RESEARCH
The Museum archives include 23,000 photographs
and a huge amount of material – personal
letters, documents, diaries, memoirs and maps –
relating to The Royal Green Jackets and its
antecedent regiments. There is also a
substantial library of books, including
regimental histories and chronicles.
The Museum archives have been
computer-catalogued on a readily searchable CALM
database. However, it is not
planned in the immediate future to place the
catalogue on-line, although consideration is
being given to make some, but not all, of the
photographic archive available.
To request access to the archives or to initiate
research enquiries, please read through the
information below.
Information Available
The Museum archives are a most useful first port
of call for those seeking information about the
actions, battles and engagements of the
battalions of the Regiment and its antecedent
regiments, or to research any other matter
relating to the history of the Regiment.
The archives are a less useful source of
information about former members of the Regiment
and its antecedent regiments, although there is
a fairly comprehensive record of those who
served as officers.
Limitations
The Museum does not hold the Service records of
those who have served in the Regiment. Members
of the public who wish to access such records
should consult the Army Museums Ogilby Trust
website
www.armymuseums.org.uk/ancestor.htm
which provides extremely useful
advice about what to do. The same website lists
the succession of titles by which the regiments
of Cavalry and Infantry have been known since
their formation. To see the list applicable to
The Royal Green Jackets,
please click here>>
Research Fees
Research is carried out by Museum staff and
experienced volunteers with considerable
knowledge of the history of the Regiment. They
receive expenses to cover their costs. An
additional amount is added to assist The Royal
Green Jackets Museum Trust, a registered
charity, to fund the preservation and
maintenance of the archive collection.
Current research fees are:
• Basic Charge: £15 for the first half-hour or
part thereof, and £10 for each subsequent
half-hour or part thereof.
• Charge to Sons/Daughters and
Grandsons/Granddaughters of former members of
the Regiment: £10 for the first half-hour or
part thereof, and £10 for each subsequent
half-hour or part thereof.
Special rates may be applied to those who wish
to initiate enquiries for commercial purposes
and/or for financial gain – authors, media
researchers and others. To avoid
misunderstanding, such persons are requested to
declare their interest at the outset.
Reproduction Costs
It is usually possible, within the constraints
of copyright law, for individuals wanting copies
of photographs or photocopies of documents to be
provided with them, but for personal research
use only.
A fee, including a handling charge, will
normally be raised to provide copies of
photographs and photocopies of documents. There
is no set scale of fees as the charge will be
dependent upon the nature of each task and the
cost of providing it.
Special rates may be applied to those who want
archival material reproduced for commercial
purposes and/or for financial gain – authors,
publishers, media researchers and others. To
avoid misunderstanding, such persons are
requested to declare their interest at the
outset.
How to Initiate a Research Enquiry
The easiest way to initiate a research enquiry is to
write to or e-mail the address below:
The Curator
The Royal Green Jackets Museum
Peninsula Barracks
Romsey Road
Winchester, Hants, SO23 8TS
e-mail:
archives@rgjmuseum.co.uk
By all means telephone for advice (Tel: 01962
828549) or visit the Museum, but the Museum
staff will not usually initiate research without
a supporting letter or e-mail providing as much
of the following information as possible:
• Your name and address, telephone number and
e-mail address.
• Whether or not you are a son/daughter or
grandson/granddaughter of a former member of the
Regiment and/or have any other Regimental
connections.
• As much background information about your
enquiry as possible. In particular, be sure to
tell us what you already know. Try and be
specific about regimental and battalion titles
and numbers, the names of persons and places,
and about dates. The more information you
provide the better. The less information you
provide, potentially the more difficult and
longer it will take to provide you with an
answer – and the more costly.
• Be explicit about the question(s) you want
answered.
• Please be sure to enclose a cheque for £15 (or
£10 for entitled persons – see above), made
payable to “RGJ Museum Trust”, to cover an
initial half-hour’s research. Research will not
be initiated in response to enquiries that fail
to be accompanied by payment of the requisite,
initial research fee. Payment may not be made by
debit/credit card.
On Receipt of an Enquiry
Enquiries will be answered as soon as possible
after their receipt. Depending upon the volume
of enquiries this can take some weeks. Receipt
of enquiries that are unlikely to be answered
within three weeks will be acknowledged with a
letter indicating when a response can be
expected.
Enquiries which are likely to require research
exceeding half an hour, but not more than an
hour, will be completed without reference to the
enquirer, with the payment of an additional fee
requested at the time of response. Enquiries
that are likely to give rise to greater charges
will not be initiated without the agreement of
the enquirer.
If a response to an enquiry is likely to incur
significant additional cost, for example,
multiple photocopying, colour printing or
photographic reproduction, and they are likely
to exceed a few pounds, the enquirer’s prior
approval will be sought.
Enquiries which, from the outset, it is clear
cannot be answered, will normally result in the
immediate return of the research fee. In
instances where research has been initiated, but
the answer is not forthcoming, the research fee
will usually stand.
Access to the Archives
The archives are kept in a separate building to
the Museum and within a MOD-restricted area to
which public access, without supervision, is
usually prohibited. However special arrangements
can be made for archival material to be made
available in the Museum’s reading room. Prior
notice of a visit is essential so that a
date/time can be agreed and the required
material obtained in advance of arrival. This is
best arranged and discussed in a telephone call
to the Curator – see above. The Curator will
also advise if what is wanted is not available.
Customer Satisfaction
Enquirers and researchers who are pleased at the
level of service they receive are encouraged to
become a Friend of the Museum and/or to make a
donation to the Museum Trust Fund in excess of
the fee due. For more information about
supporting us,
please click here>>
And if you have not already done so, you should
visit the Museum. You can be sure of a warm
welcome with much to see.
To find out more about
visiting the Museum, click here |
