Updates on access to GRONI terminals in PRONI's search room

From the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni), an update on the General Register Office of Northern Ireland terminals that are available in the PRONI search room to access civil birth, marriage and death records (via https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk), including more recent records not available online:

We are pleased to announce that the 4 GRONI machines situated in our Search Room have now been replaced and are available for customers.

 

We ask that due to the potential demand that customers limit use during busy times to 20 minutes per person.

 

Thank you for your cooperation

I provide a detailed description on how to access these records at both PRONI and GRONI, as well as online, in my new book, Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors, details below! In summary, however, you still need to pay £2.50 per record, and you can't see the records when you go home, or print them out at PRONI, so you'll need to transcribe them. But having access to them in the same room as so many other records, is a godsend for those researching their Northern Irish ancestors!

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Northern Irish GRO records site redesigned

The Northern Irish GRO records platform at https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk has had a slight redesign, and I have to admit, I'm not really sure what the point of it is. 

The functionality is virtually identical, but you now have to scroll down the relevant search pages and reveal the search field items by clicking on a small arrow at the relevant sections. In the previous version, everything was laid out in one very easy to see display. 

I can only assume GRONI has decided, like many Irish archives, that people no longer use home computers and have become perpetually intertwined with their mobile devices. For the record, I have not!

(With thanks to Allie Nickell, @alliethinks via Twitter)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

GRONI to re-open in Belfast with limited service on September 2nd

From the General Register Office Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/family-history-heritage-and-museums/research-family-history-general-register-office-ni-groni):

The General Register Office for Northern Ireland (GRONI) public search room is reopening with a limited service from Wednesday 2 September 2020.

Visitors must book their appointment in advance – appointments will be between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm or 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm.

Access will be limited to one person per booking.

Booking will be limited to a maximum of three visits per week per person or company.

No visitors will be allowed to enter the building without an appointment.

A number of changes to GRONI services will be in place to make sure of the health and safety of staff and the public.

All visitors must agree to follow the guidance contained in the public search room protocol document they will receive at the time of booking.

The public counter remains closed and you can apply for life event certificates by phone on: 0300 200 7890 or online ordering life event certificates.

Comment: don't forget that GRONI has an online service at https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk (and historic records can also be obtained at www.irishgenealogy.ie)

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course starts August 31st - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. My book Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 is now out, also available are Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.