The result of a 1984 UK survey of publicly funded record repositories are presented. The Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts sent questionnaires to 187 repositories, receiving 137 returns. Information sought was: staffing levels (archivists, conservators, other), storage (including sub-standard storage), holdings and acquisitions, finding aids, conservation (including workshops, workbenches, staff, areas of work, use of microfilm substitutes) and searchroom statistics (i.e. number of readers, seating, staff, enquiries, etc.). -- AATA