Buying documents.
One of Friends’ main tasks is to buy documents for Gloucestershire Archives when they come on the open market. Perhaps surprisingly, there are other people and organisations who want to acquire Gloucestershire’s historical documents, and the Friends often encounter stiff opposition when bidding at auction.
In March the Friends were successful in purchasing over 80 19th Century documents relating to the Davy family of Tracy Park in South Gloucestershire – a significant addition to the Archives’ existing records of this important family.
General Sir William Davy bought Tracy Park in 1820
The Friends have also recently bought Land Tax records for Tocklington (1798) and Littleton (1797), and have acquired two large boxes of assorted property and legal documents relating to various parts of the county.
In June last year the Friends were awarded a £1,000 grant by Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, which is being used towards a Gloucester project encouraging minority groups to value the archives they produce. In June this year Ecclesiastical Insurance invited the chair of the Friends, Clive Andrews, to join them, and many other beneficiaries including the Prince of Wales, at a splendid service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate them giving over £100 million to charities.
The work of the Friends is important. If you are not a Friend but would like to join, and support Gloucestershire Archives, a membership form can be found on the Friend’s website: www.foga.online/join
If you are already a Friend you might like to put Sunday 25 September in your diary, the date of this year’s always popular mystery tour. More details soon.