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Software Vault: The Diamond Collection
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**********************************
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
GENERAL INFORMATION Leaflet No: 31
**********************************
[Note: this and all other PRO General Information leaflets are (c)
Crown Copyright, but may be freely reproduced except for sale or
advertising purposes. Copies should always include this Copyright
notice -- please respect this.] (c) Crown Copyright, January 1993
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31. INFORMATION FOR READERS
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INTRODUCTION
The Public Record Office houses the national archives of England and the
United Kingdom, that is, records created by the actions of central
government and of the courts of law of England and Wales. The documents
number many millions, ranging in date from the Norman Conquest to the
present day. Public records, with few exceptions, are available for
inspection by members of the public thirty years after the end of the year
in which they were created.
Records in the custody of the Office are divided between two buildings,
Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1LR and Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey
TW9 4DU. Both buildings share the same telephone number, +44(0)
181-876-3444.
DIVISION OF THE RECORDS BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS
Chancery Lane houses legal records, records of some government departments
with quasi-legal functions, records of medieval and early modern
government and of some ducal and palatine administrations, non-parochial
registers, probate records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and
microfilm copies of the census returns for England and Wales 1841, 1851,
1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891.
Kew houses the records of modern government departments and public bodies
dating mainly from the late eighteenth century, but including records of
the Treasury, Admiralty, War Office and Colonial Office from earlier
centuries.
The division of the records between Chancery Lane and Kew has been made as
logical as possible. An information leaflet giving details of the division
of the records is available, but readers who are in any doubt as to which
building to visit should telephone in advance to seek advice.
Records may normally only be seen at the building in which they are
housed. In addition, certain Tithe Redemption Office records are available
for inspection only at the Office's repository at Bourne Avenue, Hayes,
Middlesex, where it is necessary to make an appointment in advance by
telephone on +44(0) 181-573-3831.
READERS' TICKETS
Only persons holding valid Readers' Tickets may order documents at the
Public Record Office. Tickets are issued, free of charge, when readers
first visit the Office, provided each applicant brings some documentary
proof of identity. For citizens of the United Kingdom or the Republic of
Ireland, any formal document bearing the applicant's name and signature,
such as a driving licence or credit card, is acceptable. For nationals of
other countries, a passport or national identity card is required. Persons
under the age of 16 are not normally issued with Readers' Tickets except
on the written recommendation of the head teacher of their school, but are
admitted to the reading rooms at the discretion of the officer in charge
provided they are accompanied by an adult holding a Reader's Ticket.
A Reader's Ticket issued in one building is valid in the other. For
security reasons, Readers' Tickets are not sent through the post. Details
of rules for readers, designed to ensure the safe-keeping of the records,
are available on request.
{the original has two sketch maps here}
How to get to Chancery Lane
The building is situated near the south (Fleet Street) end of Chancery
Lane. The nearest underground stations are Chancery Lane, Holborn and
Temple. Several bus services pass the Fleet Street or High Holborn ends of
Chancery Lane. No car parking space is available.
How to get to Kew
The building is situated at the end of Ruskin Avenue, less than 10
minutes' walk from Kew Gardens station, which is served by the Richmond
branch of the District Line (London Transport) and by the North London
Line (British Rail). Kew Bridge station (British Rail) is about 15
minutes' walk away. There are several bus services to Kew.
At Kew there are special facilities for the disabled. Facilities in the
older building at Chancery Lane are more limited and disabled persons are
advised to telephone in advance of their visit.
HOURS OF OPENING
Both buildings are open from 9.30am to 5.00pm on Mondays to Fridays and no
appointment is necessary. The Census Rooms at Chancery Lane are also open
on Saturdays with the exception of those falling on bank holiday weekends
or during our annual stocktaking closure. The Office is closed on public
holidays and for annual stocktaking, which normally takes place during the
first full two weeks of October. Details of dates of closures are
available on request.
The Map Room at Kew will be closed from 19 April 1993 for essential works
to the air-conditioning system. Re-opening is scheduled for 14 June, but
readers wishing to consult maps should telephone in advance of a visit for
confirmation.
Requisitions for original documents are not accepted after 3.30pm for
production the same day. For documents on microfilm a self-service system
operates until 4.15pm at Kew and 4.30pm at Chancery Lane. The microfilm
reading room at Kew is closed for the two days of the annual press preview
- usually the last two working days in December.
THE MUSEUM
Chancery Lane houses the Public Record Office Museum where a small display
of documents from all periods may be seen.
The Museum is open to all, free of charge, from 10.00am to 5.00pm on
Mondays to Fridays. It has the same closure dates as the rest of the
Office.
PHOTOCOPYING SERVICE
The photo-copying of documents may be undertaken only by Public Record
Office staff. Separate leaflets giving the scale of charges for each kind
of copying process and the procedures for ordering copies are available.
Advice and estimates can be given by, and orders for copies placed with,
the Reprographic-Ordering Office in each building.
OTHER FACILlTIES
There is a coin-operated drinks dispenser in the public waiting room at
Chancery Lane and there are a number of restaurants, sandwich bars and
public houses in the vicinity.
At Kew there is a licensed self-service restaurant. Readers may bring
their own food and drink for consumption in the public waiting room at
Chancery Lane and the public restaurant at Kew. Smoking is forbidden in
all parts of the buildings at Chancery Lane and Kew.
A shop selling PRO and other publications, postcards, posters, slides,
seal replicas, stationery and souvenirs is situated near the Museum at
Chancery Lane. A limited selection of items is available from Reception at
Kew.
OFFICIAL RECORDS NOT IN THE PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Other institutions hold official records and provide facilities for their
inspection. These include:
1. the Scottish Record Office, HM General Register House, Edinburgh
EH1 3YY, which holds public and other records relating to Scotland.
2. the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, 66 Balmoral Avenue,
Belfast BT9 6NY, which holds public and other records relating to
Northern Ireland.
3. the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3BU, which holds some
public records and other collections relating to Wales. (Records of
the Welsh Office are held at the Public Record Office, Kew).
4. the India Office Library and Records (British Library),
197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NG, which holds records of the East
India Company and the India Office.
5. the Record Office, House of Lords, London SWlA 0PW, which holds the
records of both Houses of Parliament.
6. the Principal Registry of the Family Division, Somerset House, London
WC2R ILP, which holds registrations of wills from 1858.
7. the General Register Office (Office of Population, Censuses and
Surveys), St Catherine's House, Kingsway, London WC2R 63P, which
holds the civil registrations of births, marriages and deaths from
1837.
8. county and city record offices of England and Wales, which hold
certain classes of public records of local interest, the records of
the local authority, parish registers and private collections relating
to the locality.
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Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1LR.
Public Record Office, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU.
Tel: +44 (0) 181 876-3444
Opening hours: 9.30am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. Closed on public
holidays and for annual Stocktaking (normally the first two full weeks
in October).
Admission is by reader's ticket which will be issued on production of
proof of identity, such as a (UK) driving licence or passport.
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