Researching online

Our paid search service

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.

One option open to you is to use our FOI paid search service. Our 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.

Our charge for searches is £15 per 15 minutes, but please contact us for the full cost of your particular search before sending us any money. Our charge is based on the Public Record Office Fees Order. The charges for some popular searches are included in the Information from Archives leaflets below.

If you would like some information from the archives, and you would like us to search for it for you, please write to us at Reader Information Services, The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU, or fill in our online form. Please remember to give as much detail as possible.

The other options available to you are:

Our growing range of Information from Archives leaflets give guidance on sources and our standard charges for popular research subjects.

Military

• Army Operations World War Two (PDF, 43.61kb)

• British Army service: Other ranks, 1760 - 1913 (PDF, 53.13kb)

• British Army service: Officers, 1757 - 1913 (PDF, 43.34kb)

• First World War Army service: Other ranks (PDF, 63.84kb)

• First World War Army Officers´ Service (PDF, 67.35kb)

• First World War: Prisoners of War 1914 - 1918 (PDF, 53.94kb)

• Royal Naval Service: Ratings 1660 - 1853 (PDF, 44.87kb)

• Royal Navy Ratings 1835 - 1945 (PDF, 57.43kb)

• Royal Navy Officers, 1660-1945 (PDF, 101.88kb)

• The South African War 1899 - 1902, service records of other ranks and NCOs (PDF, 76.53kb)

• South African War 1899-1902: Records relating to strategic direction, operations, and diplomacy (PDF, 97.34kb)

Domestic

• Births, marriages and deaths in the UK (PDF, 96.05kb)

• Registered Designs (PDF, 66.34kb)

• Civilian Internees (PDF, 77.76kb)

• Wills and Probate (PDF, 56.94kb)

• Internees 1914-1922 (PDF, 45.14kb)

• Civil Servants and Crown Employees (PDF, 59.26kb)

• Death Duty Indexes and Registers (PDF, 41.29kb)

• Outgoing Passenger lists before 1890 (PDF, 32.18kb)

• Naturalisation and Citizenship (PDF, 49.94kb)

• Passenger lists, 1890-1960 (PDF, 39.45kb)

• Passenger Lists pre-1890 (PDF, 32.18kb)

• Merchant Navy Service, Officers and Seamen, 1913-1972 (PDF, 69.94kb)

• Merchant Navy Service, Officers: 1845-1913 (PDF, 57.56kb)

• Merchant Navy Service, Seamen 1835-1857, Officers 1835-1844 (PDF, 56.07kb)

• Metropolitan Police (, 62.52kb)

Legal

• Chancel Repairs (PDF, 51.55kb)

• Change of Name (PDF, 40.57kb)

• Divorce post 1858 (PDF, 39.14kb)

• Cases Heard in the Central Criminal Court (PDF, 49.82kb)

• Tracing an 18th - 20th Century Criminal (PDF, 52.11kb)

• Chancery Division of High Court of Justice 1875-c.1980 (PDF, 57.21kb)

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