Under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000, you have the right to know whether we hold the information you want; and if we do, to see that information. Find out more about Freedom of Information.
If you would like some information from the archives, we can carry out a search for you.
Our paid search service is prompt and professional and reflects our expertise in historical records. We will report on the results of a search within 20 working days.
How much does it cost?
Our charge for searches is £15 per 15 minutes.
Please tell us exactly what you are looking for before sending any money. We will write back to tell you how much our search for the information will cost. When we receive your payment we will carry out the search and, if we find the information and can make it available, we will provide it to you.
Our charge is based on the Public Record Office Fees Order (PDF, 63kb). The charges for some popular searches are included in the Information from Archives (IFA) leaflets below.
What other options do I have?
- You can visit us and carry out the research yourself - see our research signposts on people, places and subjects to help you get started
- You can do some initial research yourself, using our online Catalogue
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You can employ an independent researcher to do the work for you
Popular research subjects
The Information from Archives (IFA) leaflets below give guidance on sources and our standard charges for popular research subjects.
Military
Army operations, World War Two (PDF, 0.04Mb)
British Army service: Other ranks 1760-1913 (PDF, 0.05Mb)
British Army service: Officers 1757-1913 (PDF, 0.04Mb)
First World War Army service: Other ranks (PDF, 0.05Mb)
First World War Army service: Officers (PDF, 0.07Mb)
First World War: Prisoners of war 1914-1918 (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Royal Naval service: Ratings 1660-1853 (PDF, 0.04Mb)
Royal Navy: Ratings 1835-1945 (PDF, 0.06Mb)
Royal Navy: Officers 1660-1945 (PDF, 0.06Mb)
South African War 1899-1902: Service records of other ranks and NCOs (PDF, 0.07Mb)
South African War 1899-1902: Records relating to strategic direction, operations and diplomacy (PDF, 0.10Mb)
Domestic
Census returns (PDF, 0.02Mb)
Births marriages and deaths in the UK (PDF, 0.09Mb)
Registered designs (PDF, 0.06Mb)
Civilian internees (PDF, 0.08Mb)
Wills and probate (PDF, 0.06Mb)
Internees 1914-1922 (PDF, 0.04Mb)
Civil servants and crown employees (PDF, 0.06Mb)
Death Duty indexes and registers (PDF, 0.03Mb)
Outgoing passenger lists pre-1890 (PDF, 0.03Mb)
Naturalisation and Citizenship (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Passenger lists 1890-1960 (PDF, 0.04Mb)
Passenger lists pre-1890 (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Merchant Navy service: Officers and seamen 1913-1972 (PDF, 0.07Mb)
Merchant Navy service: Officers 1845-1913 (PDF, 0.06Mb)
Merchant Navy service: Seamen 1835-1857, officers 1835-1844 (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Metropolitan Police (PDF, 0.06Mb)
Legal
Chancel repairs (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Change of name (PDF, 0.04Mb)
Divorce post-1858 (PDF, 0.04Mb)
Cases heard in the Central Criminal Court (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Tracing an 18th-20th century criminal (PDF, 0.05Mb)
Chancery Division of High Court of Justice 1875-c.1980 (PDF, 0.06Mb)
How to contact us
Please fill in our online form or write to us at Advice and Records Knowledge, The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU. Remember to give as much detail as possible.
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