The National Archives (TNA)

The National Archives is a government department; and also an agency of the Ministry of Justice.

Its 580 staff work in Kew, with a small number at Admiralty Arch in central London. The National Archives brings together the Public Record Office, Historical Manuscripts Commission, the Office of Public Sector Information and Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

The vision of The National Archives is to:

• Lead and transform information management
• Guarantee the survival of today’s information for tomorrow
• Bring history to life for everyone

History

The Public Record Office was founded by act of Parliament in 1838 to bring together and preserve the records of central government and the courts of law, and to make them available to all who wish to consult them. The records, beginning with Domesday Book (1086), span an unbroken period from the 11th century to the present. The Historical Manuscripts Commission was appointed by Royal Warrant dated 2nd April 1869. Its terms of reference were revised and extended by a further Royal Warrant given on 5th December 1959 - find out more.

The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) was established, in 2005, incorporating HMSO, to act as the lead on advising on and regulating the operation of public sector information re-use. Its role has been to be at the heart of information policy, setting standards, providing a practical framework of best practice for opening up and encouraging the use of public sector information.

Holdings and resources

The National Archives holds many records relating to family history including Military Service and Operational records, Wills of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (before 1858), Death Duties and records of Non- Conformists. See the Family History Research section of the website.

The National Archives also maintains the National Register of Archives (NRA). The NRA contains information on the nature and whereabouts of records in the UK and abroad that are not public records, such as those held by local record offices and universities. Contact details for local record offices and all other repositories are available on the ARCHON Directory.

The National Archives is at the heart of information policy – setting standards and supporting innovation in information and records management across the UK, and providing a practical framework of best practice for opening up and encouraging the re-use of public sector information. This work helps inform today’s decisions and ensure that they become tomorrow’s permanent record. The National Archives is also the UK government’s official archive, containing 900 years of history from Domesday Book to the present, with records ranging from parchment and paper scrolls through to recently created digital files and archived websites. Increasingly, these records are being put online, making them universally accessible.

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