Reviews

19 reviews so far

14/08/2011 06:05pm

Would like to thank your archivists for their generous help both in person and by email for my researches into the Cobb(e) family of Swarraton and the Nortons of East Tisted.

I'm also impressed with your website which I've just started to use. All much appreciated. Visits are limited due to our home being in Lancashire.

15/03/2011 05:02pm

I brought my son Daniel Morris to the 'History Show' hosted by Robert Blackwood on Saturday 12th March and wanted to pass on our thanks and gratitude to your offices and to Mr. Blackwood for putting on a superb show. Daniel & I thoroughly enjoyed it and we would have no hesitation in returning to a similar event and recommending it to classmates and families at Samuel Cody School in Farnborough.

09/02/2011 06:02pm

I would like to thank you for allowing us to visit you today. We are currently in the minibus on the way home and all the students can talk about is what they have just experienced at the Records Office.

Thank you for your kindness and organising a tour for us to see the wonderful things you do. I also want to thank you for taking the time to gather the items relating to Knowle Hospital for us to look through. We were so interested we didn't want to leave!

07/12/2010 08:25am

I have visited this office many times over the last three years and find it one of the best I have used in terms of facilities for research.

The working area is light and airy and the temperature controlled air vents mean it does not get hot and stuffy as some other offices do. There are plenty of computers available and the catalogue is very easy to use. Since ordering of documents has been done via computer terminals, their retrieval and delivery to the reading room seems much faster.

On the whole, staff are friendly and helpful, although some of the ladies in the reading/research room give the impression that researchers are a nuisance when they need to ask for help more than once.

One or two of them are I am afraid to say, completely rude and "snooty" and tend to look down on people with less knowledge than their own! I have seldom seem them smile or behave in a friendly manner and it is such a downside to a lovely working environment.

However, my main complaint is the level of noise from other researchers. At times the room resembles a crowded bar, with people talking really loudly and the staff do nothing to get them to quieten down.

A few notices around the place advising people to consider others and keep the noise down would be helpful - as would some on the microfilm drawers asking people NOT to slam them shut! Overall, it's a great place to spend time researching and well worth visiting!

Hampshire Record Office replies

We are sorry to note that the points you raised about staff and noise appear to have marred your visits to our research facilities. It is very important to us that our customers have a good experience of their visits so we will look at the issues you have raised here and consider how best we can address them.

18/10/2010 09:56am

Very friendly and helpful staff. An exceptionally detailed catalogue, which is a great bonus for quick visits and means I could get a lot done in a short time.

All in all, one of the best archives I have worked in.

20/09/2010 01:10pm

Whenever I visit I find the staff to be incredibly helpful and informative. I was particularly impressed by the impromptu latin translation of one document that a member of staff did for me on my last visit.

07/06/2010 06:58am

I have been using the search room facilities for about three years,I also visit two neighbouring county archives and the facilities, helpful,knowledgeable, friendly staff at Winchester are far superior,I cannot praise you enough.And what great opening hours! again Thank You.

06/05/2010 02:38pm

I really do enjoy my visits to the offices and find it fascinating looking at everything. My only criticism would be that I had no idea what to do and felt that I had to ask lots of questions all the time and I felt that I was bothering the members of staff there, this might not have obviously been the case but it is how i felt. Having looked at the National Archives website I see they hold 'New to Kew' sessions daily at 11:30 to introduce first-time visitors to the range of services available at The National Archives. There's no need to book and the sessions are free of charge.

I really feel that this should be introduced to Winchester offices.

13/05/2010 08:45am

On each visit I have made I have found the staff to be unfailingly courteous and helpful. The environment, as befits a modern purpose-built facility, is excellent. My only wish: a sandwich bar next door!

Review Ref. 385457

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