Incoming accessions
We get new items every week added to our collections, coming from a wide variety of people and places across Gloucestershire.
Earlier this year we received the papers of William Lionel Joyce Ford, who was a priest in the Church of England in the late-19th century and early-20th century, collection reference D17358. We received his ordination certificates as deacon and priest and a photograph of William. Parish records and documents relating to the church regularly come to the archive although the personal records of priests themselves aren’t usually included. It is especially satisfying to put a face to these documents, making them come to life.
The collection also includes a certificate of merit for his wife Dorothy Sumner for attendance at Guild meetings. Dorothy was the daughter of Reginald Sumner, a solicitor and warden of St Mark’s Church, Gloucester. The documents were given to the archive by a descendant of William and Dorothy in January 2026.
In addition to the many deposits for parishes, councils, businesses and families, we also get slightly unusual collections covering local events and topics. Earlier this year we received two volumes of election posters, collection reference D17417. They are from 1802 to 1919 and include newspaper cuttings and posters for local events. They cover Cirencester and the surrounding area in the most part but also have examples from Stroud and other districts of Gloucestershire.
They are particularly interesting as they have been collated together so we can see how local politics developed across the area over time. They also include some fascinating allegations made against opponents. They are also large, with dimensions of 53cm x 43cm x 12cm and 53cm x 42cm x 9cm. Having these posters together in two volumes is unusual and very useful for researching local history across the 19th and early 20th centuries. It makes it much easier to follow stories and campaigns and how they relate to events across the county and the country.
You are welcome to view either of the collections mentioned above in our public searchroom. For information on making an appointment and registering for an ARA Archives card (our reader's pass) please see the Visit Us section on our website. Also, if you are interested in hearing more about new incoming material, we publish a blog about our accessions every month, available here