Copyright on reproduction

[Purpeller]

I have an image of a 1930s army record which was properly obtained by my distant cousin who is a grandson of the deceased individual.

What are the rules governing publishing a page of this record in a magazine? I can't find anything on the MoD's website other than how to order them.

[Guy Etchells]

Take a look at
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kwd/

and the pdf file-

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kwe/

particularly Annex A
Annex A - MOD Crown copyright licensing delegation

See also
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kwf/

Cheers
Guy

[Purpeller]

Thanks for that. As a non-UK citizen, I'm not familiar at all with this.

It's really a minefield of legal stuff and I admit I don't understand it at all. Nothing covered there specifically states that what I'd like to do is or isn't covered. This service record was not obtained through the National Archives.

Has anyone done what I'm trying to do before? Any pointers would be helpful.

[Billyblue]

If it's a copy of the original record , i.e. the serviceman's own copy, from 1930, it would be out of copyright probably.  Depends on when he died.

But being 'military' makes it a bit ticklish.

Why not contact the MoD in UK, and ask? 
If you are only looking to publish snippets of it, make sure you say so.

Dawn M

[Purpeller]

Thanks. He died in 1954 but it's not his own copy. It was applied for by his grandson. I am only looking to publish one section of one page.

I'll ring the MoD tomorrow.

[Billyblue]

If he died in 1954, and 'normal' copyright rules apply, then he's just managed to get inside the '50 years after death' barrier. Which means it would be out of copyright.
 The 70-year rule did not come into being until 2005.

Good luck!

Dawn M

[Guy Etchells]

If it is a MoD record then it is covered by Crown Copyright not ordinary copyright.

To put things simply Crown Copyright will last for a period of 125 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made.

If it was created in the 1930s then it is in copyright.

For works still in copyright then it is highly likely that you can freely reproduce it under what is called an Open Government Licence (the 3rd link in my first post).

Much depends on what you plan to re-use and how you wish to re-use it.

Cheers
Guy

[Purpeller]

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated.

[Purpeller]

Just to follow up. I called the MoD today and they confirmed that if the person is dead, there's no problem with copyright and they do not need to be credited either.