Last updated: 28 July 2026
This page explains the copyright, database rights and reuse rules applying to the Wayfarers Archive website and its contents.
Wayfarers Archive is operated by Matt Sears, trading as Wayfarers Archive.
The Wayfarers Archive database
The selection, organisation, arrangement, presentation and development of the Wayfarers Archive database may be protected by copyright and database rights.
These rights may apply even where individual facts within a record are not themselves protected by copyright.
Access to the website does not transfer ownership of the database or give permission to copy, extract, reproduce or republish it in bulk.
Website content
Unless otherwise stated, original website text, research notes, record descriptions, page layouts, graphics and other original material created for Wayfarers Archive belong to Matt Sears or are used with permission.
All rights are reserved except where these terms, a separate licence or the law permit reuse.
Original archive material
Individual photographs, documents, scans, newspaper extracts, books, publications and other source materials may belong to other people or organisations.
Their appearance in, or reference by, Wayfarers Archive does not mean that Matt Sears owns their copyright or can grant permission for every possible use.
Where an item identifies a copyright owner, archive, library, publisher, photographer or other source, you may need to contact that rights holder before copying or republishing the original material.
What you may do without asking us
You may:
- Search and view individual records for personal research.
- Save links to individual pages or records.
- Quote a limited and reasonable amount from an individual record for personal, educational, journalistic or research purposes.
- Refer to information discovered through the archive in your own research.
- Print an individual page or a small number of records for private use.
- Make any use otherwise permitted by copyright or database-right law.
Where you quote or refer to information from the archive, please clearly acknowledge Wayfarers Archive and, where shown, the original source.
Suggested acknowledgement
A simple acknowledgement may be written as:
Source: Wayfarers Archive, accessed [insert date].
Where a record gives an original source, that source should also be included in your citation where reasonably possible.
What requires written permission
Please obtain written permission before:
- Copying or downloading all or a substantial part of the database.
- Repeatedly copying smaller sections in a way that amounts to extracting a substantial part of the database.
- Creating another database from Wayfarers Archive records.
- Republishing a significant collection of records on another website, platform, application or publication.
- Using archive content to train or populate a commercial data product.
- Using automated tools, bots, scripts, crawlers, artificial-intelligence agents or scraping software to collect archive records.
- Offering Wayfarers Archive information as a paid data service.
- Selling, licensing or commercially distributing a collection of archive records.
- Reproducing original Wayfarers Archive writing, research notes, graphics or substantial extracts from the website.
- Using the Wayfarers Archive name or logo in a way that suggests approval, partnership or endorsement.
Automated access and scraping
Automated extraction, scraping, crawling or harvesting of archive information is not permitted without prior written agreement.
This includes attempts to avoid technical restrictions by:
- Rotating IP addresses or user accounts.
- Sending repeated searches or requests.
- Using multiple automated services or devices.
- Bypassing rate limits, access controls or security systems.
- Collecting records gradually in order to recreate the database.
We may restrict or block access where activity appears to involve automated extraction, bulk copying or unreasonable use of website resources.
Commercial use
Commercial use is not automatically prohibited, but it normally requires prior written permission.
Commercial use may include:
- Using records within a paid publication or subscription service.
- Using information for paid professional research.
- Including archive material in a commercial website or application.
- Reselling or licensing data derived from the archive.
- Using archive content in advertising or promotional material.
Permission may be subject to conditions, acknowledgement requirements or a licence fee.
Research, education and publication
We welcome responsible use of the archive for historical research, education, family history, journalism and publication.
Small quotations and references will not normally require separate permission, provided that:
- The amount used is reasonable for the purpose.
- The information is reproduced accurately.
- Wayfarers Archive is acknowledged.
- The original source is acknowledged where shown.
- The use does not reproduce a substantial part of the database.
- The use does not infringe another person’s copyright or privacy.
Please contact us where a book, article, exhibition, documentary, website or other project will reproduce a significant amount of archive material.
Material submitted to Wayfarers Archive
People may submit photographs, documents, corrections, research and other material for possible inclusion in the archive.
Unless a different written agreement is made, contributors retain any copyright they own in their submitted material.
By submitting material, the contributor gives Wayfarers Archive permission to:
- Store and review the material.
- Make technical and backup copies.
- Use it to check or correct archive records.
- Publish, display, crop, resize, transcribe, summarise or describe it where reasonably necessary for the archive.
- Retain it where it becomes part of the archive or supports an archive decision or correction.
Contributors should only submit material they own or have permission to provide.
Submission does not guarantee that material will be published.
Public-domain and openly licensed material
Some source material may no longer be protected by copyright or may be available under an open licence.
Where a particular item is subject to an open licence, its reuse must comply with the conditions of that licence, including any attribution or non-commercial requirements.
A public-domain or openly licensed original item does not necessarily make the Wayfarers Archive database, transcription, research note, photograph or presentation of that item free from separate rights.
Personal information
Permission under copyright or database law does not remove the need to use personal information lawfully and responsibly.
Anyone reusing information about a living person remains responsible for complying with applicable privacy and data-protection law.
Archive information must not be reused to harass, threaten, deceive, defame or cause unjustified harm to another person.
Accuracy and context
Historical records may be incomplete, uncertain, disputed or based on original sources containing mistakes.
When reusing information, you should preserve any important qualifications, uncertainty or context shown in the archive.
You must not edit or present archive information in a way that creates a false or misleading impression.
Requesting permission
To request permission, please email: info@wayfaresarchive.co.uk .
Please include:
- Your name and organisation, where applicable.
- The records or material you wish to use.
- How much material you intend to reproduce.
- Where and how it will be published or distributed.
- Whether the use is commercial.
- The expected audience or number of copies.
We may need to confirm whether Matt Sears owns the relevant rights before granting permission.
Reporting copyright concerns
If you believe that material on this website infringes copyright belonging to you, please contact us and provide:
- Your name and contact details.
- A description of the material concerned.
- The page or record where it appears.
- An explanation of your rights in the material.
- Any evidence that supports your claim.
- The action you would like us to consider.
We may temporarily restrict access to disputed material while the matter is reviewed.
Related pages
Please also read our:
Contact us
For copyright, licensing or reuse enquiries, contact:
Matt Sears, trading as Wayfarers Archive
Email:
info@wayfaresarchive.co.uk