Hertford Record Office

[Merry]

Nothing to add to BK6 from this thread

Next week (arrive Monday pm, leave Fri am) we are camping a mile from Herts RO and I shall be sending my OH on missions to research my Smiths and Crawleys ;(:D.

He is experienced with basic records, having visited the Dorset CRO many, many times, but I did wonder if there is anything in particular he should know about the one at Hertford? His CARN ticket has expired - presumably it's not a nightmare to get a new one?

I have the joy of enytertaining the children on the campsite whilst worrying he will miss something vital in his searches! lol

[ElizabethHerts]

Merry, I never use a CARN card when I go there - they have never asked.
However,

"CARN ticket
If you are visiting Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies for the first time and wish to consult original documents, please bring with you some identification bearing your name, address and signature, such as a driving licence. You will then be issued with a County Archive Research Network ticket, also known as a CARN ticket. This ticket is then valid for use at many other Record Offices throughout the country."

If you are just viewing parish registers using the fiche readers etc. you won't need a CARN ticket.


As you go in, to your left is the archives section where the original documents are held. I looked at a register once because the fiche was so unclear and an archivist stood and watched. I idly turned a page and she was not pleased at all! (I hadn't realised, I was only allowed to view that one page.)

If you go straight on as you enter there is a place where there are lockers with seating where people eat their sandwiches etc, and there are cloakrooms/loos to the left. Straight through, and you are in the room with the fiches etc. and lots of other books and information. There are a couple of people there who are very helpful.

Do go to the bookcase at the far end - there are booklets for individual parishes and lots of other information.

[ElizabethHerts]

I have the joy of enytertaining the children on the campsite whilst worrying he will miss something vital in his searches! lol

Can't you do a swap one day? Or take one of the children with you?

[ElizabethHerts]

Parking is free, but get there early as it can get busy. They perform civil ceremonies there and some of the spaces are reserved for weddings.

[Merry]

Thanks Elizabeth.

We won't need parking as OH will have to walk from the campsite!

I don't think swapping with him would help as I have never been to a RO, have never used a film reader, and am not good at being in new environments, so any extra knowledge of the problems with my tree will be outweighed by my learning curve at the RO! I will just have to make sure I have trained him up over the next few days and that both our phones are charged up! lol

I didn't realise he didn't need a CARN ticket as that's what he's always used at Dorset RO, so thanks for that.

I will tell him about not touching! lol

[ElizabethHerts]

Merry, it is for the room on the left where the original documents are held that he should need a CARN ticket. However, if he is just looking at PRs on fiche etc he won't need one. If he has identity with him they will issue him with one if necessary.

I don't think they bothered asking me for a CARN ticket (although I have one) because I just needed to look at the bottom of a page of a parish register which was very blurry. I was sent from the other research room.

[ElizabethHerts]

This might help:

http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/leisculture/heritage1/hals/halsopen

They are closed on Mondays, but I don't think that affects you.

http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/leisculture/heritage1/hals/famhist/famhist

[Merry]

Was the blury PR my James Smith's marriage?!!! :d

lol re Mondays! The only time I ever went to Dorset RO (on the return journey from Weymouth to photograph a gravestone for Libby!) it was the first ever Monday they had closed. I got to look through the glass panel in the door!!