Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

UK National Archives to re-open from 8 December


keithmroberts

Recommended Posts

Details in this announcement. Special arrangements are being made for the readers who had booking cacelled by the introduction of the current lockdown. The numbers admitted each day will be an increase from the pre-lockdown figure, but will still be considerably fewer than in pre-Covid days.

 

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was distracted and didn't visit the site until it had been open for about 40 minutes, and was able to book a slot with a camera stand for the 11th, and there were still some spaces.

That should suffice me for a few weeks at least.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've not been successful in engaging researchers. Regulars have not been available. If anyone can spare some time to copy records, please drop me a line. (Mods, please delete if this is not an appropriate post.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me too.  I have a couple of sets of officers service papers I would like copying if anyone can spare the time.  The WO numbers are WO374/32724 and 374/32725 and are for the Henfrey brothers.

 

Thanks

 

Tanks3

Edited by tanks3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry  I won't be able to help on this trip. I have ordered my full quota of documents, and because I aim to photograph, after a couple of officers files, several war diaries (Salonika and therefore not digitised), I'm far from convinced that I will complete my list. I'm going to sort them in priority order, and if I run out of time, I'll have to decide whether to book another visit. If that is required I might be able to help on a future visit.

Keith

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

b3rn, tanks3,

 

I'm afraid it's rather tricky to help with your requests.  Documents must be ordered when you book your seat.  It's currently not possible to simply "add a few more" to the list after the fact, nor can you order documents on the day.  Also, given the limited number of documents that can be ordered, you'll probably find most people don't have any excess capacity to order documents on behalf of other people.

 

Sorry for being a Nattering Nabob of Negativism...but it's the reality of document access at the UKNA at present.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Buffnut453 said:

Documents must be ordered when you book your seat.

The system has changed in that regard. Now if you are allocated a seat, you get an email with document ordering procedures and must order within 48 hours, or your reservation will be cancelled.

However, I agree, that most will probably have a list of 12 searches, (up from 9), possibly with reserves, and won't have much capacity to help others.

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I realise that is the case chaps.  My problem is I live in Lincolnshire so (a) at the moment not permitted to travel and (b) becuase this is all I need, it is not worth doing so.  One can live in hope!

 

Tanks3

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone who is a professional researcher must find themselves in a similar situation to those in the hospitality trade.

You need to have x amount of covers, just to cover your costs and break even. As a researcher, you have half the document access time that you had before, but are your customers going to be willing to pay double what they paid prior to lockdown?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Totally understand. Would not want to impose on a GWF member's time. Unlike Tanks3, my list is long. 

 

Keith, given the restrictions on travel which are likely to last some time, my answer is yes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I received an e-mail at 1030 today to tell me my session has been cancelled. No explanation from the faceless bureaucracy. I am rather miffed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The established process, as per the e-mail generated on 1 December, states that you are supposed to order your documents within 48 hours of securing a Willy Wonka ticket, else your order gets cancelled. I completed the order form ten minutes after getting a place, but the order did not get received. I have the copy-paste of the data from the form on the TNA website, which I stored in an Excel file. If they do not have your order details within those 48 hours, they cancel the slot. 

They say that they did not get my order, so instead of issuing a cancellation 48 hours after the slot, they cancelled after 8 days and 22 hours had passed. For anyone who has taken time off work for a trip to Kew, this is not good.

If you did not get an order confirmation e-mail under the new process, then apparently your order was not received. I got the impression that at least one other person had a "WTF" moment when they got one of these kafkaesque e-mails at 10:30. When a new process comes into place, there will be teething troubles, granted, but it sticks in your craw when you plan for a day, and it goes pear-shaped.

The one learning outcome is to ensure that an e-mail is received which confirms the order has been accepted, otherwise one's plans for a day of research will come to naught.


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BBC website at 3pm this afternoon:

 

London to move into tier 3 as infections rise

 

     Well, look on the bright side- the e-mail cancelling  visit slots will probably also wish you a machine-generated Happy Christmas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TNA have pinged a courtesy e-mail to state they are seeking clarification as to what services TNA are able to offer when this takes effect, but I would imagine it will be wholly online services until such time as Tier 3 gets downgraded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/12/2020 at 11:28, Keith_history_buff said:

I received an e-mail at 1030 today to tell me my session has been cancelled. No explanation from the faceless bureaucracy. I am rather miffed.

 

     Looks like the situation about ordering within 48 hours has been rectified-  Although I have already ordered within 48 hours, I have just received this e-mail from Eventbrite-which suggests your concerns have been addressed and sorted out. Good luck next time!!

 

image.png.3aa534e4efcc7461e04b1593c12fda76.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tempting providence on this one...............................   Having cancelled my slot at Kew for today due to the current lockdown regulations, then this little gem from Eventbrite  does suggest it would be in trouble in the dark when trying to find its a****..........

image.png.ac125dafe07564ac0e8078d66b068ede.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I missed this update from a few weeks back. Not much has changed, mind. Museums look like they could open from 17 May 2021 onwards

Quote

Reading room services suspended until further notice

Tuesday 23 February 2021
 
 

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of plans to ease lockdown across England, we are seeking clarification on what this means for archives and our plans for re-opening. Once we have this we’ll share more details.

In the meantime, our reading room services remain suspended.

Some of our online services that rely on staff having access to our building and collections are suspended until further notice, including record copying and paid search. New visitor bookings are temporarily suspended until we are able to open our reading rooms again.

Please note that our Freedom of Information services are also affected.

Most of our online services are unaffected however and will continue as normal:


Source
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/


Link to government four step roadmap
https://www.facebook.com/UKgovernment/posts/2016383508514066


 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Their website has gone down, but I am informed that the booking service will resume on Monday 19 April, for those paying a visit to Kew from 27 April 2021. If you are on their mailing list, you should have got an e-mail about this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm in - or at least I think so. I booked a visit for Saturday 08/05/2021 and listed the twelve Hospital Admissions Books in MH 106 for 1916 that have not yet been scanned by FMP. I then remembered that I had something on that day so cancelled it. I was able to change my plans and so went back and re booked Saturday 08/05. I received the confirmation e mail for the original booking and the e mail for the cancellation but I have not had the e mail for the re booking. I am not able to phone them nor e mail them to confirm. When I tried again it stopped me saying that I was already booked on 08/05. We shall see, I hope I receive some confirmation before the visit. I am making contingency plans in case I get there and am told that I can't get in. Also keeping an eye on the double mutation Indian version of the CV, if it appears in West London I won't be going anyway. 

When I re booked I did not make a note of the Booking reference thinking it would be on the e mail (which I haven't got). The original booking ref is not recognised.

Brian

Edited by brianmorris547
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All,

Such chaos forces me to pay more attention to simply looking more carefully at the medals in my Collection, rather than researching them...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

2127025711_1911DurbarrevonGoydergroup.JPG.2bb02e6b0775e61d3f907209f091bf10.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...