Genealogy Chat

Has anyone any experience of the new British Library newspapers online yet?
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

As you have to pay to see the images -searches are free- is it better to register with Lancashire for the free Library access instead [see seperate thread where this query was originally posted]?

I live in Warwickshire but the Gale newpaper archive our library service provides doesn't have the same coverage as the new British Library site.

I found stuff for one of my ancestors, but didn't proceed after I saw the cost!!

Andy

Have I read it wrongly or is it really £29.99 to look at a page?

The way I read it - and I may be wrong - you can get access for 2 days for £6.95. This buys you 500 credits. 5 credits gets you one page from a paper Published over 107 years ago (B&W), 10 credit for a colour scan, or 15 credits for for a page published within the last 107 years.

So if all the mages you want are over 10 yeras old you should get 100 B&W images. That seems reasonable as long as you want plenty of scans, otherwise not cheap if you only wnat one!

This archive seems to have more coverage than the excellent site from Lancashire libraries. I decided to invest and very quickly I found snippets in the Newcastle press that filled in longstanding gaps in my research.One article mentions a great grandafther Robert Dunn a master mariner, who died at a young age of heart trouble in Cadiz This article referred to his heroic bravery a few years earlier in saving the crew of a stricken ship in the Atlantic.. I was thrilled to read this.
Another article referred to another ancestor who had been innkeeper of the Old BlackBull Inn in Longbenton for nearly 50 years and then INNKEEPER OF THE FAMOUS SCOTCH ARMS INN IN NEWCASTLE for a few years afterwards. I thought he had retired but this information was a revelation because his first grandson was born at this inn according to his birth certificate. You never stop finding out stuff even after years!

Warning!
I took out a two day subscription to try out the archive. When you find an article you have the option to print or download that page. The resulting printed A4 was unreadable. I downloaded a page and the pdf you get is also unreadable. The only way to read the article is to do it on-line by zooming in on the full sceen view. Very time consuming. They don't make a point of telling you this but when I typed in the question on the FAQ page the reply was:

"To print or download a newspaper page image, click the 'Print' or 'Download' button shown at the top of the viewer window. Please note that the image will be draft quality".

This is the only time you get a warning that the image is 'draft' - it isn't even draft quality, it's completely useless.
I've contacted the British Library asking why they bother having a Download and Print facility. I'll see what they have to say.

I see this appears to be another Brightsolid website!

Andy

Got a reply to my query from the British Newspaper Archive Support Team:

"Our site offers the option to view an image online - what the customer does with the image after - saving, moving to a file etc, that is their own choice I am afraid. However, having customer feedback is very important to us and this feedback will be used to assist us with future site development. Please be assured that your email will be individually read by our Management team"

Doesn't really answer my query that they "mis-lead" users by having Download and Print facilities that ae useless!

Has anyone had problems with paying for this site? I entered my card details got thanked for choosing 2 days and don't have any access.

I've several comments recently that the Lancashire libraries are no longer allowing people who do not live in England to register for free access.

I do not know whether that applies also to people who live in other places within the UK.




sylvia