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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2002-02 > 1013287285


From: "Julian Wilson" <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] War Diaries & PRO Visits
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 20:41:25 -0000
References: <002c01c1b0b0$068fbae0$5ba769d5@michael> <002001c1b187$8669da70$19dca8c0@unowho.org> <004a01c1b195$67899d80$65e468d5@tony> <3C65786A.6DEA1133@ntlworld.com>


>Bob smith wrote
> I visited "in person " The RAMC museum at Keogh Barracks Aldershot,
> They advised me to try the PRO

Mr Smith, Ladies and Gentlemen of the List,
a word of advice, if I may - never ever think that it will be possible
to just "drop-in" at Regimental Museum and get access to their Archives.
The system just doesn't work that way.
Research staff are nearly always volunteers and part-time. The regular
"floor staff" will be there simply to keep an eye on the displays and take
the entrance money - rarely will they know anything much about the
Regimental history.
The research staff may not be there on the day you visit; and would in
any case require time to search the Archives to try and answer your queries.
Always, always, send your queries first by post, and never try to visit
Regimental Archives without advance arrangements, confirmed the day before
you are due there.
My very first visit to a Regimental Museum was made 'on spec', - and I
was told by the "floor staff" to try the MoD Army Records Centre and the
PRO, and effectively turned away. The floor staff couldn't even answer many
of my specific questions about the displays they were supervising. They
didn't even know that several of the items in one of the displays were
wrongly captioned/ wrongly attributed.
When I wrote to the Curator a month later, the Archivist was able to
answer all my questions - and a number I hadn't even thought of - from the
Regimental Archives.
I think that illustrates the point I'm trying to make.
Good luck with the research,
Cordially,
Shellback, in Jersey.


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