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Kate Maisey of Gloucestershire Archives explains how to make the most of your visit to an archive

When the cyber-trail goes cold, visiting a county record office is a good next step. The local archive is like a TARDIS that can transport you to your chosen era. Each contains thousands of unique documents dating back to the Middle Ages. From school log books to landed gentry’s estate accounts, architects’ plans to property deeds, they offer a wealth of information about the local area in times past, and the people who lived there. The National Archives website will help you work out which office you need to visit: discovery.national archives.gov.uk/find-an-archive.

1 PLAN YOUR RESEARCH AND BREAK IT DOWN INTO STEPS

For each visit, decide what you want to find out, and why. Make sure you can explain this concisely, otherwise staff may struggle to help. Visual aids can improve your communication: a clearly drawn family tree may prevent any confusing conversations.

2 PREPARE FOR YOUR VISIT

Although record offices have much in common, they each operate independently and don’t all share the same access arrangements. Don’t risk turning up on spec only to find it’s a day the service is closed, or that you haven’t brought the required ID to register as a user.

3 ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME

Original documents are kept in strongrooms and only got out on request, which takes time. You can work smarter by ordering material beforehand, and indeed some offices ask for this. Remember too that old documents can be verbose and hard to read, so be realistic about how much material you can get through. If you are planning to photograph documents, be sure to ask about copying rules and costs.

4 BE FLEXIBLE

The records you want to see may not survive or may not contain the information you’re seeking. So look for alternative sources and consider how records that do exist – be they neighbourhood street plans, or photos of the parish church – can illuminate your ancestor’s life and times. Don’t limit yourself by dismissing information that doesn’t specifically mention your ancestor.

5 USE CATALOGUES WISELY

Unlike a library, you cannot access material directly, so catalogues provide the only way in. However, they can be daunting for new users. Follow the available guidance, which can range from help sheets and FAQs to online tutorials, and your patience will be rewarded. Typing an ancestor’s name into the online catalogue is always worth a try – but can only take you so far.