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Authentic voices from the past: The National Archives and the Archives Gateway

15 April 2004

The Archives Task Force - on which The National Archives has been represented - has carried out an in-depth analysis and review of the state of the UK's unique and diverse archives. Its report - Listening to the Past, Speaking to the Future - was published in March 2004.

The Task Force proposes the creation of a new Archives Gateway to bring about a step change in the accessibility of services and collections.

One of the core priorities identified by the Archives Task Force is the Linking Arms programme. The National Archives - based in Kew, West London - is leading this programme in partnership with other national archival organisations in the UK (The National Archives of Scotland, the National Library of Wales and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland) and with regional and local organisations and community-based archives.

Linking Arms - recognised by the Archives Task Force to be the Archives Gateway - will bring together and develop all the existing networked information about archives in the UK. Linking Arms is currently investigating the infrastructure for this network and overseeing the development of new content, based on exciting initiatives in community archives and in response to user needs.

The National Archives - which recently won the Longman's History Today award for its work in making archives more accessible to the public - is also the lead partner in the Moving Here project. Bringing together 30 museums, libraries and archives to provide a web-based resource for lifelong learners, Moving Here records and illustrates 200 years of migration to England by the Caribbean, Irish, Jewish and South Asian communities.

The Moving Here website http://www.movinghere.org.uk/ gives free online access to a unique, digitised network of national, regional and local resources - ranging from art objects and maps to photographs, government documents, film and sound. We are also encouraging individuals and community groups to contribute their own digitised objects, documents and stories.

Moving Here is introducing new audiences to heritage material as well as to their own heritage. It is also encouraging wider access, as museums, archives and libraries find new ways to make their collections relevant to specific audiences.

"Moving Here is just one of The National Archives' many success stories in opening up online access to archives," says Sarah Tyacke, Chief Executive of The National Archives. "A will by William Shakespeare -containing three of only six surviving copies of his signature - is now online at our newly launched DocumentsOnline website, which provides online access to the original wills of many famous names in British history."

But it's not only the wills of the rich and famous which are included. DocumentsOnline also contains digital images of more than 1 million probate copies of wills of men and women from all walks of life - from servants and plumbers, to royalty and magistrates. The wills span 6 centuries of British history from 1384 to 1858.

"Making these wills available online is an integral part of The National Archives' overall strategy to open up access to the nation's most popular documents to the widest possible audience," says Sarah Tyacke. "It is a fantastic boost to family historians the world over."