isn't overflowing with pleasant little cafés.

The catalogue is online, so you can browse this to decide what is likely to be of use. Bear in mind that the best period for obituaries is probably from the turn of the last century to about 1960. Men are more likely to get obituaries than women, and if you are really lucky you can get a funeral notice as well, with list of mourners, who sent wreaths etc.

Have a look at their online database to see what papers they have and which ones you may want to look at. You can order up to four items online prior to your visit which will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive meaning you can get straight into your research the moment you are there.

Newspapers eat up time but, assuming you already know the date and place of death, your search may not take you very long. If you look at two or three different papers for different areas and periods, you do get a strong feeling of what was important to the readers and a real flavour of the times, even if you don't find anything promoting your research