Parish Registers

[behindthefrogs]

Hi Abiam,

The National Archives "A2A" seemed to have the same index number as in the BRO. I took a few bits of info with me, description and ref numbers from the NA. This did help me find them when I got there.

The record office is open till 9pm on a Thursday.
The family history office is open till late on a Tuesday.

How useless is that........ They are next door to each other !!!!

Good luck, Lesanne.

Two points.

A2A is an index to the contents of record offices and so you would expect the references to be the same.

The fact that BFHS and the RO have different late evenings was I believe a deliberate decision which was necessary to enable transcription work to take place on the evening the record office is open.

David

[Abiam2]

Hi everyone,

Lesanne good to hear from you and thank you.  What I shall mostly be looking for will be confirmation of BMD's and hunting down the elusive earlier ones.  I tried to follow your scavenger but got totally lost - hope you got there in the end!

David thanks for your input.  There is only one land enclosure I would like to find out about.  Is there likely to be any more information than the pages I found in the Land Enclosures site?

Vicwinann, thanks will have a look at their website and will reply to you with a pm.

I have started my list and am sure I have too much for one day! 

But who knows.....................

Thank you all again,
Abiam

[newburychap]

E mail the office as you will have to book the table for any larger doc's. They only have the one table.

Only one huge map table (room for several to use it simultaneously) - but a dozen or so places for reading original documents.

The BDM index's are all available, but when you see the "actual" register, it's £2 a go on your camera, as said before. You might ask how much a photocopy would be.

Photocopies and prints from fiche/film are 40 or 50p - much better value that using your own camera.

If you want to look at older doc's, bring a pair of cotton gloves.

Cotton gloves for handling old documents are provided by the BRO

The National Archives "A2A" seemed to have the same index number as in the BRO. I took a few bits of info with me, description and ref numbers from the NA. This did help me find them when I got there.

The A2A index contains entries from many archives (but not the National Archives). Part of the BRO index is there and it is well worth preparing for a visit by checking A2A to see if there is anything of interest. If not then don't give up hope, there is lots that has not yet got to A2A.

The record office is open till 9pm on a Thursday.
The family history office is open till late on a Tuesday.

How useless is that........ They are next door to each other !!!!

Berks FHS gave up opening Thursday evenings because virtually no one turned up.

I came away very dissapointed.... but Oxford RO totally different story... Brilliant.

Berks RO have good facilities and premises - but Oxfordshire is, I agree, a better experience (more indexes and free use of your camera contributing hugely to this).

[Lesanne]

Shame, I didn't get gloves to examine a 400 year old document. 

Hmmm. I didn't think all the ref numbers were the same. Check them out Abiam, take copious notes with you.

Newburychap, do you work there?   

Regards,
Lesanne.

[newburychap]

Shame, I didn't get gloves to examine a 400 year old document. 

It depends on a) what the document is written on and b) if the assistant thinks to tell you to wear gloves - they are available for anyone to help themselves to. One size fits all - my hands are big so I find myself attempting to manipulate old vellum or parchment with cotton webbed fingers - not ideal.

Hmmm. I didn't think all the ref numbers were the same. Check them out Abiam, take copious notes with you.

When searching A2A select the BRO as the repository and you will get BRO references only, if you search all repositories you will get a mix of BRO and other references.

You can use A2A while you are there if you forget to take the copious notes.

Newburychap, do you work there?   

Fraid not - but I have been a few times...

[Guy Etchells]

One size fits all - my hands are big so I find myself attempting to manipulate old vellum or parchment with cotton webbed fingers - not ideal.

That is why it is best to take your own gloves they can be bought in various sizes (adult small, medium, large + child small, medium large) but archives tend to buy one size.
Cheers
Guy

[Lesanne]

  Awful thought.
 What happens when your pic's are put on 'puta, back at home and they are'nt there, for whatever reason.
                                                Do BRO refund my money 

Then, what are they actually charging for    Your time, your tools, your action.

[newburychap]

What happens when your pic's are put on 'puta, back at home and they are'nt there, for whatever reason.

Personally I check the photo in camera before I pay for it - may even download it onto a laptop while I'm in the BRO.

I am sure they will say that the picture taking is at your risk - I guess they are charging you for access to the document(s) and almost certainly won't guarantee the quality of the results.

[Lesanne]

Hi Newbury chap,

The access is to documents is for free?
Would we buy anything at our own risk from anywhere 

Obtaining an image is finalised when you 'see' the result image. If it's blurred or 'not there' for what ever reason, the purchase has not happened/taken place.

I would like to know how the customer rights on purchases work here.

Are BRO pulling a fast one?