Gloucestershire Archives have introduced a camera charge as from 2nd November 2009

Day licence for camera use £5.00
Weekly licence for camera use £20.00
Annual licence for camera use £100.00

We have up to 6 people at a time involved in a session of photographing the records and having to pay these camera charges makes it very difficult for us.

We have been supplying Gloucestershire Archives with a full transcript of all the records in Excel spreadsheets. On the completion of the project we offered to supply them with the complete database of all the records we have transcribed of the Forest of Dean parishes, many bordering parishes and also the non-conformist chapels. Additionally, all the images of the records that have been photographed were to be given to the Gloucester Archives on compact discs.

Considering our continuing willingness to share the transcriptions with the Archives we thought that the Forest of Dean Parish Records Project team would be exempt from any camera charges. This was not so, and Graham was asked to put forward a case to them regarding exemption from camera charges. This Graham did but we were informed that they would not exempt us from the charges but did offer us a reduced charge.

Being extremely disappointed with the Gloucestershire Archives decision, I contacted them myself and asked them to reconsider their decision, but again their reply was that they would only offer us a reduced charge.

I can appreciate that the Archives are facing an increasingly difficult financial situation but to me in does not make sense that we provide them with copies of all the transcripts we have done and at the same time we have to hand over money to them for the privilege of doing so.

As all of us involved in the parish records transcription and the other projects we have in progress want them to continue, Graham has decided that he will pay the required group camera charge himself and hopefully recover some of it from donations. I do hope that those of you who are in a position to help out towards this cost will do so.

David Watkins

Hi Graham, I am a lapsed transcriber, but hoping to come back soon, and I saw your message. I have donated £10.00 which I trust will go some way to help offset this ridiculous camera charge.

Dennis

Graham,

The cheque is in the post.

Paul.

I am concerned about any charges for information as I think people ought to have a right to know their family history. Perhaps we should lobby Gloucester Archives as a group to express our concern? I know in the city where I live there is no charge to look at records but I don't know if they charge to photograph them. I know I asked to photocopy some pages out of a printed book for personal use (a book containing information about my Forest of Dean ancestor's workplace and how he came to move from the Forest to Yorkshire) and they did not allow any photocopying at all on grounds that it could fade documents. But in the case of the document I wanted to copy it was printed and not any older than a few decades!!!!
Having said that though I have found that different councils subscribe to different family history websites and what I tend to do is go to nearby boroughs as well as the one in which I live to take advantage of the different subscriptions they have. This works well as I have found different information according to the resource used.
I am conscious though that a lot of money is being made out of people's family history which is one reason why I always tell Mormons when I see them that I really appreciate their website and the information it holds on family history being easily accessible and free of charge.

Two questions before i consider making a donation via Paypal.

1. What is the reduced charge for the whole year so that you can still carry on photographing with same amount of people.

2. Will you reconsider giving GRO copies of your transcripts in light of this extornate charge.

Mike John

The reason why I have only made public the basic facts from the replies we've received from Gloucestershire Archives and not the full contents, is because they clearly state that their correspondence is strictly confidential.

Putting the camera charge issue aside, we have always had an excellent relationship with the Archives and we've received full co-operation from them in assisting us to photograph the parish records. They have given us access to documents that would not normally be available to the public because of the fragile condition they are in.

Though we object strongly to the camera charges and have put up a fight against them being imposed on us, we have no wish for our relationship with the Archives to change.

Regarding the GRO, I am not aware of any issue with them that we need to reconsider. If there was a request from them, the management team of our project would certainly discuss it.

Hi David,

Very short sighted view taken by some bureaucrat.

I have sent AUD100.00 to help keep your team's excellant work moving along.

Regards

Glenn Robertson

I have sent a contribution via Paypal. I'm sorry it cannot be more, but let's hope by lots of small contributions you will be able to continue the excellent work photographing and transcribing.

Again, Many Thanks,

Gordon Williams

I have sent off a cheque to Graham which hopefully will go some way to help paying for these unreasonable charges.

Diane

What a sad position to be, you would think that the Archives would be more understanding, but I guess you have to consider things from their financial point of view as well, with the undoubted pressures from above. Paypal donation on its way. Ian

cheque in the post x

This charge does seem unjust when FODFH is helping to provide a more efficient and accessible service for Gloucestershire Archives to the general public. Unfortunately it smells very strongly of politics. Please don't get me started on the nonsenses of charges (or not) for OAPs or we will run out of space time and patience. I will make a contribution which will offset me not paying for swimming in Brockworth Pool as an OAP in the certain knowledge that the Government will NOT reimburse Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Des Johns

I would like to thank everyone who participates in making Parish Transcriptions available to us. If it wasn't for you, those like me (who live too far to access Gloucestershire Archives)would not be able to take pleasure in researching our FOD ancestry. I am most grateful and have made a donation in appreciation. I wish it could be more....... I'm sure a lottery win would be welcome!

Dee

Hello, Interestingly enough Gwent Record Office have a rule about this and charge £2.00 per day with an annual licence at about £50.
As a researcher I find it much faster to copy archives with my camera, take the images back home and deal with them there without the opening and closing times of the archive causing constraints on my time, be it The National or Gwent Archives.I can read and analyse them in relative peace and comfort.
The NA does not charge a fee yet but I wonder if this will spread further?

Peter