the Public Record Office
/ðə ˌpʌblɪk ˈrekɔːd ɒfɪs/
/ðə ˌpʌblɪk ˈrekərd ɑːfɪs/
- the former name for the offices in London where government records for England and Wales are kept. These are made available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act which replaced the earlier thirty-year rule. In 2003 The Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission combined to form the National Archives.