Major English Libraries and Archives of Genealogical Value - International Institute

The original content for this article was contributed by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies in June 2012. It is an excerpt from their course English: Land and Property Records including Manorial Documents and Maps  by Dr. Penelope Christensen. The Institute offers over 200 comprehensive genealogy courses for a fee ($).

Gateways to English Archives and Libraries

The National Archives (TNA)
The National Archives covers England, Wales and the United Kingdom and was formed in April 2003 by bringing together the Public Record Office (PRO) and the Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC, formerly the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts). Main portals of entry to TNA are:

• ARCHON
  Directory of archives maintained at TNA.
  

• Discovery
  Discovery Online Collections is the search engine for the TNA digitized records
  

• MDR = Manorial Documents Register
  This identifies the location of manorial records. The MDR is partially computerised – Wales, Hampshire including the Isle of Wight, Norfolk and the three Ridings of Yorkshire are available online so far.

• NRA = National Register of Archives
  The NRA contains information on the nature and location of manuscripts and historical records that relate to British history. It contains about 200,000 lists and catalogues of manuscript collections.
  

• PROCAT = TNA Catalogue

Some Other Major Archives and Libraries

• A2A = Access to Archives
  English strand of the UK archives network. Directs researcher to about 350 archives and their catalogues.

• BL = British Library
  The national library, includes Oriental/India Office, and newspaper collections at Colindale.
  

• General Register Office
  Government office that administers census and civil registration. They retain census under 100 years old, and all BMDs back to 1837 (although some may be declared historic soon!)
  

• Archives Hub
  Provides access to descriptions of archival collections in universities and colleges.

Copyright Libraries

Copyright has been obtainable by registration with the Stationers Company at Stationers Hall in London, from 1554 until 1924. A fee had to be paid and free copies of each publication presented to the copyright libraries. By 1801 there were 11 of these but the number was reduced to five in 1836 with another added in 1911, and they now comprise:

• British Library
  
• Bodleian Library in Oxford
  
• Cambridge University Library
  
• National Library of Scotland
  
• Trinity College in Dublin
  
• National Library of Wales (from 1911)

Note that the National Archives (TNA) is not on this list. In theory each copyright library should have a copy of every publication but there was widespread evasion of the procedure because of the cost of registration and provision of the complimentary copies. Further information about the procedures can be found in TNA research guide D45.

Sound advice regarding the use of archives and libraries can be found in F. G. Emmison’s Introduction to Archives, Susan B. Lumas’ Basic Facts about Archives, and Stuart A Raymond’s Using Libraries: Workshops for Family Historians.

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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online course English: Land and Property Records including Manorial Documents and Maps offered by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies. To learn more about this course or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at wiki@genealogicalstudies.com

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