Quote but you need to understand that making records available via RO search rooms is all that is required of the archivists. Unquote
So they do the absolute statutory minimun to gain what they perceive as the maximum. Revenue, that is.
Some of us don't necessarily want online records, but we are asking why the BRO is not even prepared to allow other people - ie local history society volunteers, to transcribe, or for it to sell copies of transcribed/untranscribed fiche/cds as do other RO's. I have bought copies of Parish Record fiche/booklets/cds from a number of RO's. If they can do it why can't Berkshire? And why do they charge such exorbitant prices for simple documents? That is, in comparison with many other RO's.
Passing the buck backwards and forwards from the Church of England to the RO to the Local Authorities, is just that:- passing the buck. We are not just talking about Church of England Parish Records, but other non conformist churches as well.
Petitions are a waste of time, effort, and money. They just fill up someone's waste paper bin.
One of the reasons why visits to RO's has dropped is not to do with online or published records being available. That is just an excuse to justify saving money by reducing staff and closing places down. The perception is that ROs are unimportant and emptying dustbins is, when the money is shared out. The drop in RO visitor numbers is more to do with the cost of travel, the cost of parking, the cost of photocopies, the cost of taking your own photos, and a number of other things.
Please, Newburychap, stop trying to defend the indefensible. Someone, somewhere, simply does not want Berkshire PRs to be available anywhere but in the RO, at a price. "No" is the answer, and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. That is called power.
Regards
Vicwinann
