The National Archives building at Kew.

The National Archives (TNA) as it is officially called (formerly and less ambiguously four separate organisations, the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission, the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) and Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO)) is a British Governmental organisation created in April 2003 to maintain a national archive for "England, Wales and the United Kingdom" (as is stated on its website). Scotland is excluded, having its own national archives — see below. Image File history File links Public Exhibit area of the National Archives Building, Washington, DC, 1998, by Rick Dikeman This looks like its the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. ... Image File history File links Public Exhibit area of the National Archives Building, Washington, DC, 1998, by Rick Dikeman This looks like its the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. ... The Kew building. ... The National Archives building at Kew. ... The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the new body incorporating Her Majestys Stationery Office (usually abbreviated as HMSO). ... Her Majestys Stationery Office (usually abbreviated as HMSO) is part of the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A national archive is a central archive maintained by a nation. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales forever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) English, Welsh Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056  Area    - Total 20,779 km² (3rd in... Motto: , traditionally rendered in Scots as Wha daur meddle wi me?[1] and in English as No one provokes me with impunity. ...

TNA claims to have "one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from the Domesday Book to government papers recently released to the public". It is also "at the heart of information policy - setting standards and supporting innovation in information and records management across the UK, and providing a practical framework of best practice for opening up and encouraging the re-use of public sector information. This work helps inform today´s decisions and ensure that they become tomorrow´s permanent record." Doomesday Book (also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester), was the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William the Conqueror, that was similar to a census by a government of today. ...

History

The National Archives was created in 2003 by combining the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission (for earlier history, see the article on the Public Record Office) and is both a government department in its own right and an Executive Agency reporting to the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Falconer of Thoroton. The current Chief Executive (formally Keeper of the Public Records and Historical Manuscripts Commissioner) is Natalie Ceeney, formerly Director of Operations and Services at the British Library. She has replaced Sarah Tyacke (also previously of the British Library), who retired in October 2005. The Kew building. ... The National Archives building at Kew. ... The Kew building. ... An Executive Agency is a British public institution that carries out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive. ... The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC (born November 19, 1951), is a British lawyer and Labour Party politician. ... British Library Ossulston St entrance, with distinctive red logo. ... British Library Ossulston St entrance, with distinctive red logo. ...

On 31st October 2006 The National Archives merged with the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI), which itself also contained Her Majesty's Stationary Office (HMSO)) which was previously a part of the Cabinet Office. The name stayed The National Archives. The merger's aim was to create a stronger National Archives which can lead Information Management, ensuring that government information is managed effectively - both to support today's government effectiveness and to guarantee the long term role of the archive. The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the new body incorporating Her Majestys Stationery Office (usually abbreviated as HMSO). ... The Cabinet Office is a United Kingdom government department. ...

Roles

It is institutional policy to include the definite article — with an initial capital letter — in its name (hence "The National Archives", sometimes abbreviated as TNA) but this practice is rarely followed in the media.

The main building of The National Archives is at Kew in west London. The National Archives also operates at three additional sites; the Family Records Centre is in Islington in central London; and there are also offices in Norwich and central London (Admiralty Arch). Both the Kew site and the Family Records Centre are open to the general public. The National Archives are planning to bring the Family Records Centre services onto the Kew site (with a dedicated family history service as part of the Kew facilities) by the end of 2008, and to also close the Norwich site to relocate more of its staff at Kew. Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom(coming from Roman Londinium ). An important settlement for around two millennia, London is today one of the worlds most important business and financial centres, [1] and its involvement in politics, culture, education, entertainment, media, fashion, sport and... The Family Records Centre provides access to family history research sources for England and Wales. ... Islington is an inner-city district in north London. ... The Family Records Centre provides access to family history research sources for England and Wales. ... The Family Records Centre provides access to family history research sources for England and Wales. ...

The material held at Kew includes the following:

• Documents from the central courts of law from the twelfth century onwards, including the Court of King's Bench, the Court of Common Pleas, the Court of Chancery, the Court of Exchequer, the Supreme Court of Judicature, the Central Criminal Court, Assizes, and many other courts.
• Medieval, early modern and modern records of central government.
• A large and disparate collection of maps, plans and architectural drawings.
• Records for family historians including wills, naturalisation certificates and criminal records.
• Service and operational records of the armed forces War Office, Admiralty etc.
• Foreign Office and Colonial Office correspondence and files.
• Cabinet papers and Home Office records.
• Statistics of the Board of Trade.
• The National Register of Archives, which holds detailed catalogues of all kinds of records relating to British history held elsewhere.
• The Manorial Documents Register, which notes the existence and location of manorial records in England and Wales.

There is also a museum, which displays key documents such as the Domesday Book and stages a programme of exhibitions. One of the ancient courts of England, the Kings Bench (or Queens Bench when the monarch is female) is now a division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales. ... In United States jurisprudence, Court of Common Pleas is a term referring to a court of certain jurisdiction. ... One of the courts of equity in England and Wales. ... The Exchequer of Pleas or Exchequer was one of the three common-law courts of Medieval and Early Modern England. ... This article concerns the Courts of England and Wales. ... Categories: Stub | Legal buildings in London | Local government buildings in London | Legal London ... The Courts of Assize, or Assizes, were periodic criminal courts held around England and Wales until 1972, when together with the Quarter Sessions they were abolished by the Courts Act 1971 and replaced by a single permanent Crown Court. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. ... The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet official in charge of managing the various British colonies. ... The modern concept of Small Office and Home Office or SoHo , or Small or Home Office deals with the category of business which can be from 1 to 10 workers. ... The Board of Trade circa 1808. ... Doomesday Book (also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester), was the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William the Conqueror, that was similar to a census by a government of today. ...

In early July 2005, an article in the Daily Telegraph claimed that certain documents relating to the death of Heinrich Himmler had been faked. An internal investigation revealed that five documents were indeed forgeries and The National Archives has reviewed its security procedures in the light of this knowledge. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ...   (October 7, 1900 – May 23, 1945) was the commander of the German Schutzstaffel (SS) and one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany. ...

There is a separate National Archives of Scotland (formerly the Scottish Record Office), which holds government and private documents relating to Scotland. A similar institution in Northern Ireland is the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). Based in Edinburgh, the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in the British Isles. ... Motto: , traditionally rendered in Scots as Wha daur meddle wi me?[1] and in English as No one provokes me with impunity. ... Motto: (French for God and my right)2 Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (De facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (De facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, NI Sign Language Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First... The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) is situated in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ...

Storage

The moveable shelving in one of the more modern repositories

The documents are stored on double-sided shelves, which are pushed together in such a way that there's no aisle between them. A large handle on the end of each shelf allows them to be moved along tracks in the floor, to create an aisle when needed. Image File history File linksMetadata National_archives_shelving. ... Image File history File linksMetadata National_archives_shelving. ...

They are generally stored in folders or boxes; many of these will have green labels stating when the papers can be examined again, under the thirty year rule. The thirty year rule is the popular name given to a law in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Australia that states that the yearly cabinet papers of a government will be released publicly thirty years after they were created. ...

In the event of a fire, obviously The National Archives couldn't use sprinklers, and so when they are sure that everyone is clear of the building, argon gas is sprayed into the air-tight repositories. General Name, Symbol, Number argon, Ar, 18 Chemical series noble gases Group, Period, Block 18, 3, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 39. ...

Access to documents

Many of the most popular documents have now been digitised, and are available online - some at a small fee for downloading. All of the open census records have been digitised, and there are also significant other sources online(such as wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1383-1858). So much of what is commonly requested is now available online that researchers are encouraged to check the online services first, to see if they can get what they want online. If a document is available online, The National Archives' policy is to encourage people to use the digital copy and not the original, even if they come to Kew, in order to protect the original from damage.

Anybody aged 14 or over can access the documents at the Kew site, after producing proof of identity and being issued a free Reader's Ticket. The reading room has terminals from which documents can be ordered by their reference number. The reference number is composed of three sections: the department code of up to four letters, such as WO for the War Office; a series number, for the "subcategory" or collection that the document comes from; and an individual document number. Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ...

Once a document has been ordered, The National Archives aims to get it to the reader within 35 minutes (assuming it is kept at Kew rather than at their second repository, "Deep Store" - a former salt mine in Cheshire).

Frequently accessed documents such as the Abdication Papers have been put on microfilm, as have records for two million First World War soldiers. The originals of the latter were stored in a warehouse in London along with four million others, but incendiary bombs dropped on the warehouse in the Second World War started a fire in which most were destroyed. The surviving third were largely water or fire-damaged and thus acquired the colloquial name of the "Burnt Documents." Because they were mostly too fragile for public access, they were put on microfilm with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund. They are currently being digitised, and should be ready to be accessed online by the end of 2008. A limited number of documents are available on microfiche. Microfilm machines may be available at libraries or record archives. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Microform. ...

Millions of records are available to download via the DocumentsOnline delivery system. The National Archives has also now set up a 'digitisation on demand' service (called 'Digital Express') where for a small fee a document can be scanned and sent to the researcher electronically (up to 10 pages for a fixed fee) to enable people to access the documents wherever they are. This is available for most of The National Archives documents, but does exclude particularly large or fragile records. This can be accessed by clicking onto the record you want from the online catalogue, where it should show up as an option.

External links

• The National Archives
• The Family Records Centre
• National Archives of Scotland — a separate organisation
• Specialist and Local Records Offices in England and Wales
• Specialist and Local Records Offices in Scotland
• Research Guide: Visiting a Records Office