The Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall archive is stewarded by partner organisation Southwest Heritage Trust.
To search our archive catalogue online, see here.
A guide to the archive and how to use it is here.
The Museum receives enquiries requesting research services from genealogists, local historians and writers for books, TV, film, and radio. Also, from university students, schools, societies, and local history groups. Email us with information on your search and for an enquiry form.
Pricing Policy is as follows:
PRICING POLICY FOR ENQUIRIES & RESEARCH – MUSEUM OF POLICING IN DEVON AND CORNWALL
CHARGES – Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall Members
Museum Members wishing to do their own research at the South West Heritage Trust (SWHT) offices at Great Moor House, Sowton, Exeter, are permitted to do so free of charge.
Arrangements must be made in advance quoting your Museum membership status with the Police Archivist, Andrew Veal-Cox, who will withdraw the relevant documents from the archive store and who will advise on legalities of your research. Contact details below.
Museum Members are granted one hour’s professional research free-of-charge per annum. This may be cumulative, i.e. a 30-minute enquiry in one month plus a 15-minute enquiry in another month will show as a cumulative 45-minutes toward that Member’s free hour.
Ordering research or copies of documents
- Please specify clearly and precisely the information you are seeking and enclose any relevant details which might assist us.
- Please provide the exact references for the documents if known.
- Please state your preferred format of research, i.e. paper photocopies, or digital images in .JPEGs (N.B. some documents cannot be photocopied and must be supplied in digital format).
How long will I have to wait?
Enquiries are dealt with in the order that we receive them. At very busy periods, you may expect a slight delay. Otherwise most Museum enquiries are dealt with within 2 weeks. Please be aware the Police Archive is only staffed three days a week.
What will you receive?
If you have requested research, you will receive a report outlining the sources examined and results obtained, together with advice on further avenues of research. Digital images will be provided as .JPEG files unless higher resolution images are needed for publication purposes.
- All other enquiries and research costs will mirror the SWHT policy as below.
CHARGES – Non-Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall Members
- Standard Rate: £40 Sterling or equivalent per hour inclusive of VAT and postage (UK)
- Minimum charges: £20 (for Inland Revenue wills, a single digital image and up to 4 photocopies from microfilm); £20 for research; and £20 for DVLA licences.
- Business/Legal Rate: £80 sterling per hour.
All Police Archive enquiries to:
The Archivist: Andrew.Veal-Cox@swheritage.org.uk cc info@dcpolicingmuseum.co.uk
Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall Police Archive: Devon Heritage Centre, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Exeter EX2 7NL.
The archive is open to the public and by appointment for particular research items – more information can be found here.
The Museum’s Digital Archive is a separate resource which is keyword searchable but only available to Museum Members. You may view more Membership information here.
A sample of typical content may be experienced at the Museum digital blog site here.