The National Archives
The UK National Archives (formerly The Public Records Office) collection of records is vast, so please visit their website, where the archive can be searched. Records useful from a genealogical perspective include census records, military papers, passenger lists and wills amongst many other categories. A large number of documents can be purchased in digital form on TNA's Documents Online service.
The National Archives do not hold births, deaths and marriages civil registration information, these are at the General Register Office, but the indexes can be consulted at TNA. The Family Records Centre has now closed and its services have transferred to TNA.
Very helpfully, copies (paper or digital) of records can be distance ordered for a fee. The slower service can take several weeks but can cost as little as 35p a page, whereas the new Express Service costs from £8.50 but will be completed in a matter of hours. See Order copies of documents. When visiting the archives you can usually take digital photographs of a document (including of a microfilm reader screen), but check this with a member of staff to avoid any problems.
Please check TNA's 'planning your visit' webpage for further information, including obtaining a reader's ticket. Some of the more popular records are available on microfilm in the reading rooms (Read the description of the records you are interested in to find out whether this applies). Readers' tickets are only required if you want to look at original documents.
Access to Archives
The Access to Archives search facility can be used to search the India Office Records catalogue (link below).
FIBIS Resources
The Fibis Research team can visit The National Archives for Fibis members unable to access the records there and obtain copies or details of information held. To enquire about this service please email research@fibis.org
