FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


FAQs02031100

Domestic Science Class Nodehill Secondary School
Newport Illustrations Collection Uncatalogued



1

What are your opening times?


We are open on:

Monday
9.00 am -12.25 pm


1.00 pm – 5.00 pm




Tuesday
CLOSED




Wednesday - Friday
9.00 am-12.25 pm


1.00 pm – 5.00 pm




2

How do I find the Record Office?



The Record Office is situated at 26, Hillside, Newport. To view a plan showing the location of the Office and for directions please see Finding Us.




3
Is there parking available at the Record Office?



There is parking available at the Record Office, but the number of spaces is limited. Disabled drivers are advised to ring beforehand to reserve a space.



If all the spaces are taken, you can park nearby at the Quay (NB. access is closed on Tuesdays - market day). There are also several car parks within the town centre.




4

Do I need a ticket to use the Office?


Yes, there are two types of tickets available, which can be issued when you arrive.



Day tickets: These give you access to the Office for one day and are suitable for those who intend to visit the Office either once or occasionally. You will need to give details of your name and address, but will not require proof of identification.



C.A.R.N tickets: Those who visit the Office regularly should obtain a C.A.R.N. (County Archive Research Network) ticket. These tickets are free; they are valid for four years and will give you access to any record office that belongs to the Research Network. You will need to produce some proof of identification containing a name and address eg. driving licence, utility bill or bank statement. (Please note that passports do not contain addresses.)


5

Is there a charge for using the Office?



Access to the Record Office is free. Charges are made for copying documents (see Obtaining Copies) and for our Research Service.


6

Do I need to make an appointment?



You do not need to make an appointment unless you wish to consult material held on microfilm/fiche. Our microfilm/fiche material comprises census returns, parish registers, wills and newspapers: the Isle of Wight County Press, the Isle of Wight Times and the Isle of Wight Observer You will need to tell us which records you wish to consult and whether you require a viewer or printer.



Please bear in mind that we have a Personal Names Index (on card) recording all entries in parish registers from 1539 – 1900. The index will allow you to locate details of individual baptisms, marriages and burials without the need to search parish registers. You will therefore only need to book a microfilm reader if you wish to view the actual entries in the registers.



Due to limitations in space, appointments are recommended for those wishing to use tithe maps.




7

What types of records do you keep?



We keep a wide range of records spanning the 12th –21st centuries, including records of parish churches, estates, families, businesses, schools and local government. For further information about our sources see Types of Records.




8

What is the difference between the Record Office and the Register Office?



The Record Office keeps church registers of baptisms, marriages and burials dating from 1539 onwards. We have a Personal Names Index (on card), which records all the entries in these registers for the period 1539 – 1900.



The Register Office can supply birth, marriage and death certificates dating from 1 July 1837 onwards. The Isle of Wight Family History Society is in the process of indexing these records, and their database is available online. In addition, microfiche indexes to births, marriages and deaths for England are available locally at the Lord Louis Library.




9

Do you provide photocopies of documents?



Photocopies can be made subject to the document's physical condition and copyright regulations. It is also possible to print copies from material held on microfilm/fiche. In some cases laser or photographic copies can be provided when higher quality reproductions are required. Details of our charges can be found by viewing Obtaining Copies.



Where documents cannot be copied because it would damage them to do so, it is possible to make an appointment to take a digital image using your own equipment.




10

Can you undertake research on my behalf?



Yes, the Record Office undertakes research for those who are not able to visit in person. The charge is £15.00 for a one hour search of documents held by the Office. For further details see Research Service.




11

Can I borrow documents?



No, all records must be viewed in the searchroom. If you cannot visit the Office, you may use our research service, or obtain photocopies of documents (subject to their physical condition and copyright regulations).




12

Can I bring my laptop?



Because of limitations of space, visitors are requested to make an appointment before bringing in their laptop.




13

What arrangements are there for visits by school students?


The Record Office does not have an education room, and can only accommodate visits by individual students. Those setting projects are asked to contact Record Office staff in advance to ensure that the subject chosen is one with which the Office can help.




14

What do I need to bring with me?



You should bring pencils, rubber, paper, notes detailing any previous research, reference numbers for documents previously consulted which need further investigation, money for photocopies and identification (if you wish to obtain a C.A.R.N. ticket).


15

Does the Record Office have a room for refreshments?



We regret that the Record Office has no space available for such a facility, although there are a number of cafes and restaurants within a ten minutes’ walk in Newport.


16

Why is the Island called the ‘Isle of Wight’?



Explanations provided by two books are given below:



‘The Place Names of the Isle of Wight’ by A D Mills (1996)
The name of the Island itself is extremely ancient. It is recorded at a very early date as Vectis in Ptolemy’s Geography of c150 AD, then as Vecta in the 4th century Antonine Itinerary, as With in Bede and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (9th and 10th centuries). In 12th and 13th century records it appears variously as With, With, Wicht, Wict, Wight, Wycht, Whyht, Whyt, Wyht, Wythe and Wyght. This ancient name is certainly Celtic, possibly from an old British word connected with Welsh gwaith (‘turn’, ‘course’) and its meaning may be ‘place of division’ with reference to the situation of the Island between the two arms of the Solent.



‘The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names’ by E Ekwall (1990)
A British name, perhaps identical with Welsh gwaith ‘turn, a word cognate with Latin vectis ‘lever’ (lit. ‘the act of lifting’), Old English with ‘weight’, derived from the root of Latin veho ‘to carry’. The meaning might have been ‘what has been raised’ ie. ‘what rises above the sea’, ‘island’.



Page last updated on: 02/03/2011