Southampton City Council now charging

[Steve Steere]

A query to Southampton Bereavement Services about a cremation, received this part in my reply.

"As from 1st April 2006, Southampton City Council have decided to make a charge of £10 per request for genealogy enquiries, therefore please put your request in writing with a stamp addressed envelope along with a cheque for £10.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may caused you.

Bereavement Services,
Southampton City Council,
6 Bugle St.
Southampton S014 2AJ."

It did include a name but as it was a personal reply I have edited it out.

Of course I sent in my query after 1 April so I'll just have to forget it, as it is too much to pay for a possible negative answer.

[LynA]

I wonder how they decide what a genealogical query is? If I want to find and visit my grandmother's grave surely that is a personal request. How many greats do I need to add to the grandmother before it becomes a genealogical request?

By the way, how much information do you get for your ten pounds?

[Julie Tyrell]

Hi

I think that £10 is extortionate, exactly what are you getting for your money a photograph of the burial sitel??!!

I recently wanted a copy of an inquest, the extremely helpful lady at Margate library hunted throught the newspapers found the article, photocopied it and only charged me £1.23 including p/p.

I appreciate that they may get a larger demand for information now but I still think £10 is expensive.

Luckily none of my family come from that area, yet!

Julie

[Steve Steere]

Hi Julie,

I haven't a clue what the definition is, and what you get for the £10. I think asking for an sae is rubbing salt into the wound!

They should have a sliding scale depending on whether you want just one thing or a whole family.

However if you look at a Record Office, they will usually do a single look up on an index or answer a simple query for free, but if you want 'research' then it is £25 per hour.

I suppose the popularity of the BBC television programme has caused a flood of enquiries, just look at GRO's struggle to issue certificates.

In some ways I can see that a charge is justified as the staff are no doubt small in number and are prevented from doing their work by numerous queries, but for a simple yes/no it is not.

Steve

[LynA]

I think that £10 is extortionate, exactly what are you getting for your money a photograph of the burial sitel??!!
I appreciate that they may get a larger demand for information now but I still think £10 is expensive.
Luckily none of my family come from that area, yet!
Unfortunately the majority of my family come from this area. The main church in the area closed its graveyard quite early (early 1880s I think) so a large number of people I am interested in are in the City cemeteries.
The trouble is that there are no other options than to contact Bereavement Services. They are certainly not staffed for the vast amount of work they must be getting (with the popularity of TV series). If only they could put the non-sensitive parts of their database on line it would be wonderful. A reasonable pay per view charge would give us the information and save them work in the long run.
I'll have to live in hope. In the meantime I'll try and find out exactly what we will get for our money.
Regards,
Lynda

[Steve Steere]

Hi Lynda,

Check the Eastleigh Cemetery first, which does have a free 1900-2005 searchable database online. I suppose if Soton CC were to get help (financial & manual labour) to digitalise and put on line they would, but it is a large area to cover. Any lottery winners willing to offer them help?

You can also search the M.I.'s produced by the Hampshire Genealogical Society, they have done in Southampton, All Saints (as at 1949), Sholing St Mary, Highfield Christ Church, Bitterne Park, Ascension including Chapel of St Lawrence, St Denys, Hill Lane Cemetery, Bitterne Holy Saviour. While they are on fiche it would work out cheaper than £10 a go with SCC.

The HGS have a lot to offer people researching in Hampshire.
Regards,

Steve