Heritage Hub Community Open Day and tea party

A total of 426 visitors flocked to the Heritage Hub for our Community Open Day on Sunday 2^nd September. There was plenty to see and do, including a treasure hunt and quiz for the children, a rather handsome roaming Highwayman (who gave a talk on his infamous trade of highway robbery in years gone by) and lots of original documents on display.

                   

Visitors in the research room                                                                        MP Richard Graham and John Putley from Archives.

Exhibitions on display included the founding of the Crypt School, women’s policing in Gloucestershire, and the landscape and communities of the Severn Vale in South Gloucestershire. 'Behind the scenes' tours, including stepping inside one of the strong-rooms, were particularly popular. There were two film shows, showing a selection of films and other media from our collections. An illustrated talk on “Treasures of the Archives”, discussing favourite gems from the archives chosen by staff from Gloucestershire Archives attracted a large audience.

Display about Joan Cooke, founder of the Crypt School

Gloucestershire Family History Society volunteers ran drop-in taster sessions on family history, and these were very much appreciated. The city-wide “Volunteer Makers – Engage in Gloucester” volunteer recruitment project was also officially launched.

Special guests included Wilbert Smith, Heritage Lottery Fund South-West trustee; Gloucester’s MP, Richard Graham; County Councillors, Jeremy Hilton and Lesley Williams; the Mayor of Gloucester, City Councillor Joanne Brown, her consort, County Councillor David Brown, and the Sheriff of Gloucester.

One of the very popular attractions was the cake stall, in the new training suite (the Dunrossil Centre). This was expertly run by members of the Friends of Gloucestershire Archives (FOGA). Walls ice cream, at Barnwood, kindly donated 250 ice creams to FOGA to sell at the Open Day, to raise funds for specialist packaging for Gloucester's city charters.

         

Members of the Friends looking after               Musicians from Gloucestershire Traditions entertaining visitors in the Dunrossil Centre

the cakes.                                                                        

Local folk musicians played music in the foyer and in the Dunrossil Centre. Sculptor Natasha Houseago set up her workbench in the community garden where visitors could watch her carving and chat to her about the piece she will be creating. Lynda Knott and Angela Williams from TomatoJack Arts also chatted to visitors about the mosaic panels they have created for the community garden.

      

Musical Folk playing in the foyer                                           Natasha Houseago                                Angela Williams from TomatoJack                                  

Following a photographic competition over the summer, we launched the Heritage Hub 2019 calendar at the Open Day.  Over 100 photographs were entered and judged by a panel including Professor John Ingledew, an international photography lecturer, and Cabinet Member Ray Theodoulou.  The winners were announced and calendars presented to the overall winner, Mike Barby, whose stunning image of Selsley covers one of the walls of the Dunrossil Centre.

            

Mike Barby (centre left), with Heather Forbes,                                   A vintage view of Selsey near Stroud taken from Doverow Hill.  By Mike Barby

Wilbert Smith and Prof. John Ingledew, in front

of his winning photograph.              

Last but not least, we ran a competition to name the friendly but fierce-looking archives rat!  A few weeks ago we ran a social media campaign to introduce him to the public and Open Day visitors were asked to vote for their favourite name from a shortlist of three, all suggested by our Facebook followers. He/she has been given the name Raikes.

Raikes the Archives Rat.

Sorry you missed all the fun? Well, as it was such a success, we’re thinking of doing something similar next year – watch this space!

A very special occasion!

Earlier this year we were delighted to announce that a document in our collections had been accepted onto UNESCO’s International Memory of the World register- the documentary heritage equivalent of becoming a World Heritage Site. A ceremony marking this and other recent inscriptions was held in London on 19 September.  Archives Development Manager Kate Maisey attended on behalf of Gloucestershire Archives along with Clive Andrews, chair of the Friends of Gloucestershire Archives.

Matthew Lodge, Minister and Ambassador of Gt. Britain and Northern Ireland

to UNESCO with Kate Maisey and Clive Andrews

Our “award- winning” document is an African slave song dating from the height of the Transatlantic slave trade. The song was chanted by enslaved people working in the sugar fields of Barbados and was written down by anti-slave trade campaigner Granville Sharp in the later 18^th century.  Sharp’s papers descended through his niece to the Lloyd- Baker family of Hardwicke Court and are now preserved amongst our collections. The slave song was nominated by Barbadian music expert Roger Gibbs who saw a digital image of the song on our website.  

Slave song - Gloucestershire Archive (ref D3949/13/3/27) 

The Memory of the World register currently includes a total of 427 documents and collections coming from all continents and recorded on materials ranging from stone to celluloid, parchment to sound recordings. Other recent additions to the register which were celebrated alongside the slave song included the papers of Sir Isaac Newton, the gospels of Tsar Ivan Alexander and key archival sources relating to Shakespeare.  Starry company indeed!

And/or you could link to some info about it on our website. This includes links to 2 recordings of the song.

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives/learning-for-all/online-exhibitions/inhuman-traffic/

Looking after your archive

As mentioned earlier, Gloucestershire Archives held a ‘hands-on workshop’ here at the Heritage Hub as part of the Gloucester History Festival entitled ‘Looking after your archive’.On 4 September we ran a free drop-in event (10:00 til closing time at 16:30) on caring for an archive, with practical sessions working on the collection of historic sales particulars of Sandoe Luce Panes estate agents covering properties in South Gloucestershire (D4855).

Brief training sessions covered risks to collections, handling tips, archival quality materials, protective enclosures, removing surface dirt and identifying relevant information for a catalogue.  Visitors had the opportunity to clean, list, number and make up acid-free protective enclosures for the records.  

It was a very successful event with many people staying several hours and some all day! All in all around 100 documents were cleaned, listed and re-packaged.

Following on from this promising start we will be continuing the work on this collection as a volunteer project which several people who attended have already signed up for.

The archive proved to be extremely interesting with one attendee coming across a family property and another with a particular interest in the history of canals finding the particulars of a property that showed a flight of locks, one of which he knew to be a particularly significant deep lock. Apparently it didn’t actually work, so they had to build a flight of locks instead and no-one knows exactly where on the site the abandoned deep one is.

Ann Attwood ACR, Collections Care Development Officer

 

Artist Activity

The artists have been busy throughout the year researching, meeting with volunteers, visitors and staff, preparing and finally making their original artwork.

The mosaic panels and the textile panels are now complete and are here for visitors to see. Sculptor, Natasha Houseago, is also on site two or three days a week carving the magnificent oak trunk and happy to talk to visitors about her work. If you're visiting the Archives have a look at the artwork and see how heritage can be presented in very different and beautifully ways.

 

The gorgeous, colourful mosaic panels in the community garden and a close up of the industry panel.

Textile artist Julia O’Connell completed her beautiful textile panels in time for the community open day and they are now hanging in the Frith room.

   

Inspiration for Julia's panels came from documents in the Archives, the many conversations Julia had with volunteers from the Family History Centre, Gloucestershire Police Archive, the Dowty project, Chipping Campden and Blockley Local history Associations, residents living in Mill House care home in Chipping Campden and of course Archives staff.

Julia will be at Gloucestershire Archives on Saturday 6 October, 11.30am to talk about her work for Archives, her research, the processes involved and how she arrived at the final printed and stitched panels. The talk will last 45 minutes followed by a short question and answer session.

 

Natasha carving using a chisel and a small power sander.

If you are specifically coming to Archives to see Natasha please check first with reception (01452 425295) that she is here. It's very likely she won't be here if it is windy, raining or snowing!

If you would like to know more about the artist project please contact Kim Kenny - kim.kenny2@Gloucestershire.gov.uk

 

Gloucestershire Local History Association

Summer Events

During 2018, GLHA has organised three summer events for members of local history groups.

Its Annual Summer Afternoon Meeting was hosted by Cirencester Archaeological & Historical Society in June, and attended by around 60 people from across the County. A choice from three guided tours around the historic town was offered, including a walk round Cirencester Park, a visit to the Parish Church of St John the Baptist and a Town Walk finishing in the Abbey grounds. Members of the Cirencester Society accompanied the groups to explain the history of the area and point out interesting landmarks. After the walks everyone gathered in the Parish Centre to enjoy a delicious tea and the chance to meet old friends. Next year’s meeting will be hosted by Tidenham History Group on 29^th June 2019.

Members from Stonehouse History Group enjoying the afternoon tea.

Photo by John Peters

In July, 30 people took part in an Industrial Heritage walk around the Painswick mills led by Dr Ray Wilson. Painswick has more than 30 former mill sites connected with the production of woollen cloth. Members enjoyed walking around the lanes and footpaths from where some of the surviving buildings can been seen, often converted to residential use. The group was able to inspect an old wool drying stove which has been restored by its owner. At one time almost every mill had one of these small stone circular buildings, but today only about three survive in Gloucestershire of which this is the best example. After the walk members gathered in the pub for a drink and chat.

  

The wool drying building off Kemps Lane in Painswick                        Painswick Mill. Photo by Eileen Allen     

Photo by Shirley Dicker

Twenty-five people attended the Association’s evening visit to the medieval St Bartholomew’s church on Churchdown (or Chosen) Hill in August - and were blessed with perfect weather and excellent views of the surrounding town and country. The visit began with an overview of the history and architecture of the church (which dates back to the 12th century and stands in one corner of a probable Iron Age hill-fort), given by GLHA Chair, Steven Blake, following which, Chris Wakeman from the Friends of St Bartholomew’s church described the church’s 2005-6 restoration project, of which he was project manager.

The group were then free to look round the church for themselves, noting in particular the intriguing re-use of Norman carved stonework in various parts of the church during later medieval building work and the profusion of medieval and later graffiti in the 13^th century north porch, whose first floor ‘priest’s room’ was also open to visit. Tea and biscuits were then available in the former Sexton’s House in the churchyard, courtesy of the Friends, to whom the Association is most grateful.

A beautiful evening at St Bartholomew’s Church.

Photo by Stuart Manton

These summer visits give members the chance to learn about special places with the benefit of knowledgeable guides to explain the history behind them. They are also a good opportunity to meet local history enthusiasts from across the County. GLHA hopes to organise several visits in 2019.

For more information visit www.gloshistory.org.uk/

 

 

Dowty Archive news

The Dowty Heritage website

The Dowty Heritage website was launched at the end of August. It is now being populated by members of the Dowty community and we are hoping that many more people will have a look at it, and, if they want to, share stories, photographs and videos from their time at the Dowty Group (if they worked there). We are really pleased with it and think it will be an excellent legacy of the Dowty project. It can be found here: www.dowtyheritage.org.uk

 

Aerial photo of Arle Court                                              Workers in the tech block

Cataloguing news: Ally McConnell, Collections Management Archivist writes -

I am getting on well with my systematic listing and repackaging of the Dowty collection. I have listed the equivalent of 200 boxes and have 6 volunteers helping to enhance the work, who are also very kindly starting to tackle the large amount of photographic material. There is still a long way to go but it’s going well and I am learning a lot still about the company and how it developed.

Victoria County History update September 2018

At long last, our latest paperback, entitled Cheltenham before the Spa, was delivered in June, and it's great to report that almost all our initial printing (250 copies) has been sold. We've had very favourable comments on the illustrations and the 'topic panels', which give general introductions to aspects of medieval history - all helping to make the subject matter as accessible as possible. we have a few copies left at the introductory price of £12, and after that it will be £14 when ordered via a bookshop or online. Contact vchglos@btinternet.com if you're interested.

As part of the Gloucester History Festival, John Chandler spoke entertainingly about the new book on 9 September, and the VCH also featured repeatedly in the 'Scriptorium Tag' John organised a few days later. Nine mini-lectures spanned over 1,000 years of Gloucestershire history in the course of an afternoon. All good fun, with many insights into very varied aspects of local and family history - among them monks, merchants, floods, hearths, diaries, charabancs and migrants. Naturally, Gloucestershire Archive material informed just about every talk.

John Chandler entertaining the audience with his talk

Regular Archive users will already know that VCH editors and helpers now have the use of the Elrington Room. Just off the main search room, this allows all the VCH reference books and working materials to be kept handy in one place - another very welcome result achieved by the Heritage Hub project.

As winter approached, we are gearing up for further fundraising to keep our three projects - in Cirencester, Cheltenham and South Glos - moving along at the right pace. Supporters old and new are welcome to sign up for our newsletter, via the address above.

James Hodsdon

Chair, Gloucestershire County History Trust

A new Chairman for Gloucestershire Family History Society

A few words from Peter Rudge

I would like to introduce myself as the new Chairman of Gloucestershire Family History Society (GFHS), having taken over at the last AGM from David Howells. David’s shoes will be big ones to fill! I am delighted that he will be staying on as a member of the committee.

I have already had the pleasure of meeting some of our volunteers and it is my aim to meet all volunteers over the coming weeks. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Society and I thank them for their dedication in assisting people from all points of the globe in their quest to learn more about their family history.

I am delighted to be given the opportunity of taking this role.

If you would like to contact Peter please email him at chairman@gfhs.org.uk

For information about the family History Society visit gfhs.org.uk/

Mystery, Cakes and Poets

The Friends of Gloucestershire Archives continue to celebrate their 25^th Anniversary year, and they’re doing so in style!

Where are we?

In July members set off on their annual mystery tour, ably organised and led by Dr John Chandler. This year we visited the Vale of Pewsey to witness the interplay between landscape and history.  Then, having called in at two medieval churches, we arrived in Devizes where, after lunch, we walked around the town examining its narrow medieval streets and seeing how its once vast castle shaped the way the town developed.  On one of the hottest days of the year we were also glad to walk alongside the quiet cool waters of the Kennet and Avon Canal – another influence on the development of the town.

Queen Elizabeth was here before us

In August members paid a private visit to Whittington Court, a splendid Tudor house near Cheltenham. Elizabeth I stayed there in 1592 and apparently enjoyed her visit – and so did we.  After a talk about the house’s history and a chance to examine some of its archives, including a letter from John Wesley and a deed from the 1400s, we were allowed to wander about the house exploring its treasures before enjoying a lovely tea of homemade cakes in the dining hall or on the sun-drenched terrace.  It was a joy and privilege to experience such a magnificent house which is rarely open to the public and to see some of its historically important archives.

Open All Hours

Open all hours – that’s how it felt at the start of September when the Friends supervised the refreshments for the Archives’ Open Day. Over 400 visitors passed through the doors and it felt as if they all headed for the cakes, tea and ice cream, including the Mayor of Gloucester, whose picture we thought we’d better not publish as she was enjoying a mouthful of cake at the time!  We were immensely grateful to Archive staff who baked 20 cakes and a selection of biscuits for the occasion and who helped prepare everything beforehand.  We took over £600 in donations, a welcome boost to the Friends’ resources.

Poetry please

One of the main reasons for the Friends’ existence is so they can give financial help to the Archives. A collection of papers came up for auction in June.  They related to the ‘Dymock Poets’, a group which included Rupert Brooke and Edward Thomas, and they were probably part of a collection of which the Archives already had part.  The auction estimate for the whole collection was a staggering £120,000 but the Archives managed to secure the items that were of greatest interest with the help of a £500 donation from the Friends.

For more information about the Friends visit www.foga.org.uk/

Artist talk

Julia O’Connell, textile artist, will talk about her work and the beautiful printed and stitched panels she has created for Gloucestershire Archives.

Saturday 6 October, 11.30am - 12.30pm (includes time for questions and answers) in the Frith room Gloucestershire Archives, Clarence Row, Alvin St., Gloucester, GL1 3DW.

This is a free event.

       

Discover how Julia created the five panels called Archive Five. Learn about her research and see her sketchbooks.

'People, memory and stories are the connecting thread in life's journey and having a unique access to these amazing archives was truly inspirational as I created the panels for the new public space.'

For more information about all the artists' activity contact Kim Kenny - kim.kenny2@Gloucestershire.gov.uk

Apples @ the archives

Autumn means Apples so come along and explore the history of some of Gloucestershire's amazing orchards.

Saturday 6 October, 2pm - 4pm at the Dunrossil Centre, Gloucestershire Archives, Clarence Row, Alvin St., Gloucester, GL1 3DW.

This is a free event

 

Look at maps showing orchards, orchard plans, cider recipes and apple artwork.

Get creative and colourful with some arty apple activities and a few apple games!

Collection Care Training

       

                                        

Keeping Collection Care

 22^nd October 2018 @ 10:30am – 15:30pm

An introduction to collection care.

You will learn to identify and protect against risks to your collection; understand and source archival enclosures; and appreciate a range of actions for protecting collections.

Link collection care activity to a helpful framework; prioritise collection care tasks; learn about trusted sources of help and advice, and about other support Gloucestershire Archives can provide.

Welcome 10:30

• Basic skill building – useful tools, creasing and folding

• Introducing yourself and your collection: Who, What, When, Why, Where, How?

Keeping: Introduction to Collection Care

• Introducing ourselves
• Establishing context: Why care for the collection?

• Establishing a framework: Introduction to Benchmarks in Collection Care
• Introduction to Collection Care action checklist

Links to Benchmarks in Collection Care 1. Policy

Keeping: Damage Prevention

• Identifying risks to collections - introduction to 10 agents of deterioration
• Material aging overview
• Simple risk assessment
• Handling ‘Top Ten’ tips
• If disaster strikes
• Damage Prevention action checklist

Links to Benchmarks in Collection Care 2 Buildings & Security, 5 Handling & Use, and 10 Emergency Preparedness    

Lunch 12:30 – 13:30     Great cafés nearby or bring your own

Keeping: Storage and Protection

• Storage furniture
• Archival quality materials – understanding & sourcing
• Protective enclosures and Dos & Don’ts overview
• Basic skill building – using the enclosures, folding and labelling
• Storage and Protection action checklist

Links to Benchmarks in Collections Care 3 Storage

Actions:

• Q&A - This is the start of a journey - how can we help you on your way?
• Small changes can achieve big results – what 3 things will you do first?
• Award Certificate of attendance with record of sections of Benchmarks in Collection Care introduced
• Your feedback to us

Finish around 15:30

Collection Care ‘pick & mix’ training modules

Tailored training linked to heritage sector benchmarks in collection care www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives

As we were going to publication we learnt this course is now fully booked. We will run it again should enough people be interested. If you would like to express an interest and be put on the waiting list please email  archives@gloucestershire.gov.uk  

 

‘Inspirational Women’ of South Gloucestershire celebrated at exhibition

A celebration of some of South Gloucestershire’s most inspirational women was officially launched at an exhibition at Kingswood Heritage Museum on September 11th.

‘Inspiring Women: the legacy of the First World War in South Gloucestershire’ showcases the achievements of the women of South Gloucestershire who have made a positive impact on society, from the First World War to the present day.

It also demonstrates how the events of 1918 changed women’s lives forever as this was the year that not only marked the end of the war, but also saw the Representation of the People Act introduced. The Act allowed some women over the age of 30 the right to vote but it was not until the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 that women over 21 were able to vote and women finally achieved the same voting rights as men.

It is important that we recognise and celebrate the significant and vital contribution that women have made and continue to make to this day in South Gloucestershire. Many of them are unsung heroes whose achievements and actions deserve the recognition that this exhibition provides.

Image: With kind permission of Kingswood Heritage Museum: Douglas

The exhibition will run at various locations across the area until July 2019.

Further details of the Inspiring Women project can be found at www.southglos.gov.uk/inspiringwomen

The project has been made possible by National Lottery players through a £9,600 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Cherry Hubbard cherry.hubbard@southglos.gov.uk 

Engagement Officer  - Inspiring Women: The Legacy of the First World War

 

South Gloucestershire Second World War Stories

South Gloucestershire Council Cultural Services are delighted to have been awarded funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund for a South Gloucestershire Second World War Stories project. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project will explore the impact of the Second World War and growing up in the post war period.

The project started in April and we have undertaken the following:

Researched Second World War collections held by South Gloucestershire museums. These have been used to inspire reminiscence sessions for older people to share memories, recording particular stories through further interviews. We have booked 60 reminiscence sessions (last on the 31^st October), which are being delivered in care homes across South Gloucestershire. Feedback from these sessions has been very positive and some interesting stories have come to light.

Barrage balloons (Courtesy of Bristol United Press).

We have booked 15 venues to host the touring exhibition which will run from February to September 2019. We are still working on the exhibition, but it will have six themes from Raids to war work. After the exhibition ends, the panels will be available for venues to use.

We are also in the process of organising 18 community events, the first of which will be at the Avon Valley Railway 1940s event on the 22^nd/23^rd September. We are also marking the start of the war with a big event at Aerospace Bristol on the 7^th September 2019. This will mark 80 years since the start of the war.

We have started to create a small collection of short films with stories from people who lived and worked in South Gloucestershire during the war. These will be published over the coming months.

We are planning to also share the project through schools workshops in 2019.

The project is well under way and we are very much enjoying hearing the stories and meeting people who lived during that interesting time.

Thank you to all the museums, heritage centres and Gloucestershire Archives who have so kindly given their time and shared their collections and knowledge with us.

Hellen O’Connor - Project Co-ordinator, South Gloucestershire Second World War Stories

Hellen.OConnor@southglos.gov.uk

Police Archive news

Since the last newsletter we have been busy preparing for the move to the Heritage Hub, attending various events and answering a large number of queries.

The queries range from: Do we have any pictures of the Portable Electronic Traffic Analyser? To why had we not listed Police Constable Albert Cale on our war dead list? In case you are wondering the answer was yes to the first question and this is it

And for the second question by looking in his personnel file we found that ex Police Constable Cale left the force in 1912 and so did not join the military as a serving member of the police force which is why he is not listed.

The events we have attended  - 

the Heritage Hub community open day where as usual the adults were much keener to dress up than their children.

    

The crown court open day where Stella the staffie made an appearance and Harrison made a great prisoner

             

The police open day at Waterwells. The picture board was a great draw. The good and the great came. The Chief Constable talking to visitors

    

We had special exhibits about named officers. One of the visitors found a picture of her grandmother who was one of the early policewomen.

 

As usual the children enjoyed dressing up.

In South Gloucestershire we also attended the launch of the project: Inspiring Women: The Legacy of the First World War in South Gloucestershire. The project explores and shares stories about South Gloucestershire’s women to celebrate their achievements today and over the last 100 years. Both Rosa Rouse and Ethel Gale were nominated. Rosa Rouse worked for Bristol City Police and was transferred to Gloucester Constabulary because of her ability to ride a motorbike. She was stationed at Staple Hill for 8 years and dealt with many cases in the 30s. Ethel Gale served in the munitions factories as a member of the Women Police Service during the First World War and the Bath City Police. She joined the Gloucestershire Constabulary and became the first female sergeant.

www.southglos.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/museums-and-galleries/inspiring-women-legacy-first-world-war-south-gloucestershire/

The team have also been booked to give talks at various events over the winter.

To find out more visit gloucestershirepolicearchives.org.uk/