The National Archives (United Kingdom) facts for kids
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| Non-ministerial department overview | |
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| Formed | April 2003 |
| Jurisdiction | England and Wales, HM Government |
| Headquarters | Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU 51°28′52″N 0°16′46″W / 51.48111°N 0.27944°W |
| Employees | 590 |
| Annual budget |  £46.2 million (2022–23) |
| Ministers responsible |
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| Non-ministerial department executive |
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| Parent department | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
| Child agencies |
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| Key document |
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The National Archives (also called TNA) is a special government department in the United Kingdom. It is the official place where important documents from the UK government and for England and Wales are kept. Think of it as a huge, super-safe library for historical papers!
TNA looks after some of the nation's most famous documents. Some of these papers are over 1,000 years old. There are separate national archives for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Before 2003, TNA was made up of four different groups. These included the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission. Since 2008, TNA has also managed a website called legislation.gov.uk. This site holds all UK laws. A government minister helps oversee the department.
Contents
- Where to Find The National Archives
- A Brief History of The National Archives
- Leaders of The National Archives
- What The National Archives Does
- Leading the Archives Sector
- Amazing Collections at The National Archives
- Other Services The National Archives Offers
- Missing Records and How TNA Handles Them
- See also
Where to Find The National Archives
The National Archives is located in Kew, which is in London. The building first opened in 1977. It was built to hold public records that were previously kept elsewhere.
The site where TNA stands used to be a hospital during World War I. Later, other government offices used the building. It is close to Kew Gardens Underground station.
TNA also has another office in Norwich. There is also a huge storage place called DeepStore. It is in a former salt mine in Winsford, Cheshire. This is where many records are kept safe underground.
A Brief History of The National Archives
The National Archives was created in 2003. It was formed by joining the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission. It reports to a government minister who handles digital policy.
In 2006, The National Archives joined with two other offices. These were the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) and His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). The name of the combined organisation stayed "The National Archives."
Leaders of The National Archives
The person in charge of The National Archives is called the Chief Executive and Keeper. Here are some of the people who have held this important role:
- 1991–2005: Sarah Tyacke
- 2005–2010: Natalie Ceeney
- 2010–2013: Oliver Morley
- 2013–2014: Clem Brohier (acting)
- 2014–2024: Jeff James
- 2024-present: Saul Nassé
What The National Archives Does
TNA plays a very important role in how information is managed in the UK. It helps set rules for how government information and records are handled. This work helps people make good decisions today. It also makes sure these decisions become a permanent record for the future.
Here are some of TNA's main jobs:
- Giving Advice – TNA advises the government on how to manage information. This includes everything from creating records to using them again.
- Choosing Documents – TNA decides which important documents should be kept forever.
- Keeping Documents Safe – TNA makes sure documents stay in the best possible condition.
- Allowing Access – TNA lets the public see and use the documents.
- Sharing Knowledge – TNA advises people and other archives around the world. They teach others how to look after historical documents.
- Managing Copyright – TNA manages Crown copyright for the UK. This means they look after the rights for many government publications.
- Checking Rules – TNA makes sure other public organisations follow rules. These rules are about keeping public records and sharing information.
Leading the Archives Sector
The National Archives helps guide all other archives in the UK. This includes local government archives and other private collections. It makes sure that important non-government records in England and Wales are kept properly.
Since 2011, TNA has also been responsible for advising ministers on archive policy in England. TNA sees its role as making the "archival health of the nation" better. This means ensuring that the UK's historical records are well-preserved and available.
Amazing Collections at The National Archives
The National Archives is the official archive for the UK government. It holds 1,000 years of history! This includes everything from the Domesday Book to modern digital files. It even has archived websites.
Types of Records You Can Find
The documents kept at Kew include:
- Records from central courts of law, going back to the 1100s.
- Old and new records from the central government.
- A large collection of maps, plans, and building drawings.
- Records for people researching their family history. This includes wills and criminal records.
- Military records from the armed forces.
- Letters and files from the Foreign Office and Colonial Office.
- Papers from the Cabinet and Home Office.
- Statistics from the Board of Trade.
- Records of English railway companies.
TNA also has a museum. It shows off key documents like the Domesday Book. The museum also has exhibitions using items from its collections.
Famous Documents You Can See
Here are some of the most important and interesting items in the collection:
- The Domesday Book, a unique record of medieval England from 1086.
- The final version of the Magna Carta, issued by King Henry III in 1225.
- A chest box holding the Treaty of Brétigny from 1360. This treaty ended the first part of the Hundred Years' War.
- A copy of the first item printed in England by William Caxton in 1476.
- The gold seal of Francis I from a peace treaty between France and England in 1527.
- A letter from Sir Francis Drake during the Spanish Armada in 1588.
- The signed confession of Guy Fawkes from the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.
- The last will of William Shakespeare with his famous signature from 1616.
- The record of Charles I's trial for treason from 1649.
- An indictment letter for the famous highwayman Dick Turpin from 1739.
- A letter from Captain Cook before his first voyage in 1768.
- The Olive Branch Petition from 1775, trying to stop war between the American colonies and Britain.
- Three copies of the Dunlap Broadsides from 1776. These were the first printed copies of the US Declaration of Independence.
- The logbook of William Bligh from HMS Bounty, describing the famous mutiny in 1789.
- The last will of the famous author Jane Austen from 1817.
- A calling card left by the Marquis of Queensberry for Oscar Wilde in 1895.
- An SOS telegram from the Titanic's wireless officer, Jack Phillips, in 1912.
- A copy of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from 1916.
- A copy of the Treaty of Versailles from 1919.
- A signed letter of abdication by Edward VIII from 1936.
How to Access Documents
You can search for documents using TNA's online catalogue. It is free to enter The National Archives building. Anyone aged 16 or older can see the original documents. You just need to show two forms of ID to get a free reader's ticket.
In the reading room, you can order documents from secure storage. You need the document's reference number. This number has three parts: a department code, a series number, and an individual document number. You can also order documents ahead of time.
Once you order a document, TNA tries to get it to you within 45 minutes. Some documents are stored in a salt mine in Cheshire. These can take 2–3 days to arrive.
You do not need a reader's ticket to look at records on microform or online. Many popular documents have been put on microfilm or digitised. For example, records for two million First World War soldiers are on microfilm. The originals were damaged in a fire during World War II.
Many popular documents can now be downloaded from TNA's website for a small fee. You can also find them through other online services. TNA encourages people to use digital copies to protect the original documents from damage.
How Documents are Stored
Documents are stored on special shelves that move. These shelves are double-sided and can be pushed together. This saves space by removing aisles when they are not needed. You can move them along tracks on the floor to create an aisle.
The documents are usually kept in special acid-free folders or boxes. This helps protect them from damage over time.
If there is a fire, TNA cannot use water sprinklers. Water would ruin the documents. Instead, if the building is evacuated, argon gas is released into the air-tight storage rooms. This gas removes oxygen and puts out the fire without harming the papers.
Other Services The National Archives Offers
The National Archives also helps people with their research. It helps them find collections beyond what TNA itself holds.
Learning and Education
TNA has a free online education page. It is for teachers and students learning history. You can choose different time periods, from medieval times to today. Each period has materials that teachers can use. Students can find tips for research and writing using historical documents.
"Access to Archives" (A2A)
Access to Archives (A2A) is a database. It has details about archive collections in many different places across England and Wales. New collections are not being added right now, but you can still use the existing information.
National Register of Archives (NRA)
The National Register of Archives (NRA) is a central place for information about British history documents. It includes published and unpublished lists of collections in the UK and other countries. There are over 44,000 such lists. You can look at the register in TNA's reading room.
TNA collects this information in different ways. Other archives send their catalogues to TNA. TNA also surveys archives each year to find out about new documents.
ARCHON Directory
The ARCHON Directory is a database of contact details. It lists archive places in the UK. It also includes places around the world that have many documents about British history.
"Your Archives"
"Your Archives" was a special online community for TNA users. It was a wiki where users could add information. It closed in 2012. Users created articles about historical records held by TNA and other archives.
Databases for Research
The National Archives also hosts several databases. These include records about hospitals, migration, and old manors.
TNA worked with the Wellcome Library to create the Hospital Records Database. This database has not been updated since 2012. The Manorial Documents Register is still being updated.
Smartphone Apps
In 2011, TNA launched its first iPhone app called "Old Money." It uses historical price data from TNA documents. You can see what old money from 1270 would be worth today.
TNA's museum also started using QRpedia codes in 2011. You can scan these codes with a smartphone. They give you information about exhibits from Wikipedia.
Blogs and Podcasts
TNA regularly posts blogs on its website. These blogs cover many topics. They talk about historical events, specific documents, and how the archive works.
The "Archives Media Player" section has videos and podcasts. These are created by TNA.
Missing Records and How TNA Handles Them
Sometimes, documents can go missing from the archives. Between 2005 and 2011, over 1,500 files were reported missing. These included letters from Winston Churchill. About 800 of these have been found. TNA believes most are misplaced, not permanently lost.
In 2017, it was reported that about 1,000 files had been taken by government officials and not returned. TNA says that the number of missing files is very small. It is only about 0.01% of all their documents. They work hard to keep track of everything.
See also
In Spanish: Archivos Nacionales del Reino Unido para niños
- UK Government Web Archive
- List of national archives
