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  • A2A search changing

    I wouldn't say the A2A search facility was my favourite one in the world, but at least you can choose which archives to search and I've more or less got used to using things like "NEAR" as search operators to be able to specify, say, a surname plus street name.
    A2A - Access to Archives | Invalid Access

    But now they say In order to ensure the availability of the A2A service in future, the A2A database is being transferred to a new platform with a simpler interface.
    The new service now resides on TNA's website at The National Archives | Access to Archives
    Existing bookmarks and links will soon be redirected to the new service.


    This is the "advanced" version of the new search on TNA site:
    The National Archives | Access to Archives

    Yes, it looks simpler, but I just can't get it to give me a decent set of results - either I get way too many or none at all. Is anybody having better luck with it than I am?
    KiteRunner

    Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
    (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

  • #2
    The thing that annoys me about it is that you can no longer see when it was last updated. I emailed them about this some time ago, but no reply as yet.
    The National Archives, Kew – Research Service Offered
    Contact me via PM on Family Tree Forum or via my personal website - www.militaryandfamilyresearch.co.uk

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    • #3
      Is anybody having better luck with it than I am?
      No :(

      Comment


      • #4
        You did need to work out how to use it, but once I'd mastered it, I really loved the search engine. I'm not impressed by the new one. And I HATE the way, when you click on a link, you can't always see what you've found.

        They have clearly had difficulties - this was supposed to be part of TNA more than a couple of years ago.
        Phoenix - with charred feathers
        Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

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        • #5
          I preferred the old A2A but then I don't like change.

          Janet

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          • #6
            Oh, I just KNEW this was going to happen!

            I have mastered the art of searching A2A and can find my way around quite deftly, normally.

            I have, however, always found TNA site impossible to navigate/search etc. and worried that A2A would be forever lost to me once TNA got their hands on it.

            I also noticed that some of the really useful detail on A2A documents, has been lost in the transfer to TNA. I suppose this is to force you to buy the document instead of getting the info for free.

            OC

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            • #7
              I take it you can no longer choose a particular RO for your search with the new system?

              *sigh*

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              • #8
                Merry

                No, you can't.

                I find this very annoying as the County Records Office sites catalogues leave a lot to be desired, in the main - they don't have half the stuff on their sites which is catalogued to them on A2A, if that makes sense.

                OC

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                • #9
                  Except Bedford and Luton Archives which have more - I my experience anyway!

                  Beds & Luton webopac

                  Anne

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                  • #10
                    Anne

                    I think the difference between the various ROs is their attitude towards putting their catalogues on line - some seem to be taking a very leisurely approach to it!

                    Of course, the PHYSICAL catalogues and indexes in the various ROs are usually splendid.

                    OC

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                    • #11
                      Yes, you are right OC. I'm lucky to have ALL my dad's side of the family from Bedfordshire. They are continually adding to the online catalogue and some of the stuff is in so much detail (like complete wills in precis) that you hardly need to see the original!

                      When I was last down in Bedford the duty archivist was adding to the catalogue, in between helping out the 'customers'.

                      All my Mum's side are from Yorkshire - another story!!!

                      Anne

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                      • #12
                        Thanks for mentioning Bedford and Luton Archives, Anne. I hadn't checked their catalogue in a while, and have just found lots of interesting bits and pieces that weren't there when I last checked!
                        Sarah

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                        • #13
                          Hello Anne

                          Thanks for the link to the Bedford RO - I just found some references to my g-g-g-g grandfather John Iliffe selling up his farms in Marston Moretaine - very very interesting. I can see I will be spending some hours checking out the family on this site !!!

                          Diane
                          Diane
                          Sydney Australia
                          Avatar: Reuben Edward Page and Lilly Mary Anne Dawson

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                          • #14
                            London Metropolitan Archives are planning to remove their holdings from A2A. Other record offices have just bits. It starts to look as if new accessions may reach A2A but there doesn't feel as if there is a major impetus for more cataloguing.
                            LMA clearly felt that the requirements of A2A were too stringent and didn't meet their needs.
                            Some Record Offices unfortunately have such poor search engines for their catalogues that you either need A2A or the original paper indexes to find early references to surnames which might be spelt in a dozen ways.
                            Phoenix - with charred feathers
                            Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

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                            • #15
                              Just tested. NEAR1 does still work on TNA site!

                              Catalogue Awareness Day at Kew always has a session on using the Catalogue and there are all sorts of tips to be gained on how to search. I don't understand Boolean Logic, but is available to refine your searches.
                              Phoenix - with charred feathers
                              Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                I have to say that Northants also has a good approach to these archives and I have found a lot just by keying in Northants. Have not really looked properly but does this mean that by now going through National Archives we are not going to be able to see what the holdings are for our favourite hamlets and counties? I was always on A2A finding useful things. I did print off all the ones I was interested in to date so thank goodness for paper files!!

                                Janet

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                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by Phoenix View Post
                                  Just tested. NEAR1 does still work on TNA site!

                                  Catalogue Awareness Day at Kew always has a session on using the Catalogue and there are all sorts of tips to be gained on how to search. I don't understand Boolean Logic, but is available to refine your searches.
                                  That's good to know, Phoenix. I tried a search with NEAR in it and got no results, but perhaps there were really no matches. I couldn't find anything about those search operators in the help for the TNA search screen, though, and the A2A search does explain it all in the help screen.
                                  KiteRunner

                                  Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                  (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

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                                  • #18
                                    It took a bit of finding, but this is the help screen:

                                    Help | Quick search
                                    Phoenix - with charred feathers
                                    Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      They need a help page with tips for how to find the help pages, lol!

                                      I still don't think that page explains it as well as the A2A help page does, but I'm glad to see in there that you can specify the record office by putting the name of it in the "Place" search box. Silly me, I thought you were supposed to put the name of the village or whatever where your ancestor lived in there! So that's why it didn't work!

                                      I think the Norfolk record office's own online Advanced catalogue search (NOAH - Norfolk Online Access to Heritage - Powered by DScovery) is one of the worst I've used, because they have loads of different boxes to fill in but the names of them don't explain what they're for (Title, Creator, Subject, Description - most of those seem interchangeable to me) This is their explanation in "Help":
                                      This allows you to choose the title, creator, subject or description of a particular record. ‘Title’ refers to the name of the record. This is different from a keyword search so you should type in the exact title. ‘Creator’ refers the person, organisation or service that made the record. ‘Subject’ is typically a key word or phrase that describes the record. ‘Description’ is an account of the content of the record
                                      Plus they have two different Advanced Search screens on there so I never know which one it's going to be!
                                      KiteRunner

                                      Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                      (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Lol! That explains why I keep on getting no matches for stuff I know exists!
                                        Phoenix - with charred feathers
                                        Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

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