Genealogy Chat

Hi
Someone on Genes very kindly found one of my ancestors who was a Chelsea Pensioner on the National Archives site. I contacted them and gave them the number on the record only to be told that it was in a big box and very fragile so they couldn't find it but would put me through to someone who may be able to look for a fee.
After being on the phone for about 25 minutes while this person looked on the computer, he decided that the record wasn't there. I can't understand this. I am wondering if there is any one going to the archives sometime and would have a look for me. I would be willing to pay for a short time (I wouldn't want it to take too long as I can't afford too much).

Thanks
Lindsey

Hi Lyndsey...me again :-D

Have you tried ordering a copy online from the page I added to your previous thread. It would be interesting if see if they can find it that way...it must be somewhere it has been indexed.

I have ordered online previously this way without any problems...I received copies within a matter of days and the cost was minimal.

Linda

Hi Linda

Sorry for the delay in reply - just took the dogs out. Yes, I followed the instructions and sent an email which was to get an estimate for the order giving them the details that you found. I then had a reply saying, in so many words, I would have to go in and look myself or have a researcher look for me. I rang them up to find out what the problem was and that was when they said they were all in a box and very fragile and then put me through to a researcher who seemed to think that it wasn't there which I don't understand at all when I had the record there on the screen.

Lindsey

When did he leave the Army approx? Is the record not on the FMP site?

Hi

No, he wasn't on Find my Past. According to the entry in the National Archives, Charles Clay left the army in 1800. He was born in Hinckley, Leicestershire in 1776, was in the 86th foot for 10 years and left at the age of 24.

He was on the 1841 census as being a Chelsea Pensioner.

Thanks for your reply.

Lindsey

So sorry Lindsey I didn't realise you had been down the ordering online route. How frustrating for you....I hope you find someone who is going soon.

Strangely enough I couldn't find my 4x gt grandfather on FMP either though I was able to find him on the National Archives....perhaps their records are not complete as yet.

Good luck

Linda

Hi Lindsey,
I have had the same response from the NA copying dept. regarding getting log book and crew agreements for 2 of the merchant ships my dad served on during the war --- even though only this week I received the same sort of info about another ship he was on! All the search criteria was given, ships name and official no, seamans name and Discharge no, dates covered and Document ref's. How is it that they can find one and not the others? Or is it that they would rather pass these queries on to someone else in the office that will charge a research fee?
Needless to say, I feel very miffed, as it isn't always possible to go to Kew personally.

Christine.

"How is it that they can find one and not the others? Or is it that they would rather pass these queries on to someone else in the office that will charge a research fee?"

This is exactly what I am wondering Christine. I know from the copies of my 4x gt grandfather's service records, from the 1820s, these documents are somewhat fragile and the print extremely feint in some parts however TNA managed to copy them nevertheless...this is going back a couple of years now so not recent.

Linda

Christine .it may be that the particular ships log isnt at Kew.

When i was looking for my grandfathers ships log for 1911 .he was lost at sea, I was told that some time ago the Government of the day was going to destroy all merchant navy records because of storage space issues but it caused such an uproar that they had to rethink . After some debate they were offered storage in Nova Scotia. i emailed them and they did have some of grandads previous vessel placement which for a fee they would send copies However on going to Kew and with the help of one of the staff there I did find the particular ships log which had been kept there because of the incident ..

I also got a copy of the Army records for one of my ancestors who was in the Army from 1825-1849 and came out as an out Chelsea pensioner .

Will take a look at my emails and post the address that i emailed in Nova Scotia,

back in two ticks !

Hi All, I just find it strange that when I applied for the first one it took a few days for them to get back to me with the estimate,and then a week or so to process it, so had obviously done a search, but when applying for the other 2, i got a negative reply back within a few hours! I can't help feeling that perhaps because of the time of year, they just can't be bothered. But then again, I may be a bit sceptical!

Shirley, if you do still have that e-mail address I would be grateful for it.
Thanks everyone,

Christine.

Took me ages ,sorry ,as it was such a long time ago I havent got the email address any more as my old PC went zonk!!

you could try through this website

www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/

just found a copy of one of the emails in my files

Jennifer Bragg <[email protected]

now this was 2004 so unlikely she is still there.

this an address though given on the email

Reference Desk
Maritime History Archive
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
AIC 5S7 Canada

hope this helps

Shirley

a little more digging found the site

http://www.mun.ca/mha/about/orderagreements.php

Many thanks Shirley, I will try that website. But I still might put in a complaint to the NA, for as I see it if all these documents on their shop online pages have reference no's and piece no's, then they must have them there, and in some sort of order. What is the point in advertising that you can access these documents and then saying that they don't quite know where they are, " or if they even exist" !
Something doesn't add up.

Christine.

Hi All,
just an update.
After several e-mails of complaint about the service and accessability of Records on Line from the NA, I had one yesterday to say they had made a mistake in processing my first order as their rules had changed recentley, and they now had to put you on to one of their researchers ( £15 for 15 mins), or you could get your own private researcher to do the work for you if you are not able to get to Kew. But as the mistake was theirs, they wouldn't charge me any extra!! How kind!
Why don't they quote a price for the work involved, and then the customer can decide whether to proceed or not? The other way is too open-ended, and you could be tempted into paying more than you can afford.
If the Canadian Maritime Archive can do it this way, why not TNA? It seems I will end up putting money into the Canadian coffers and not the UK's.

Christine. :-(

Their policy has changed and they won't do research without (very expensive) payment. If you've got the refs and know the documents are at Kew and can't get there yourself, it would be much cheaper to get a private researcher to do the work.