## Accessions To Uk

Repositories 2016 

## Contents

| Executive Summary        |     | 3    |
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| Highlights               |     |      |
|                          |     |      |
| Analysis                 |     |      |
|                          |     |      |
| Coverage and constraints |     | 29   |
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## 

 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence visit: http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to: The Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk Where we have identified any third party copyright information (especially in the images used in this document) you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available on our website via: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: asd@nationalarchives.gov.uk Cover image: Operation Telic 2007, Ian Forsyth, National Army Museum 

## Executive Summary

The National Archives and its predecessor bodies first began surveying the records collected by UK archives in 1839 and have published individual lists since 1954 for the benefit of researchers and to understand collecting patterns across the archival landscape. We publish these details on our website at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/accessions and they are searchable via the Discovery service (http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk). This year for the first time we have conducted statistical analysis of the full set of data we received. 

 
 We received reports from 280 UK archives who responded with details of 16,766 
new collections acquired and accessioned in 2016. 
 We estimate UK repositories accessioned over three hundred thousand files and 
boxes. This represents millions of photographs, letters, diaries and items of digital media. 
 King Charles I, Alan Turing, the writers Naomi Alderman, Sir Terry Pratchett, J.R.R. 
Tolkien and the transgender activist Paris Lees are among the contributors to these new or growing collections. 
 Items ranged from digital deposits such as photographs taken by British officers 
during operations in Afghanistan in 2007 to 11th century manuscripts. 
 Local archives receive new collections at approximately twice the rate of national 
institutions. 
 However, the evidence seems to suggest that the size of individual collections is 
much larger in national archives than in other types of archive. 
 In our preliminary examination of gender across newly accessioned collections it is 
Scottish repositories which achieved the most equal gender balance. Scotland and London also recorded low rates of accruing collections, reflecting dynamic collecting policies. 
 Archives now receive more collections containing 21st century material than 
collections containing 19th century material. 

## Highlights From 2016 Twenty-First Century

Records created this century constitute a significant proportion of those accessioned in 
2016, suggesting that many archives are collecting contemporary material.  This includes material created by community and heritage projects as well as records of film and theatre. The theme of war is prominent, and there is a significant body of records relating to LGBTQ organisations. Some of the items accessioned relate to projects such as the WISEArchive, an oral history group run by volunteers, dedicated to recording, transcribing and editing workinglife stories. Norfolk Record Office now holds WISEArchive's recorded interviews with people who worked at Beech House, Gressenhall. Lancashire Archives took in records of a project by Deafway, recording British Sign Language conversations held between participants on a subject of their choice. The project aims to preserve memories and culture of the deaf community. The University of Strathclyde Archives and Special Collections collected oral history interviews from the Govanhill People's History project, which aims to record the history of migration in Govanhill, Glasgow. Many twenty-first century records relate to war, where the theatre of conflict moves from Europe - typical of twentieth century records - to the Middle East and Central Asia. The Imperial War Museum collected records about, and created by those involved in, the conflict in Afghanistan, including digital images by Iain King, Stabilisation Advisor (civilian) and photographer in Helmand Province, from February to July 2008 and June to November 2009. A collection of digital photographs, taken and compiled by Sgt Rupert Frere, Royal Logistic Corps, associated with Operation Herrick in Afghanistan, was accessioned by the National Army Museum. The Museum also collected digital images by army photographer Corporal Ian Forsyth, Royal Logistic Corps, related to Operation Telic in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. 

Photojournalist Kate Holt's photographs of the British Army's deployment to Sierra Leone in response to the West Africa Ebola Crisis (2014-2015) are now also held at the museum.  
 
A number of twenty-first century records accessioned last year also relate to film and performance. The British Film Institute collected production material, storyboards, drawings and photographs relating to the work of animator Robert Morgan. The collection includes material for surreal stop motion films 'The Cat with Hands' (2001) and 'The Separation' 
(2003). Records from the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry were accessioned by Coventry History Centre. The theatre opened in 1958 and was part of the redevelopment of the city following the Second World War. Newcastle University, Special Collections, obtained Northern Stage (Theatrical Productions) Ltd.'s marketing, governance, and production material dating from 2006 to 2015. Records reflecting LGBTQ experience, such as the oral history project focusing on the lives of members of The Pink Singers, an LGBT choir established in 1983, feature in accessions from the twenty-first century. London Metropolitan Archives took in the records of this project charting three decades of LGBT history and heritage. Looking at campaigns and activities, publications and articles by transgender rights activist Paris Lees were collected by the Bishopsgate Institute. Bishopsgate also accessioned documents on GLADD's (the LGBT Association of Doctors and Dentists) activities and campaigns from 2005-2015, as well as papers of its predecessor organisation, the Gay Medical Association. 

## Twentieth Century

Most of the records accessioned in 2016 are twentieth century. These records cover diverse themes including records related to music and literature as well as further material on LGBTQ campaigns and organisations. They shed light on individuals and life-styles, scientific advancements, social and political movements, as well as major events that defined the century. Records accessioned by the Institute of Mechanical Engineering show how the circumstances of war gave rise to new inventions. Two volumes, produced by the Paravane (PV) Department of HM Dockyard, Portsmouth, give details of designs and specifications for paravanes - developed to destroy oceanic mines - and bow protection devices for mine sweepers. In the midst of the centenary of the First World War, records relating to this conflict have been on collecting archives' radar and feature prominently in twentieth century accessions. Among these records are some that cover less commonly presented aspects of the Great War, such as papers relating to Mark Henry Chambers Havier's time as a conscientious objector now held at London Borough of Croydon Archives. Wigan Archives Service accessioned a plan of the Leigh Military Detention Camp, used as a Prisoner of War Camp for German prisoners during the First World War. 

 

## Plan Of Leigh Military Detention Camp (E/Dza/500), Wigan Archives Service

Science and invention, without the baggage of war, is another prominent theme in accessions from the twentieth century. These include a book of observations by the physicist Reginald William James (1891-1964), held by the National Maritime Museum. The book contains scientific calculations, using the Mercer chronometer 5529, recorded during the Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917 led by Ernest Shackleton. The Archives Centre, King's College, Cambridge accessioned letters written to the now famous mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing (1912–1954) between 1930 and 1954. The letters were compiled by Philip Nicholas Furbank FRSL (1920-2014) English writer, scholar and critic, and Turing's executor. There are also papers relating to genetically modified foods and crop research by Michael Wilson, Professor of Microbiology, which were purchased by the Science Museum. The museum also accessioned files of computer journalist Glyn Moody relating to the development of the World Wide Web and its early use by businesses. Accessions from the twentieth century also take on a more artistic theme with documents on literature and music. The autograph sketches of Pomp and Circumstance March no.6 by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) were obtained by the British Library. The University of East Anglia collected notebooks, manuscripts of novels and gaming scripts by novelist and game designer Naomi Alderman. In Oxford, The Bodleian Library accessioned an annotated map of Middle-earth, drawn by C.R. Tolkien in 1954, for inclusion in The Lord of the Rings. The map is annotated by Pauline Baynes and J.R.R. Tolkien in preparation for Baynes's poster map of Middle-earth, published in 1969. The Bodleian also obtained letters and notes written by C.S. Lewis to his pupil, Thomas McAlindon. The correspondence relates primarily to McAlindon's academic work. Senate House Library collected correspondence between 
 
Terry Pratchett and Henye Mayer on subjects including meanings of Yiddish words, Judaism, evolution and religious belief, Pratchett's characters and plots, and his research for the Science of Discworld.  
Documents on LGBTQ issues also begin to appear in archives collecting more contemporary records. Newcastle University Special Collections accessioned correspondence and campaign material created by the Tyneside Campaign for Homosexual Equality between 1970 and 1999. Founded in 1964, the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) is one of the oldest gay rights organisations in the country.  A network of local groups was established in the 1970s, organising their own social and campaigning activities in the local area. The Labour History Archive and Study Centre at the People's History Museum collected records of Michael Steed (1940-) related to the Campaign for Homosexual Equality. Michael, British psephologist, broadcaster, activist and Liberal Democrat politician, served on the CHE's executive committee and also as treasurer for a time.  

## Tyneside Campaign For Homosexual Equality Campaign Material (Che), Newcastle University Special Collections

 
Other recently accessioned twentieth century records of interest include material by Arthur Fenwick (1877-1957), a retailer, circus and fairground enthusiast, 
including magic lantern slides featuring circus images, now held by Tyne and Wear Archives. Senate House Library obtained the records of spiritualist Emmeline Vyner's Edinburgh séances dating from the 1930s. Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Record Office accessioned photographs and ephemera relating to the miner's strike in 1984-1986. The Nina Hibbin (nee Masel) Papers were accessioned by the University of Sussex Special Collections at The Keep. Nina kept a diary for Mass Observation during the Second World War. She started working for the organisation at the age of 17, and submitted regular reports about life in the East End of London, anti-Semitism and the conditions of public air raid shelters. She later joined the MO team in Luccombe (Somerset) as in investigator for Mass Observation's 1947 book, 'Exmoor Village'.  

## Nineteenth Century

Nineteenth century records accessioned in 2016 are an interesting mix covering a variety of topics. Representing around 15% of material collected in 2016, these records showcase the 
 
rich literature of the period and highlight aspects of life such as sickness and health, scientific advancement and new opportunities of travel. There are also more political themes including records related to colonial rule and maritime and naval endeavours.  
A wealth of material related to nineteenth century literature was collected and accessioned in 2016, including a manuscript edition of 'Gertrude of Wyoming' by the poet Thomas Campbell (1777-1844), now held by Cambridge University Department of Manuscripts. The romantic epic poem describes the Battle of Wyoming during the American Revolutionary War and the massacre of American Revolutionaries at the hands of Loyalists and their allies in 1778. Kingston History Centre accessioned a letter from Charles Dickens to his uncle, written in 1839.  

## Letter Of Charles Dickens (Kx623), Kingston History Centre

There is also a very interesting script for a one-act comic play, produced in the midst of a cholera epidemic, entitled, 'The cholera morbus, or love and fright' performed at the Royal Coburg Theatre, London, in 1831. This document was accessioned by the Wellcome Collection and includes annotations and the names of the cast. The theme of illness, though of a different kind, is reflected in the accession of asylum records, such as the male and female case books of the Dundee Royal Lunatic Asylum dating from 1834-35, taken in by the University of Dundee Archive Service. And a pauper dietary from Fairford Lunatic Asylum, dated 1847, was accessioned by Gloucestershire archives. Among the accessions of nineteenth century records related to science and medicine are Sorabji Pallonji Bamji's handwritten notebooks from his time as a physician in India in the 1890s, collected by the Royal College of Physicians. The University of Exeter Library special collections accessioned the Hudson Transparencies, a collection of paper screens depicting microscopic organisms, which were designed and constructed as visual teaching aids by the microscopist, and world authority on Rotifera, Charles Thomas Hudson (1828-1903).  
 
Hudson Transparencies (EUL MS 
442/RJW15), University of Exeter, 
"Rotifera, *Asplanchna Ebbesbornii* A. 

Female B Male", identified and listed by R J Wootton.   
Image courtesy of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.   
 
 
The Science Museum collected material related to John William Dunne (1875-1949), aeronautical engineer and philosopher, including correspondence and fan mail. Advances in technology allowed easier and more frequent travel, a prevalent theme in accessions of nineteenth century records. There is a manuscript of 'A Trip to Paris and its Exhibition of 1889' by the station master John Dodd (1852-1899). The account, accessioned by the National Railway Museum in York, describes a voyage by rail to the 1889 Exposition Universelle. The National Museums Liverpool, Maritime Archives and Library, took in the diary of Thomas Slingsby, passenger aboard the emigrant ship Hastings, owned by Johnson and Company, describing the journey from Liverpool to Melbourne 1854-1855. National Museums Liverpool also accessioned a Grand Tour photograph album belonging to businessman Ralph Brocklebank dating from around 1870. The custom of the Grand Tour, a trip - usually around Europe - undertaken by those with means and rank, began in the late seventeenth century and provided an opportunity to gain exposure to art and culture. Records related to voyages extend to maritime and naval activities, including Royal Navy lieutenant Orthnel Mawdesley's journal of an unsuccessful attack on a Spanish ship at Vigo. Collected by the National Maritime Museum, the journal also describes his captivity along with other members of the crew of HMS Theseus in Galicia in 1807-1808. The increase in naval power went hand in hand with imperial ambitions and colonial occupation, clearly reflected in accessions dating from the nineteenth century. The Institute of Commonwealth Studies obtained correspondence of James Bruce (1756-1808), lieutenant governor of Dominica, on the subject of collecting debts and selling James Neave's property on the island. Letters of Captain Henry Riversdale Elliot, Madras sappers and miners, related to the Abyssinia Campaign of 1867-1868 were collected by the National Army Museum. The campaign, led by General Sir Robert Napier against the forces of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia, succeeded in its aims, rescuing hostages taken by the emperor and taking Magdala, then capital of Ethiopia. The letters give details of the campaign and describe marches and life in camp.  

## Eighteenth Century

Many of the eighteenth century documents accessioned in 2016 relate to family and estate papers, manorial documents and maps and plans. There are also interesting documents related to law and landholding. An enclosure agreement (left) associated with Sunningwell common (D/WX2593/1), dated 1722, was accessioned by Berkshire Record Office. Enclosure had a significant impact on affected communities, transforming the landscape both physically and economically. This was a legal process that usually involved consolidating small landholdings and common or communal land, with use of the enclosed land then becoming restricted to the owners. This enabled the introduction of better farming methods, leading to greater productivity, but also contributed to the loss of common rights and the rise of a landless working class.  
Devon Heritage Centre collected an interesting document listing persons from five parishes in the Hundred of North Tawton qualified to serve on juries. Forming part of Quarter Session records, lists such as this were based on land and property ownership, with ownership of freehold being a requirement for a person to be considered eligible to serve on a jury. 

## Seventeenth Century

A relatively small percentage of records accessioned in 2016 relate to the seventeenth century. Many of these are deeds and court rolls. There are also records associated with the civil wars that dominated the 1640s, resulting in the execution of Charles I, as well as material related to the restoration and reign of Charles II. The National Army Museum obtained a collection of papers by Sir Edward Walker (1612- 1677), secretary at war to Charles I. The documents, dating from 1643-1645, mostly concern the progress of war in the West Country and include minutes of meetings of the Council of War, draft proclamations and commissioning documents as well as an account of the Battle of Lostwithiel in 1644. In 1897 the Historical Manuscripts Commission recorded that the collection was "[only] of interest to the lighter students of our seventeenth century annals", which only goes to show how historical tastes change. Letters patent of Charles I, appointing commissioners of array for the city of Worcester in 1642, calling on men to join the king's army, was purchased by Worcestershire Archives and Archaeology Service. The document was both signed by the king and impressed with the Great Seal, perhaps in an attempt to emphasise the legitimacy of reviving a medieval method of raising troops without the consent of Parliament. Commissions of Array were issued as a response to Parliament's Militia Ordinance, passed without royal assent.  The issue of which decree to follow became an early test of allegiance in the civil war.  
 
Archives and Archaeology Service, images produced by WAAS Digital Throughout the first civil war Charles I had his headquarters at Oxford. An agreement between the King and the citizens and freemen of the City of Oxford and tenants of Wolvercote, regarding provision for the King's army, was signed in 1643. This document, accessioned by the Bodleian Library, was signed by Thomas Dennis, Mayor of the City, and over sixty citizens and freemen, and states it is 'to be left amongst the Records of the Cittie', which the Bodleian have certainly ensured. 

## Sixteenth Century

Records from the sixteenth century comprise the fewest accessions from 2016. However, there are interesting examples of records covering the turbulent times between the reigns of Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth I. A deed of naturalisation for Jean Laysné, originally from Normandy, to be an English subject of Queen Elizabeth I, was accessioned by Island Archives Guernsey. The accompanying papers indicate Jean was a Huguenot escaping Catholic persecution.  The document, dated 1591, is signed by Sir Thomas Leighton, who served as Governor of Guernsey from 1570 to 1609. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies accessioned a charter of Edward VI, dated 1547, confirming John Percyvale's will of 1502 endowing a chantry school in the town of Macclesfield. The school, whose survival had been threatened by the Abolition of Chantries Act 1547, was re-founded under the new charter, later becoming the free Grammar School of King Edward VI and granted former monastic lands in Chester.  
During the reign of Mary I, with the country returned to Catholicism, relations with Rome were re-established. Thomas Thirlby (c.1500-1570), bishop, successively, of Westminster, Norwich and Ely, undertook a diplomatic embassy to Rome in 1555 with the aim of obtaining papal approval for Cardinal Pole's plans to once again unite the English church with Rome. Bishop Thirlby's journal of this mission is now in the collections of Lambeth Palace Library.  

## Medieval

The most commonly accessioned medieval documents are deeds and charters.  Some of these charters are notable for bearing wax seals, often used as a means of authenticating documents, but could also be a way of conveying personal or institutional identity. Trafford Local Studies, for example, accessioned the original charter for the town of Altrincham, dating from 1290. The charter, granted to the town by Baron Hamon de Massey, and set with his seal, allowed the town to become a Free Borough. The charter granted the town and its citizens certain privileges, allowing for the establishment of a weekly market and the creation of a merchants' guild.  

## Altrincham Charter, 1290 (Tra1784), Trafford Local Studies,

 
Other accessioned records include items that reflect the devotional character of the period, such as a breviary or illuminated Books of Hours, containing prayers and psalms. An early fourteenth century breviary from Sweetheart Abbey, a Cistercian monastery near Dumfries, was obtained by the National Library of Scotland. The breviary was listed in a private collection in the early 1700s, but all trace of it was lost for 300 years until it was recently auctioned in Vienna. A rare example of this type of liturgical text, the manuscript contains the lives of a number of Scottish saints as well as prayers written and used by the monks to assist in the recitation of the Devine Office.   

## Sweetheart Breviary (Ms.40000), National Library Of Scotland

Continuing the religious theme, Cambridge University Department of Manuscripts accessioned a Book of Hours originating from Delft in the Netherlands dating from around 1445. And providing an example of devotional books south of the Alps, a late fifteenth century Italian Book of Hours was collected by Durham University Library. These books were designed for personal use, and while the central texts share characteristics, they demonstrate great variety, reflecting the individual preferences of their owners.   

## Analysis Scale Of Collecting

We received reports from 280 UK archives who reported details of 16,766 new collections acquired and accessioned in 2016. This represents about 10% of repositories with entries in the ARCHON directory so the true figure will be much larger. In this analysis archives are divided into 12 regions of the UK (including a small amount of information from both sides of the border in Ireland) and into four types: local, national, special and university. 

## Regions

The largest number of reported collections accessioned came from the South East, followed by the South West and London. 

 
                                                          

## 

But there were, for instance, more than three times as many returns received from archives in London as there were archives in the West Midlands. Dividing collections recorded by the number of returning repositories suggests that it is the East Midlands region where individual repositories are collecting proportionately more than archives in other regions. 

## Number Of Collections Accessioned Per Repository Surveyed

We have also attempted to calculate the extent of these collections. Archives report this extent in a range of ways. They might provide a formal measurement in cubic or linear metres or they might provide a summary such as '7 boxes', '89 items', '10 rolls'. We have added these counts to produce a total of orderable units. Since many more archives used these counts than provided measurements in metres we have produced estimated item counts from these figures.2 We estimate UK repositories accessioned over three hundred thousand (306,000) files and boxes. London, the South West and Yorkshire appear to have accessioned the largest volumes of material. When averaged by repository, the South West appears to have achieved the highest accession volumes. 

## Types

It is local archives who appear to take on the burden of collecting in the UK. If we divide the number of collections by the number of reporting repositories we find that on average, local archives received twice as many new collections as national institutions in 
2016. 

 
However these differences appear to narrow or disappear when we look at the extent of material reported rather than focusing on the number of accessions. 

 
If we again divide the material accessioned by the number of repositories, the trend becomes even clearer: national collections report a greater extent of material than local archives. 

 
This strongly suggests that the average size of an accessioned collection in a national archive is substantially bigger than that in other types of archive. We will carry out further investigations to test this in future analyses. 

 

## Digital Accessions

 
We did not ask archives to specifically report the extent of digital accessions. Nevertheless, this information was provided by a number of repositories giving a total of 50 digital collections. The volume of this data was 1.31 terabytes.3 Digital collections made up 0.3% of collections counted. The median size of a declared digital collection was 220MB and the largest single digital collection reported was 812 GB. Next year we will ask archives to report more formally on such accessions and conduct a more searching analysis of what digital content archives are preserving. 

## Characteristics Of Collecting Dates

There was very little variation in the chronological profile of collected material either regionally or by type. 

## 

 
 
Roughly 25% of collections include at least some 21st century material. Accessions overwhelmingly included 20th century material with documents becoming, predictably, scarcer over time. 

## Themes

In terms of looking at what kind of material archives have been collecting, in this first data exploration we have focused on three areas: a very simple gender analysis, using instances of the word 'his' versus the word 'her' across collections; analysing accruals to look at how quickly collecting is evolving in different repositories and finally looking at top terms appearing in record descriptions. 

## His Vs Her

 
We see substantial regional variation in the occurrence of these words. Scotland is very close to a 1:1 ratio of collections using 'his' to collections using 'her'. Wales and the North East have ratios of 10:1 or more. London used the word 'her' most frequently but also used the word 'his' far more frequently than any other region (giving a ratio of around 5:1). No repository in the West Midlands used the word 'her' in their return. Given the date profile of collected material some of these ratios may appear disappointing but this is a highly selective metric, acting as a surrogate for more sophisticated gender analysis of record creators which we intend for the future. 

 
 
Again, we see considerable variation. Special collections have a ratio of 1.25:1. Local and University collections achieve 2.7 and 3.8 to 1, respectively. National collections are at more than 7:1.  

## Accruals

Accruals represent the proportion of accessions which are additions to existing collections as opposed to completely new deposits. 

70Ireland (NI and Eire)LondonScotlandEastWalesSouth EastWest MidlandsEast MidlandsYorkshire and the HumberNorth West**North EastSouth West* Based on the average performance of local archives, regions with more than 50% accruals should perhaps consider whether their current collecting is sufficiently diverse. The South West reported the highest proportion of collections which were accruals at 58%. Once again, Scotland seems to offer a model at 32% The University sector in general may wish to consider whether a majority of their accessions should continue to be accruals.  

## Top Terms

In order to illustrate, roughly, distinctions and commonalities between collected material we have tabulated the words occurring most frequently across reporting repositories. We have divided these words into two types: those looking at the materiality of the record ('minutes', 'correspondence', 'notes') and those characterising the content of the record ('personal', 'regimental', 'church') Across different repository types we see common material types but some more variety in the themes or content of the material. 

 

| Type       | Material       | Count           |   Theme  |
|------------|----------------|-----------------|----------|
| Special    | photographs    | 127 nursing     |     199  |
|            | correspondence | 96 hospital     |     106  |
|            | notes          | 77 royal        |      89  |
|            | book           | 74 personal     |      85  |
|            | minutes        | 63 college      |      81  |
|            | certificate    | 62 council      |      77  |
| University | correspondence | 226 university  |     194  |
|            | photographs    | 194 his         |     130  |
|            | minutes        | 133 college     |     103  |
|            | letters        | 124 church      |      87  |
|            | book           | 116 baptist     |      80  |
|            | notes          | 94 research     |      75  |
| National   | photographs    | 156 grenadier   |     264  |
|            | correspondence | 122 guards      |     263  |
|            | letters        | 105 war         |     216  |
|            | photographic   | 63 associated   |     210  |
|            | photograph     | 61 his          |     176  |
|            | notes          | 59 regimental   |     145  |
| Local      | minutes        | 2373 church     |    1462  |
|            | photographs    | 1746 school     |    1359  |
|            | book           | 1719 st [saint] |    1165  |
|            | register       | 1078 parish     |     877  |
|            | books          | 947 committee   |     753  |
|            | registers      | 919 council     |     706  |

 This year, national acquisitions appear to contain a significant amount of military material and special collections collected a large tranche of medical material. There seems to be some overlap between religious material collected by local archives and the collecting practice of universities. Looking regionally, there is considerable homogeneity among archives, particularly in England, with a strong focus on traditional institutions of church and state. A preponderance of national collections gives London and Scotland a different picture. These terms sit on top of much more diverse holdings but the question must be asked whether, fundamentally, collecting church, school and council records fully represents the lived experience of life in the UK, particularly when, as we have seen up to 25% of these records may come from the 20th century. 


| Type          | Material       | Count          |   Theme  |
|---------------|----------------|----------------|----------|
| South East    | minutes        | 357 church     |     293  |
|               | photographs    | 304 parish     |     215  |
|               | deeds          | 177 st [saint] |     153  |
|               | register       | 166 committee  |     123  |
|               | book           | 165 council    |     109  |
|               | correspondence | 156 school     |     104  |
| South West    | minutes        | 449 church     |     293  |
|               | photographs    | 308 st [saint] |     274  |
|               | book           | 239 parish     |     202  |
|               | correspondence | 232 committee  |     173  |
|               | register       | 195 school     |     142  |
|               | books          | 185 family     |     136  |
| Scotland      | photographs    | 193 nursing    |     199  |
|               | book           | 160 school     |     133  |
|               | minutes        | 116 council    |      91  |
|               | correspondence | 111 royal      |      86  |
|               | books          | 103 hospital   |      82  |
|               | letter         | 71 college     |      76  |
| Yorkshire     | book           | 293 church     |     125  |
|               | photographs    | 247 school     |     122  |
|               | minutes        | 236 leeds      |     115  |
|               | correspondence | 191 committee  |      90  |
|               | accounts       | 114 york       |      85  |
|               | register       | 101 service    |      79  |
| Wales         | minutes        | 111 swansea    |      74  |
|               | photographs    | 107 school     |      66  |
|               | books          | 78 church      |      58  |
|               | registers      | 73 history     |      40  |
|               | book           | 73 family      |      39  |
|               | photograph     | 56 council     |      36  |
| Ireland       | papers         | 19 belfast     |      12  |
|               | letters        | 12 co          |      12  |
|               | correspondence | 11 his         |      10  |
|               | printed        | 11 photographs |       8  |
|               | minutes        | 8 ireland      |       6  |
|               | accounts       | 6 her          |       6  |
| East          | minutes        | 416 church     |     299  |
|               | correspondence | 309 st [saint] |     295  |
|               | book           | 263 school     |     231  |
|               | photographs    | 189 road       |     161  |
|               | register       | 147 hall       |     134  |
|               | accounts       | 146 farm       |     133  |
| East Midlands | minutes        | 289 church     |     152  |
|               | book           | 287 school     |     138  |
|               | register       | 196 committee  |     115  |
|               | photographs    | 184 council       |   86  |
|---------------|----------------|-------------------|-------|
|               | correspondence | 136 nottingham    |   85  |
|               | minute         | 109 meeting       |   74  |
| West Midlands | minutes        | 158 church        |   79  |
|               | photographs    | 115 parish        |   49  |
|               | book           | 93 school         |   88  |
|               | correspondence | 90 service        |   31  |
|               | registers      | 87 council        |   31  |
|               | accounts       | 71 committee      |   30  |
| North East    | photographs    | 85 northumberland |   57  |
|               | minutes        | 79 durham         |   54  |
|               | registers      | 50 court          |   49  |
|               | books          | 57 plans          |   46  |
|               | book           | 53 council        |   43  |
|               | register       | 50 school         |   43  |
| North West    | photographs    | 278 school        |  352  |
|               | book           | 251 st [saint]    |  246  |
|               | minutes        | 249 bees          |  156  |
|               | correspondence | 193 church        |  154  |
|               | books          | 135 council       |  107  |
|               | register       | 133 house         |  105  |
| London        | photographs    | 237 grenadier     |  264  |
|               | correspondence | 207 guards        |  263  |
|               | minutes        | 156 war           |  237  |
|               | letters        | 117 associated    |  210  |
|               | photograph     | 109 his           |  197  |
|               | notes          | 106 world         |  149  |

 Just to clarify one point, the North West is not obsessed with beekeeping but collected a considerable quantity of records related to St Bees in Cumbria. 

 

## Coverage And Constraints

This was messy data which we have done our best to clean: not all archives fill in every field for every item and although returns are via a template, archives report values such as the size of a collection in many different ways which we have attempted to regularise. There is also considerable regional variation in the coverage of the survey both in terms of representation from repositories regionally and by type. In Wales, almost 18% of all repositories recorded in the ARCHON directory contributed data. For the East Midlands this was only 6.5%. 24% of National collections submitted returns but only around 2.5% of special collections. 

The latter are by far the largest type representing around half of ARCHON entries. 

Returns from business archives and private archives are entirely absent, for the simple reason that we have not traditionally asked for them. While the latter category may create considerable difficulty in collecting returns and debate over what constitutes a 'repository', the total exclusion of the former category, at a time when business archives are taking great strides both in their own collections knowledge and in providing public access does not seem conducive to representing the richness of UK collecting and we hope to make some progress in this area in the near future. These results represent a snapshot of data. In the future, we will be able to look at trends over time using this same methodology. We have plans for more sophisticated analysis as our data collection and methods evolve.