Released on: March 13, 2008, 3:49 am

Press Release Author: The National Archives

Industry: Government

Press Release Summary: The staff and services provided by The National Archives at
the Family Records Centre move to Kew when the doors close on 15 March 2008. The
transfer of these services and expertise into one building will make research
easier.

Press Release Body: The National Archives in Kew is being extensively refurbished
and improved. This is part of an ongoing improvement programme and allows us to
incorporate the services provided by The National Archives at the Family Records
Centre. When complete, additional seating, microfiche readers and computer
terminals will be available to visitors, improving access to original records,
research resources and the ever-growing range of online material.

Following consultations with visitors to The National Archives and Family Records
Centre the talks programme has been extended. There will be two new talks rooms
providing an educational programme of talks on a variety of topics from family
history to military history. In addition, three smaller surgery rooms will be
available for more in-depth consultations.

Commenting on the new services Jeff James, head of advice and records knowledge at
The National Archives said: "The exciting developments underway at Kew will
genuinely improve our visitors' experience, from the improved restaurant and new
museum, to the redeveloped reading rooms. The reading rooms have been designed to
create a more open and accessible environment for our visitors."

People who used to visit the first floor of the Family Records Centre will find all
of the information they enjoyed available at Kew. In addition, they will be able to
consult documents and records spanning 1,000 years of history and have access to a
wider range staff expertise.

To provide security for staff and visitors whilst also ensuring documents are
protected The National Archives has installed a new security system.

If you would like any more information about the improvements at Kew please visit
The National Archives website at, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Ends

For further information please contact, Tim Matthews,
tim.matthews@nationalarchives.gov.uk, or 020 8392 5277.


Notes for editors:

The National Archives, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk, is a government department; and
also an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The National Archives
brings together the Public Record Office, Historical Manuscripts Commission, the
Office of Public Sector Information and Her Majesty's Stationery Office. See also
www.opsi.gov.uk

The National Archives is 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.

The National Archives is also the UK government's official archive, containing 900
years of history from Domesday Book to the present, with records ranging from
parchment and paper scrolls through to recently created digital files and archived
websites. Increasingly, these records are being put online, making them universally
accessible.

The vision of The National Archives is to:
· Lead and transform information management
· Guarantee the survival of today\'s information for tomorrow
· Bring history to life for everyone

About the General Register Office

The Office for National Statistics is currently responsible for GRO, but this
responsibility will transfer to the Identity and Passport Service on 1 April 2008.
The Family Records Centre will close to the public after 15 March 2008.

There are already public organisations such as record offices and libraries which
have some of the indexes on microfiche, but these will not include adoptions and
civil partnerships, nor birth, death, marriage and overseas events since 2005. These
new arrangements will cover the full range of indices. For a list of places where
microfiche copies are held or to obtain more information please visit the GRO web
site: www.gro.gov.uk

These are the locations where the full range of GRO indexes held on microfiche will
be accessible free of charge after the FRC closure:

· Greater Manchester County Record Office.
· Birmingham Central Library.
· Bridgend Reference and Information Library.
· Plymouth Central Library.
· The National Archives at Kew

The GRO indexes available at each of the above locations include Births, Deaths and
Marriages from 1837-2007, Overseas from 1761-2006, Civil Partnerships from 2005-2007
and Adoptions from 1927-2007. Each of these centres will receive the GRO indexes for
more modern events as and when they become available.

Microfiche copies of births, marriages and deaths indexes from 1837 onwards continue
to be available at many other local libraries, record offices and other facilities.

These arrangements are expected to continue until free, on-line access to the GRO
indexes can be provided.


Web Site: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Contact Details: Tim Matthews
The National Archives
Kew
020 8392 5277