The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (HMC) in its annual Accessions
to Repositories exercise collects information relating to manuscript accessions from
over 200 repositories and record offices throughout the British Isles. This
information is then edited and used to produce a number of thematic digests
which are distributed for publication in a wide range of learned journals and
news sheets, as well as being published in full on the Commission's website
(http://www.hmc.gov.uk). It is also added to the computerised indices to the
National Register of Archives (NRA), which the Commission maintains as a
central collecting point for information concerning the location of manuscript
sources for British history outside of the public records. The NRA, which includes
over 42,000 unpublished lists of archives, can be consulted in our public search
room at Quality House, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1HP,
whilst the indices to the NRA are also available via the HMC website. The
Commission's staff will also answer limited and specific enquiries by post, fax
(0171 831 3550) and e-mail: nra@hmc.gov.uk.
Readers should note that dates for records in this digest are given when known,
but that these are covering dates which are not intended to necessarily indicate
the presence of records for all intervening years. Records have been included in
the digest regardless of whether the deposit has yet been fully listed, and readers
are advised to check with the staff of the relevant repository as to whether this,
or any other factors, may prohibit availability for research.
