IMG_23211_1.jpgThe United Kingdom's official government archive is located close to the River Thames in Kew, south west London. The National Archives website boasts that it holds 1000 years of history – from the Domesday Book, commissioned by William the Conqueror at Christmas 1085, to more recent government documents, as well as plenty to keep the average family historian occupied for quite some time!

For an overview of what is held take a look at this page, What we hold, and to search the catalogue click here.

The research guides are particularly useful and will set you on the right track with your research.

Don't forget that the National Archives have made some of their documents online through Documents Online, while WW1 service records, for example, are available (with a subscription) from Ancestry.

It's inevitable that most family historians' research will eventually lead them to the National Archives, so what's it like to visit?

The nearest tube station is Kew Gardens on the District Line of the London Underground, which is 5 minutes walk away. Although it's just as easy to drive, being 5 minutes from the M4 (Chiswick J2) with a large car park right outside. This is at present free (June 2010), although plans for pre-booking car park spaces for a flat fee of £5 per day are to be introduced shortly.

When you arrive, the huge imposing building can be quite off-putting and intimidating, but very soon you will find your way around. Enter the building through the revolving doors at the main entrance, right opposite the huge water feature. Straight ahead of you is the welcome desk, but if you bear to the left you will find the internet cafe, the shop, museum, and most importantly the cafe/restaurant to obtain refreshments after your journey. There's toilets here if you need them, as well as a convenient post box.

Understandably the archive has a dedicated security team, who are there to ensure that the documents remain at the premises, as well as maintaining their condition for future generations. So therefore, there is also a clock/locker room on the ground floor where you can leave your bags, coats etc. There are clear plastic bags in there for you to put your belongings in which you are taking into the archive – paper, pencils (with no rubber), camera and change for the copier, as well as identification for your reader's ticket (see next paragraph). You can also take a lap top (without its case). For more information about what is allowed click here.

You're now ready to go up the stairs (or lift) to the next floor. At the top of the stairs, to the left, you will find the reader's ticket room where you can obtain your reader's ticket. For more information about what identification is required click here. There are computer terminals in here to register, and once you have registered you can queue up for your ticket. This lasts for 3 years, and allows you access to the document reading rooms where you can look at original documents.

Right opposite the reader's ticket room is double doors which takes you into the learning zone/open reading room. You don't actually need a ticket to enter this area, although it's inevitable that you will need to view original documents at some point, so it's always advisable to obtain one.

IMG_2379_1.jpgIn this area you will find plenty to keep you occupied, for example -

- Computers with free access to subsciption databases covering all census returns from 1841 to 1911, as well as links into resources/indexes on discs that are not available online.

- A paper copy of the Access to Archives holdings, which is also searchable online: Access to Archives

- Finding aids for the navy, army, air force, merchant navy and government assizes records from around the country. Also Old Bailey records that are not online (which are less than 30 years old).

- Micro-film of the WO 363 WW1 service records, otherwise known as the 'burnt records' which were partially destroyed in WW2.

- A huge reference library of books and magazines on every historical subject you can think of, from biographies to local directories, as well as those published by family history societies, together with research aids.

- and the all important research helpers who can help you track down specific documents.

There are also computer terminals in this area where you can order (with the swipe of you reader's ticket) up to three documents at a time, to view in the document reading room. If you intend to take a photo of the document (for free) ask for a seat by the window. You will then be given a seat number. The standard response to these applications is a wait of 40 minutes, although I've never known it to take that long. Anyway, there's plenty to keep you occupied in this area whilst you wait. You can check on the progress of your order on the computer terminals in here.

You will also find the talk rooms in this area – there's a talk everyday at 11.30am, which gives a good introduction to using the archive.

The entrance to the document reading room is to the left of the double doors at the top of the stairs from the ground floor. Here you will find a member(s) of the security team whom you will need to pass you plastic bag to for inspection. You will also need to swipe your card at the barrier. I never could remember which way round to put this, but a helpful security lady told me last time that if I always place the thumb of my right hand on the A on the front of the card then I wouldn't go far wrong – so a good tip there!

Once through security you will find lockers with numbers on which correspond to the desks in the document reading room. Look for your desk number (given when you ordered the document) and in there you (should) find your document. Please note that if you have ordered several documents, only one can be removed from the locker at a time.

IMG_2375_1.jpgNow go through the sliding rooms and find your desk, where you can peruse the document at your leisure. If it's a ledger, you will find nearby foam wedge supports and weights to keep pages open. If you don't use them, then expect the ever present security team to notice and offer these to you. Funnily enough I've never been offered white gloves – the 'must-have' of celebrities on the BBC genealogy programme 'Who Do You Think You Are?'

The official line for this area is silence, although people still do talk. And if you plan to take photos don't forget to turn the flash and sound off, otherwise you'll be bound to hear tuts of disapproval from the more seasoned researchers, as well as a tap on the back from security.

Back through the sliding doors you will find the photocopiers... and when you've finished with the document just hand it over at the returns desk.

In this area there are computers to order more documents – once your original three have been delivered to your locker, you are then able to order another three and so on. You can check the progress of your orders on these computers, as well as terminals placed on the wall, with the swipe of your reader's ticket.

If you have ordered maps or larger more bulkier documents, then these will automatically sent up to the second floor map and large document reading room. When you check on the progress of your order, it will say the location of where it has been delivered to.

The second floor reading room is much smaller than the first and has no natural light, although it's sufficient to take photos without a flash. To gain access from the first floor reading room, head back through security, through the double doors, up the stairs and through security again at doors to the right. Once in, bear left through a pair of sliding doors and tell the staff there your seat number which was allocated to you downstairs. They will then find your items for you to view one at a time. There are trolleys available for the more heavy items and, again, foam supports, which you are encouraged to use, especially for the particularly large ledgers with weakened spines.

Again there are computer terminals in this area to order more documents and check on the progress of your orders .

For general information about visiting the National Archives click here.

Once you've made your first visit, then you're much more confident when it comes to your second. And, of course, once you have your reader's ticket you can order up to six documents in advance (see here).

Perhaps if you're planning a visit and don't have the confidence to go alone, then post a thread on FTF's Events Board and you'll be bound to get a response from a handful of members who will welcome the opportunity to make a visit to their second home, as well of course, guide you in the right direction!