Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 29 August , 2013 Share Posted 29 August , 2013 Tom, I wasn't suggesting any such thing. I was saying what I think they would do at TNA as opposed to going there yourself. I don't expect them to go through the file and report back to me what is in there. So the tone and swearing in your post wasn't necessary was it? Cam See posts #5, #19 and your continuance #20. Swearing ? - You can support that accusation ??? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 I have had time to reconsider my original post. I have since also looked at getting information from another archive and their charges amount to £15 an hour or part thereof, to locate specific pieces of information and then there are copying either digitally or paper and mailing charges on top of that. If you go there yourself, it is £15 per day or part thereof for access to material. The TNA is free to access on a personal visit. They do not charge to issue the reader cards and process those. They provide computers, cameras etc. again free of charge. I think unless you go to TNA yourself you do not have a clear picture and appreciation of what the staff do and how helpful they are. They will bend over backwards to help. They must, as well as dealing with the public face-to-face in a steady stream, have to deal with probably even more on-line requests for estimates and copying files. On my last trip I heard murmurs of government cutbacks biting there too. They have to run the place as a business to some extent and if it becomes a heavier burden on the tax payer, the government axes may be swift to fall. I think there is also much to be learned by a personal visit to archives. I have now made numerous trips to the TNA to build up my research resources. I have also travelled to the Highlands and Aberdeen Archives to seek information. All of these trips need to be planned and financed carefully. Not all of my trips have yielded any useful information but I get some satisfaction from knowing I went in person, met some wonderful and knowledgeable people and mostly that I was able to locate information (or not in some instances) independently. I have had some brilliant leads and snippets of information from folks on the forum and some I have still to follow up which will, I know, lead to more trips to other archives. Perhaps I am not so shocked after all at TNA charges for long distance requests. As the alternative would presumably be to charge the public visitors access on a daily basis and charge for other facilities there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 I have had time to reconsider my original post. I have since also looked at getting information from another archive and their charges amount to £15 an hour or part thereof, to locate specific pieces of information and then there are copying either digitally or paper and mailing charges on top of that. Seaforths - at £15 per hour you should be ordering everything you can think of, because £15 ph to cover the costs of a archivist (or similar) + the overhead costs for the archive is almost literally "giving it away". If places like TNA were quoting you £15 ph for their lowest paid employee to stand and look at your car in the car park for an hour then HMG's accountants would be down on them like a ton of bricks - and rightly so. Nb - if the archive you refer to are literally charging you £15 ph "to locate specific pieces of information" then they really are a charitable institution ! They should be charging you to search for the information and charging you whether it exists or not. Its the search time which generates the costs, not what is found (or not). As for your other points, I agree entirely. I do remember many many years ago (way back in the last century) making a costly and time-consuming trip from Surrey to the Highlands to visit three "archives", - HQ QOCH at Cameron Barracks in Inverness (who then held material much of which is now at Fort George), the works of the printing company who were the successors to the company which had printed the newspaper local to my grandfather's home during WW1 (and held their archives), and the small "back-office" archive at the Highland Folk Museum in Kingussie. That trip was worth every penny to the power of a hundred, not only because of the wealth of material which I gathered but also because of the most knowledgeable and helpful people I met at all of the places I visited. That experience has been repeated many times since then. I do realise that personal visits are out of the question for many, and I do sympathise, but I'm also following the current topic "Lazy Researchers" in Skindles and I have to say that I agree with much of what the OP there has to say. Tom > No reply to #27 then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 In other news a random file with the name "Frederick William Higginbotham Caughey" on it seems to have fallen under my camera lens whilst I was clicking away - do you know anyone who might be interested in copies, Anneca? (this one was also in limbo but we managed to send a man out into the mists with a rope to retrieve it!) (59 pages incidentally) Steve. Wow Steve!!!! I feel I've died and gone to heaven! How very kind of you and 59 pages. I never fail to be amazed at the generosity of members, especially since I didn't ask anyone to go to the trouble of doing this for me. I have sent you a PM Thank you and kind regards, Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 The week before last I decided to visit the village (Tugnet) of my great, great grandfather a place where most of my mother's relatives were born. I often visit but this time I had a photograph of GG GF's cottage taken in 1924 when he was 82 years old. The brickwork is quite distinctive and it could only be one of two cottages. As I was going around the property taking happy snaps (from a distance) the current owner came out and looked at me quizzically. I decided to explain who I was and that my great, great grandfather had lived there until his death in 1930. It transpires the new (only 3 months in the place) bought it because his grandfather had lived in it since 1930 and when it came on the market, he made his move up from England. He invited me back for coffee. We sat down and wrote out our ancestors. It turns out he knew mine and I his and furthermore, we are related by marriage! The archivists and staff at Fort George are brilliant. They wanted to keep my puppy on as a mascot but as he was particularly well behaved that day so I declined. The great thing about personal visits to archives is that even if you don't find what you want or expect, you invariably find out something you didn't know before (in my experience anyway) and you leave much richer for the experience. I wouldn't pay the fee if there was any way on God's earth I could get there myself. The digging around is more than half the fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron2165 Posted 30 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 30 August , 2013 Tom, I assumed that ****** was you swearing. If it wasn't, I'm big enough to apologise to you. My original post was to say that the quote I received from TNA seemed expensive to me. On seeing other forum members comments maybe £117 isn't so expensive. I certainly don't expect something for nothing but at the moment £117 is to much to pay. I have gone to the Glamorgan Archives during my research and I subscribe to Ancestry and paid for several guardsmen service records at £30 a time. I have also paid for a number of war diaries from TNA. A trip to London is not something I can do easily. I have asked for help over the years, but equally I have helped other forum members. I'm not to sure if you were suggesting that I'm a lazy researcher. I don't think I am, but if that's what you think so be it. Regards Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 It is not easy at all to get to these places for many people. I know that from my own experience and any trips I make have to be planned with military precision well before. Once or twice I have almost had to cancel a trip and take the financial hit on having payed for trains and accommodation. Luckily that didn't happen. My next trip to TNA will probably be my last for a long, long time. If I lived much closer to TNA much of my information gathering might have been done in a few weeks rather than over three years. Perhaps the digitisation of the diaries and such will generate a good income for TNA through on-line purchases and in time, they will continue with other digitisation projects. It will certainly be a huge help to those overseas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 Cam, There was a NA research site mentioned on one of the Topics a week or so back. I think I put it in my links at home, and as far as a can remember it was a reasonable fee per page. EDIT: Here is the topic: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=198379 (See post #2) 9p per page by the look of it with a minimum of £4.50 (e.g. Anneca's 59 pages would have come to £5.31) I have nothing to do with this service and haven't used it myself, so Caveat Emptor ! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron2165 Posted 30 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 30 August , 2013 Hi Steve, Thanks for the link. I'll be giving that a try. All the best Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4jonboy Posted 30 August , 2013 Share Posted 30 August , 2013 Hi Steve, Thanks for the link. I'll be giving that a try. All the best Cam Arcre site is run by Lee and he has copied many war diaries for people on the ww2talk forum and has many satisfied customers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron2165 Posted 30 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 30 August , 2013 Arcre site is run by Lee and he has copied many war diaries for people on the ww2talk forum and has many satisfied customers Thanks, I've sent a message to Lee for a quote. This is possibly who Graeme mentioned in post 3. All the best Cam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 2 September , 2013 Share Posted 2 September , 2013 In other news a random file with the name "Frederick William Higginbotham Caughey" on it seems to have fallen under my camera lens whilst I was clicking away - do you know anyone who might be interested in copies, Anneca? (this one was also in limbo but we managed to send a man out into the mists with a rope to retrieve it!) (59 pages incidentally) Steve. Steve, I've sent you a PM. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron2165 Posted 2 September , 2013 Author Share Posted 2 September , 2013 Hello All, I've just received a quote from ARCRE for copying the service record. It will cost about £9.00. A slight difference in price! So I will be ordering them, and all things going well will use ARCRE in the future. All the best Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4jonboy Posted 2 September , 2013 Share Posted 2 September , 2013 Hi Cam Yes just a slight difference in price Lesley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 2 September , 2013 Share Posted 2 September , 2013 Nearly 100 pages then. Hope there is some good stuff in there! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron2165 Posted 2 September , 2013 Author Share Posted 2 September , 2013 Hi Cam Yes just a slight difference in price Lesley Yes just a bit Nearly 100 pages then. Hope there is some good stuff in there! Steve. Should be a good read Steve. Thanks again for trying to get a copy for me. Cam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 3 September , 2013 Share Posted 3 September , 2013 Great news Cam, hope you enjoy! Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameron2165 Posted 3 September , 2013 Author Share Posted 3 September , 2013 Cheers Anne. Should keep me busy for a while. All the best Cam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 5 September , 2013 Share Posted 5 September , 2013 I hope your quote is a reasonable one Anne My quote came in today for £57 - not as much as the £117 they quoted you - however Sir Steve has certainly saved me some money! Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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