Consistitory Court of Canterbury Wills

[smudwhisk]

I assume then that you could still view the films online at Kew. The SoG is expensive now especially for a day and it would be unfair to have to pay an entrance fee to view films which are currently free to view. If the images could be viewed online via Ancestry that would be easier as this could be done at the library.

The image won't be available via Ancestry, they are viewable on the Familysearch website but you have to view many of them at one of their centres.  I'd be surprised if the London FHC didn't have the access as I know in the past the smaller ones definitely did.  I would though imagine there may be restrictions on whether you can save copies or just view them, but that is going to be more to do with the contract the LDS has with the individual archives.

A post from Dawn about the films moving to the SOG - http://www.rootschat.com/links/01k14/.  I gather not all of the London FHC films have been uploaded yet.  Your best bet is to check the Familysearch catalogue, my previous post gave you a link to the Kent Wills collection, to see what is available.  Its not going to be separate from the Familysearch catalogue as its hosted via that.

[MattD30]

Thanks for that. I wasn't aware the films were going to the SoG. Does this mean they'll only be available to SoG members?

This has been planned for some time, and it was announced officially in April, see here ...
http://londonfamilyhistory.org/london-familysearch-centre-microfilm-collection-transferring-to-society-of-genealogists-2/

The films at the SoG will be available to everyone, but non-members will pay a visitors’ fee.
http://www.sog.org.uk/the-library/visitor-fees/

I have to say this is the first I have heard of this and certainly no one has mentioned it to me when I have visited the London Family History Centre. I believe that this move is extremely unfair as it means non SoG members would have to pay to view them whereas now they are free to view at the National Archives. The SoG charges £5 for 2hrs, £10 for 4hrs and £18 for a whole day, whilst £5 isn't a big amount you are unlikely to find much in 2 hours. If I wanted to view these records at the SoG it would mean I would be paying between £35-£40 including the cost of a TravelCard into London. For me that is almost the same as a return ticket to Canterbury (£45). To me £18 for a day at the archives, on top of a train fare, is expensive and I don't understand why they to move them to somewhere where you have to pay. If they have to move them then why not move them to somewhere which has free access or where you don't actually have to pay for membership, the British Library or London Metropolitan Archives would be two possibilities. I have used the Family History Centre for years now, even before it was in the National Archives and I have never had to pay to use it. You aren't charged an entrance fee at the National Archives if you go there to use the FHC resources so it seems extremely unfair to move them to a place that is going to charge you, especially as they have never charged people before.

Are they being made to move out or is it their own choice?

Anyhow as I say I am visiting the National Archives this week and I will hopefully manage to view all the films I want to see whilst I am there.

Matt

[StevieSteve]

Think they're in the early stages of building the biggest Family History Centre outside of Utah.

They asked for people to petition Islington Council for planning permission but specifically said not to whinge about the films being moved to SoG.

[smudwhisk]

I have to say this is the first I have heard of this and certainly no one has mentioned it to me when I have visited the London Family History Centre. I believe that this move is extremely unfair as it means non SoG members would have to pay to view them whereas now they are free to view at the National Archives. The SoG charges £5 for 2hrs, £10 for 4hrs and £18 for a whole day, whilst £5 isn't a big amount you are unlikely to find much in 2 hours. If I wanted to view these records at the SoG it would mean I would be paying between £35-£40 including the cost of a TravelCard into London. For me that is almost the same as a return ticket to Canterbury (£45). To me £18 for a day at the archives, on top of a train fare, is expensive and I don't understand why they to move them to somewhere where you have to pay.

Matt you very conveniently have ignored my post, and for that matter others, about the films being digitised. 

What is your problem viewing digital images of the microfilms?

They ARE available via Familysearch and are available, or will be in the future, available at Kew as per Dawnsh's post which I included a link to.  The Canterbury Archdeaconry and Consistory Court Wills are available on Familysearch digitised and have been for some years, as a friend of mine looked a few up for me several years ago.

As to cost, well for the record it costs me £34 return ticket and tube to get to London so sorry but for some of us everything being in London is far more expensive than it is for you.  And yes I am an SOG member but I don't get to visit very often because of the transport costs.