Genealogy Chat

Hi, I mentioned I was visiting the National Archives at Kew on Wednesday and said I would let people what it was like and how I got on. It's huge and it's scary! :-) But the people there are very helpful. The first thing you have to do is obtain a reader's card. I had registered online before going, so all I had to do was go to the desk and show some ID. You can then put your coat and belongings in a locker (free) as you are only allowed to take a pencil, notebook and up to 10 loose sheets of paper into the research area. These have to be in a transparent document case, or clear plastic bag. I was looking for my great grandfather's army service record and had managed to find the document references I needed before I went. If you don't do this, there are computer terminals available for you to find them, but be warned, it uses the same website as you access online, so it is very un-user friendly. Once you have your document references, you have to reserve a chair and order the documents to be brought down to the reading room, which can take up to half an hour. Then you collect each document in turn from an area marked with the same number as the chair you have reserved and take it to your chair to look at. When you have finished, you take it to the returns desk and then you can go and pick up the next document. When you have finished your research for the day you have to go to a computer terminal and release your chair. I have already said how difficult I find the website to use, so I found it rather amusing when one of the members of staff was also unable to work out how to do this! So there you go! I found the document I needed, but unfortunately it didn't contain the family information I was looking for. However, I know now why I am such a short arse. When he enlisted at 18, my great grandfather was only 5' 4.5"! I hope this is of help to someone who is planning a visit. Please feel free to ask me any questions. Sharon

Sharon, From one who has yet to venture this far - thank you for your insight :)) I am lucky in that my boyfriends Mum is researching, and also a chap at my work, so I have two people that are willing to let me tag along when they next visit - provided I have compiled something to actually search for of course LOL. Thanks again for an interesting resume of your day.

Hi I've been and enjoyed my visit - but I don't think I should have been able to describe my visit as clearly as you have done! - especially in the format that GR forces on you if you put your info into your thread-header and not a "reply". Thank you for the description - which will act as a useful aide memoire for future visits. best wishes Christine

Sharon I've been to Kew once and am planning a second visit. I found it very bright and modern and well organised and staff very helpful. I also enjoyed the lunch and if I had the funds would have bought the entire bookshop!! I found some info about relatives in WW1, but the main gen I wanted was the witness statements for a trial in which my gt gt uncle was acquitted of murder on the grounds of insanity in 1862. Very annoyingly the box with statements in had everyone's EXCEPT the ones relating to my case. Grr! nell

Well done Sharon, Im sure I would have got so flustered and confused Id left with half the info.