Research and copy services
We offer a range of services to help you access and copy historical records. All copying is subject to the Data Protection Act and copyright legislation. We cannot copy any document if doing so may cause damage.
Using Cameras During Your Visit
Visitors may take photographs of documents with permission from the archivist and the purchase of a camera licence:
- 24-hour licence: £5.00
- 6-month licence: £25.00
- 12-month licence: £40.00
Remote Enquiries
If you cannot visit the Record Office in person, contact us by email or phone with your request.
If your enquiry is likely to take more than 15 minutes to answer, we may recommend:
- booking a visit - bookings are available Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. You're welcome to contact us by email or phone.
- using our Paid Research Service
Copying Services
Photocopies and scans
Photocopies and scans requested remotely incur an additional handling fee. If copying takes more than 15 minutes, charges apply based on our hourly rate.
If you require copies by post, get a quote first by emailing us.
- black and white A4 photocopy - 30p
- black and white A3 photocopy - 50p
- images from microfilm - 30p
- colour A4 photocopy - £1.00
- colour A3 photocopy - £1.50
Digital Scans (photographs)
Microfilm/fiche searches
- full microfilm search - £35.00 per hour
- short microfilm search (per film) - £7.00
Free searches
We offer a range of free searches, including:
- information for sources
- your own baptism record
- check a single address in a single electoral register (1920 to 2007), (you will need to know the street name for this search)
- check single rate book by volume (you will need to know the address for this search)
- check up to ten years for a baptism, marriage, or burial in the card index (covering the period between 1538 and 1900). For baptisms, the names of any siblings within the same period will also be supplied
- check our baptism index for the years 1900 to 1920 (you will need to know the names of any siblings within the same period for this search)
- check a single original baptism register after 1920 (you will need to know the year and name of parish for this search)
- check a single original marriage register after 1910 (you will need to know the year and name of parish for this search)
- check our burial index for the years 1900 to 2000. (you will need to know the year you require for this search)
Email us to request a free search.
Paid research service
If your enquiry is likely to take more than 15 minutes to complete, we may recommend our Paid Research service.
Photocopies required are charged separately.
- Research undertaken by our Heritage Service for 30 minutes - £18.00
- Research undertaken by our Heritage Service for one hour - £35.00
Payment is for the time spent searching, not the outcome. We will provide a summary of findings and suggest next steps, even if the search is unsuccessful.
Refunds cannot be offered for unsuccessful searches.
Photocopying charges apply separately.
Commercial reproduction rates
Requests for images that publicise and promote the Heritage Service may not incur a charge.
Local community and voluntary groups: £35.00 per item
National commercial publication: £120.00 per item
How to pay
You can pay for our services by:
- Sterling cheque (payable to Isle of Wight Council)
- Credit card (by phone only)
Please do not include credit card details in written communications. Ensure we have your postal address before calling to make a payment.