RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (North Riding) => Topic started by: amanda0901 on Wednesday 01 June 11 19:40 BST (UK)
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Firstly, apologies if this is in the wrong place!
I understand that the Heritage Centre is closed at the present time due to lack of funding. Does anyone have any idea what is happening to the collection? I ask because I've just found out that there is information about my family held there.........all the times I've been in Whitby and just walked by.....AAARGGGHHH!
Many thanks,
Amanda
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by all accounts all info is to go to teesside archives which is disgusting
shipwright23
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Thanks for that; much appreciated. I'm gutted that it's going so far away. Is there no possibility of it staying in the area?
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cant get no help from anyone unless they tip up the bound editions of the whitby gazette to the lit and phil
shipwright
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Yes the collection has gone to Teesside Archives although a small portain was apparently taken by the North Yorkshire Record Office in Northallerton.
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It is sad that the records have had to be rehoused, and I understand inconvenient for some folk to travel to Middlesbrough, but surely better there than not looked after at all. There are instances here where boxes and boxes of records are just left lying on the floor of old offices/buildings, eventually they will be unreadable and just thrown away.
Perhaps the Heritage Centre will reopen one day and the records will then be available to be returned.
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Very true, Ceeoh - I just feel so frustrated that I didn't go into the Heritage Centre when I had the chance!
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http://www.scarboroughsmaritimeheritage.org.uk/index.php
This enthuiastic and dedicated group would perhaps be a closer and easier place to store records, given the fact that both Scarboro and Whitby share the same maritime history?
They also have an excellent geneology section too.
The HQ is in Eastboro Scarboro, and visitors are made welcome.
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When Whitby Heritage Centre was up and running a few years ago, I emailed and made an appointment to visit to do some research, received a reply saying they would be pleased to accommodate me on the day/time in question. However, when I arrived, they disputed all this and virtually turned me away on the doorstep! Oooh no dear, you can't go through our boxes, you have to pay someone to do it for you. I huffed and puffed and stamped my foot, saying I'd travelled 50 miles especially and was then allowed to sit in the office, ask my questions and then someone tried to find the answers and I paid the going rate for just over an hour's work. It was run by volunteers I believe, but the Council should have put some money aside to help things along a bit. It was being held together by a 90 year old on the door and some well-meaning people who perhaps needed some guidance in conserving old papers etc but who could have trusted Joe Public to handle the items with due consideration and care. If researchers had been able to do that, perhaps more monetary donations would have been forthcoming.
I'm pleased to find out that the bulk of the archives has been taken on by Teesside Archives. Middlesbrough is far easier to reach by train and bus, although the fish & chips are not up to Whitby's standard ;) TA is very under-used, when I've visited there are usually only 5 or 6 visitors. The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable, though the microfilm readers and sole reader/printer have seen better days!