What are ‘Archives’?

‘Archives’ are places where historical records are kept. Public Record Office of the Government Record Service is the central repository for government archives.

What are ‘Archives’?

“Archives” can also mean historical
records. How does a record become
‘historical’? Let’s take Post Office
records as an example:

Active Record Record created & used in Post Office.   Inactive record Record no longer in use. Stored in Post Office / Record Centre.   Record Appraisal Does record have ‘historical value’? Archivists examine and evaluate record values according to appraisal criteria.   Permanent Retention Record with historical value identified.

Destruction Record without historical value (subject to appraisal criteria).

Historical records

Record becomes ‘archives’. Permanently kept in PRO. Access to the archives conditioned by the Public Records (Access) Rules 1996

What are ‘Archives’?

Archivists are charged with the responsibility to conduct Record Appraisal. PRO received inactive records from the Post Office. Archivists then –

Record Appraisal

Archivists examine and evaluate Post Office records according to appraisal criteria.

“They document or reflect the organisation, functions and activities of the Government.”

There are 11 records possessing historical values because they are able to present:

• Historical development of uniform and supplies of Post Office;
• Rich and diverse medium of records such as fabrics and garment samples, photos and coloured design drawings in excellent condition;
• Intricate relations between departmental image, efficiency and staff morale, uniforms, resources and supplies, etc.

Historical records

11 Post Office records become ‘archives’.
They are permanently kept in PRO.

Do You Know...?

Appraisal criteria is a set of guidelines to help archivists examine and evaluate records. How do archivists identify records with historical values? Click here to find out.