Heading Back to the Archives
It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog post. This fact is heavily connected to the fact that it has been a long time since I was able to carry out any “proper” genealogical research. You know the sort, where you actually venture into real archival repositories (instead of being constrained by covid to online research only).
Recently I was delighted to make a trip back to one of my favourite archives: Suffolk Archives at Bury St Edmunds. I mean what’s not to like? What more perfect route to “work” could there be than a walk through the Abbey Gardens, followed by a saunter past a graveyard:
It was something of a milestone moment: it was the trip to finish the research for a piece of work I had started at the end of 2019. I had already looked at the original documents I needed and I had used every index and transcription available but outstanding was some research in parish registers, “in the flesh”. OK, so that’s not actually how it works, Suffolk parish registers are only available to visitors on microfiche, for conservation reasons. They have been transcribed by the Suffolk Family History Society but, as any good researcher will tell you, ALWAYS check the original documents. So that was my goal, a list of parish registers to check against the transcriptions and a hunt for any further snippets of information.
Access to the microfiche has been the last to return for researchers at Suffolk Archives and is only recently available. I arrived on time for my two hours appointment at 10am. After a brief catch up with the lovely ladies (“Hello” to Sarah and Phil), time was limited after all, I sat myself at my microfiche reader, next to which had been placed the microfiche collections I needed and the lists of which registers were on which microfiche.
The whole experience was very organised, with covid precautions in place and no concerns or worries.
Opening times and access at archives around the country is still very varied and I would recommend carefully reading the latest opening updates on the relevant website before planning your visit.
For me, it was good to be back!
