Free Downloads From The National Archives

[Barmaid]

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

For the next few weeks the National Archives are allowing free downloads of their digitised records (which are normally about £3.50 per document). Lots of PCC Wills (pre 1858) and really useful for medal cards of service men.

Nice idea for those who do not have a sub to ancestry or FMP.

You need an email address to register with them, but I have just downloaded some stuff for free.

Happy hunting!

[shoota]

Merci Madame.

[albaqwerty]

thanks BM x

[tonyav]

Many thanks for that info, Barmaid. I'll have a look at that tomorrow.

[jno]

brilliant, thanks, I'd never have spotted it.

[Tuvok]

Do they cover Scotland?

[Barmaid]

No Tuvok.

[wolf63]

How no? Does Scotland hiv their ain records?

[Buenchico]

Scottish records are accessible through the ScotlandsPeople website, which is still charging for downloads (although most are fairly cheap anyway):
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/our-charges

Main search page:
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records

[Zacs-Master]

Thanks Barmaid. Will while away a few hours on there.

[sanmac]

Do you have to be a resident of the UK to use this?

[Zacs-Master]

No, sanmac.

[wolf63]

Thanks Barmaid, I have sent the link to my brother. It may be of interest to him.

[Buenchico]

Everything on the National Archive website should be available worldwide, Sanmac. While there's a 'country' field on the site registration form, its use is entirely optional:
https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/Register

Beyond that, users of the site simply have to ensure that they stick to the rules of the Open Government Licence which applies to the vast majority of what's available to view and download:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

[sanmac]

OK, thanks, Zacs.

[Peter Pedant]

many thanks BM

[jno]

with the names I called up, about 70% were service records for WW1 or WW2. Doesn't look as though my English ancestors made a lot of wills, though they did live in the south.

[marval]

That is interesting, thank you BM.