please empty your brain below

I went there when it first opened, I am surprised that you have not visited the archives before, glad you liked the place.
The cinema you mentioned as "long-gone" was the Regal,Bow Road-demolished in 1960.
Very interesting, I wonder if any concrete building looks good if its surrounded by trees, water and herons.

Being thought dead may cause some problems, my grandfather was thought to be sufficiently dead so as to have his name on a war memorial.
The National Archives is a wonderful national asset, and offer an excellent service – especially if, as you say, you order your files in advance. The trick is then to keep on ordering throughout the day, so that new files are being sought while you are examining the older ones. You are only allowed to keep three files on your desk at any time, but you can use the delivery lockers to store the older ones if you want to hang on to them until the end of the day.
Closed Monday these days, which is a pity.
I used to use the cafeteria before or after walks along the Thames and these were often on a Monday.

The bookshop is very tempting.

Mortlake has the Jolly Gardeners
"I've been trying to track down the pre-war street pattern on the south side of Bow Church for years"

The National Library of Scotland have a wonderful set of map images
"Side by side georeferenced" with current modern maps on the right of your screen and the matching historical map on the left which you can click and drag around,
they have eight different maps that you can choose from covering the 1890s to 1964. I mainly use the 1947 to 1964 map as its very clear and east to read.

dg writes: I used that very website to research the first paragraph of today's post.The 1894 map of Bow Church is very good, but the map at the Archives had even more detail.
As a family historian I was a regular visitor to the Public Record Office as a student.
But a long spell abroad and the availability of resources on the internet means I've never visited TNA! It's just a bit of a pain to get to from NW London.

dg writes: Willesden Jn to Kew Gardens by Overground - 14 mins :)

I've just printed the page in the 1939 Register that shows my dad's cousin as a baby on it, despite him being very much alive and kicking!
As you probably know, the National Library of Scotland has a wonderful map resource. The 25 inch is especially useful and enlightening: Bow Church in the 1890s

dg writes: As I said above...
You smiled when you recognised the unchanged signalling at Bow Road or the glimpsed the first bus stop M?
A few years a go while doing family history research at TNA, I pulled a folder relating to a WW1 trench my great grandfather had been in.

No matter what you've seen or read before, nothing quite strikes you the same way as being able to hold something handwritten, smeared in dried mud and undelivered. The man that wrote the un-addressed letter died before he could send it. There was a note to this effect on the bottom of the page by his commanding officer.
I went there to look up some files about my father's postings when he was serving in the RAF in Burma during WW2.

Absolutely fascinating little snippets. EG - each time the squadron was moved the advance guard were the catering staff who were considered the most essential personnel!

And that picture of the heron is amazing!
Next week: A comprehensive history of Bow bus stops.

We can but only dream.
Seeking details of my Dad's experience as a prisoner of the Germans in WW2, I was directed by staff at the Imperial War Museum to see if he had completed a Liberation Questionnaire, which might be held in the National Archives. The two boxes I was given represented only a small fraction of the POWs
and my Dad's was not there ( He may not have completed one)
Ex - prisoners were invited to identify people who had gone out of their way to give help; also to dob in anyone who had assisted the enemy.
There were some fascinating and moving stories.
Herons are ten a penny on the canals around Brum.
There is usually one standing by the Old Main Line where it goes under the M5.
It's never struck me before how similar the Archives building is to the now demolished library in Birmingham.
My wife and I often go on to the National Archives after we have done our shopping at the Kew Retail Park next door. They do some very good lunches in the cafe and the Keeper's Gallery is always very interesting. I also pop up stairs where you can get on the TNA computer or have a look at one of the history magazines they take. To end our visits we usually visit the books which has a better range of history books and cards than most bookshops do.
There are also very interesting behind the scenes tours which I can fully recommend. Just been on one last week.
Do you use the Goad Fire Insurance plans at the British Library? A great way to understand the different property usage and building construction around the turn of the century.

» Key plan around Bow: [link]
» South of the church: [link]
» Further south again: [link]
By any chance is the Underground signalling diagram from 1907 the one that still powers Bow Road and its delinquent indicators?
I see that there is a brand new 38 Degree petition regarding proposed changes to public access:-

The National Archive plans to change the way the public access records onsite at Kew, which will make it impossible to see documents on the day unless you have an appointment. To do this they will cut 60 plus jobs from Document Services and Reprographics departments.

1 At present visitors can turn up at the NA and have access to records; under proposed changes access will be by appointment only. 100 appts per day will be available. Visitors making appts have to give advance notice of records they wish to see, if you don't know document reference number you will not be able to see documents.
2. This proposal will outsource work of Reprographics dept. This dept makes revenue for the National Archive.










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