Weekly Meeting - Speaker Heather Forbes (Gloucestershire Archives)

Wed, Jan 31st 2018 at 7:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Friend: John Cresswell
VOT: Peter Harris


Heather Forbes (Gloucestershire Archives)

It deserves a mention, so rare is it, that we were privileged to have Heather with us on the evening of the super blue red full moon!  She took as the title for her talk ‘an introduction to the collections and current projects being undertaken at Gloucestershire Archives’.  Heather is well qualified to speak on this as she has been over 12 years in the job as Head Archivist, having previously been Archivist at Canterbury Cathedral and before that County Archivist at Winchester.  A frequent user myself of Gloucestershire Archives for research purposes I was very much looking forward to Heather’s talk.  I was aware that so many interesting things were taking place at the building in Alvin Street, especially the apparent root and branch rebuild to allow better user access and to increase the capacity for storage of their documents.

Heather informed us that the collection started in 1900 in the Library in Brunswick Road and the Record Office was created in 1936.  Having outgrown its space there, and I can vouch that, in comparison with Alvin Street, things at the Library were rather primitive and cramped, the Archives moved to the former Kingsholm Junior School building in 1979.  Still there, but having outgrown this space, the site is undergoing a round of major improvements to make it fit for purpose for many more years.
So, what is in the Archive?  Heather took us on a comprehensive journey through many years’ worth of documents relating to the historic county of Gloucestershire.  Some facts she revealed are that the earliest document dates from 811 AD, that there are 9 miles of shelving and that the artefacts are housed in acid free boxes so as not to damage the contents.  There will be a further 3 miles available for use after the building works are completed and so many items are there that 2 full time conservators have the task of looking after the documents’ upkeep.

Heather mentioned many documents, but to give a flavour, listing was made of the public archives of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Courts, Hospitals, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Port of Gloucester and Gloucester Diocese.  Also, there are the privately deposited archives of Dowty, Fielding and Platt (for which an oral history has been completed), Crimean War diaries, Granville Sharp anti-slavery documents and hundreds of items relating to Ivor Gurney.  In view of our presence at Bowden Hall, Heather showed us the sale particulars of our meeting place when it first came on the market.

Recently Heather has received a major accolade in that she has been given a lifetime achievement award from the All Parliamentary Group on Archives and History.  The Co-chair of that group described her thus:  ‘She has developed one of the country’s most modern archive services using strong financial and grant-management skills, as well as innovative technology and promotional strategies’.  Praise indeed!  We were very fortunate to have such an illustrious speaker address us and I would urge my fellow Rotarians to take advantage of this fine local resource once the building work is completed.

Peter Harris

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