Essex Records Office at Chelmsford

[richardanthony]

Anyone have any experience of visiting the ERO? If you find a record of interest eg marriage record are you able to take a copy of that page, how much do they charge you etc. Can you see exactly the same thing if you take out an online subsription? Thanks!

[lizdb]

I've been there numerous times, though not very recently.  Great place to go!

Yes, you can take copies from the Parish records, cant remember the cost but negligible.

Most PRs though are on the SEAX site (subscription) so can be viewed at home. The same site can be accessed at the RO for free. 
And of course there is access to a whole host of other records at the RO.

The SEAX site will tell you whayt is online and what is only available to see at the RO

http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/

[louisa maud]

Yes, as Lizdb says  it is a nice place to research, ample car parking and within easy reach of town if travelling by foot

I don't know how much copies of records are now, it used to be  pence per   copy but most likely a bit more now but will be reasonable

Double check on their site for opening times as I think recently they have been changed

Louisa Maud

[lizdb]

And I think that the lovely big car park is no longer there - so check for parking arrangements!

[louisa maud]

That is a shame if the carpark is closed, I know it did have some problems last year.

Louisa Maud

[lizdb]

I haven't been since the car park was that HUGE area of what was basically waste ground - it was pay and display but not desperately expensive for a whole days trip to the RO.
I think that area has now been redeveloped, and I am not sure what the RO parking was then like - you may well have been since then LouisaMAud, and the "lovely big car park" you refer to might mean there was still a good facility after the redevelopment.  But my mind immediately went to what I remembered, and therefore I urged caution as I was pretty sure the "lovely MASSIVE (though full of potholes) car park" of yesteryear was gone!

[ReadyDale]

Their website lists nearest car parks and prices (the adjacent parking has indeed closed).
http://www.essexrecordoffice.co.uk/visit-us/
BTW - their site also says the ERO currently aren't taking card payments,

 only good old cash

[louisa maud]

Oh yes, the pot holes, I  usually got there before 9am and almost had the pick of where to park, it was very convenient to park there, last year it was commandeered but I thought it had been reopened

I did get in touch with  ERO, they  did suggest that if arranging to visit during the  bad weather to ring in advance, they did close up a little earlier one day this week due to the weather

Happy Hunting

Louisa Maud