5
« on: Tuesday 03 July 12 03:01 BST (UK) »
Hello,
I tried to run this message by the moderators as it might be considered as a bit too contentious, but for some reason I was not able to contact them by PM. It may be deleted soon, but I am so fired up by this!
Hello,
As you may or not know I am a full time researcher and I am most interestered in the new Manchester Archives +. I feel that promises made two or three years ago may not come into fruition. I have already sent emails to the "Powers That Be" at Manchester City Council , BBC Radio Manchester and The Manchester Evening News.
I would like the following message to be posted on this forum, but I realise it may be contentious and would not do this without your prior agreement. I hope that this is really in the interest of many researchers.[/b]
Gerard Lodge
I am a full time researcher and I am listed as a known researcher with several archive repositories in the north west of England. My web site has over a thousand links to it from all over the world including The National Archive. I have carried out research for many eminent people including TV, radio companies, authors and other experts. I rarely post messages on this site as I do not try to drum up custom on a forum designed for folks to supply free information to others.
My views are my own and do not represent any other group.
I am a very active supporter of this new Manchester Archive+ initiative and I think that this could be a fabulous step forward in making archive material and rare collections available to the public of Greater Manchester and beyond.
The new Manchester Archive+ should provide facilities that were offered by their previous incarnations. Opening hours need to be looked at: not all researchers, be they be the casual hobbyist or professional researchers can find the time to fit into the current opening times. A late night opening a week would not go amiss plus the odd Saturday, which they already supply.
With regard to the new facilities offered, I think that the microfilm/fiche readers should be of the highest quality as I have previously expressed to the then managers of the Manchester Archives. I was given some sort of assurance that this would be the case. The budget had been agreed before any later cuts were announced and I thought, and the public of Manchester that this was set in stone. This new archive should not have second class facilities, it is the gathering together of many repositories and should be a great step forward.
I have also seen on various blogs, that Manchester Archives are trashing archive material and rare books. These comments are from people more erudite than myself but, I maybe wrong, but I just do not think it is correct. Certain departments may be getting rid of books that have been superseded by technology. That is totally different a story. If the opposite is this true, then we should all be shouting about this.
I now come to historical certificates. An area which I am not happy about for hobbyists.
These are going to supplied by Manchester Archives +
As I understand they will be responsible for supply for supplying certificates over 100 hundred years old.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!! They should be able to supply certificates from 50 or at the very least 75 years. In my experience Manchester Register Office provided in years gone by, before a new Registrar General was appointed it provided probably the best service for family historians in the UK. I fully acknowledge in particular that the registration of deaths must take precedence when staff are busy, but with the new service this should not be a problem.
When the new Achieves+ takes over the issue of historical births, marriage and deaths certificates they should offer the same brilliant service once offered by MRO: that is a search facility which includes naming the correct father, mothers and occupations. I used to be able to go to the Register Office at 9.00am and walk out with a certificate at 9.30. This search facility need only to be a short term measure due to the ongoing transcription project by Lancashire BMD. Free searches are now available at the GRO.
I have been invited to attend a focus group to discus the new archive. One of a select few of self interested parties not really representative of the folks that use the local studies and archives service on a casual basis. I really do wish and hope that Manchester Archive+ will be a success. I acknowledge the fact other that consultation meetings will be held, but this is too important not to bring this to a much wider audience. Records are not owned by a council. They are the property of the people.
Whether you agree with my views is not really important. I am just asking Listers to make up their own minds and make their own request about the new Manchester Archives+ to the Manchester City Council by emailing k.bolton(at)manchester.gov.uk
This is going to be your new archive for the future...not mine
Show Posts