Jump to content

LHP Archive


Ray T

Featured Posts

I believe his archive is being given to the Waterways Museum at Gloucester. The man who would know what has happened to it is Bob Williams of Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust.

 

PS. I have a length or two of Barley Twist that Laurence gave to me.

Edited by sarahavfc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, sarahavfc said:

I believe his archive is being given to the Waterways Museum at Gloucester. The man who would know what has happened to it is Bob Williams of Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust.

 

PS. I have a length or two of Barley Twist that Laurence gave to me.

I have every confidence that Mr Hogg would not have wanted his records to go to CRT, but there we go.

 

I am on the hunt for 'barley twist' brass tube of a suitable quality, length and diameter to use as a towel rail. My boat already has a smooth tube towel rail but it is attached to the side of the ticket drawer whereas I prefer it to run below the ticket drawer and attach to the cabin / door frame panelling. I am also after a Yarwood cabin bullseye and rim if you happen to have one lying around :captain:

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, pete harrison said:

I have every confidence that Mr Hogg would not have wanted his records to go to CRT, but there we go.

 

I am on the hunt for 'barley twist' brass tube of a suitable quality, length and diameter to use as a towel rail. My boat already has a smooth tube towel rail but it is attached to the side of the ticket drawer whereas I prefer it to run below the ticket drawer and attach to the cabin / door frame panelling. I am also after a Yarwood cabin bullseye and rim if you happen to have one lying around :captain:

That was my thoughts too, but I was told at the funeral that’s where they were going. Very strange as LH was very anti CRT museums as they have lost some

of his items in the past.

 

I did offer to organise a project to make his archive available to enthusiasts, but there was no interest from the family and was told it was going to Gloucester, so I left it at that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, sarahavfc said:

That was my thoughts too, but I was told at the funeral that’s where they were going. Very strange as LH was very anti CRT museums as they have lost some

of his items in the past.

 

I did offer to organise a project to make his archive available to enthusiasts, but there was no interest from the family and was told it was going to Gloucester, so I left it at that.

This has happened a couple of times recently where a 'researchers' private archive has gone somewhere that the individual has stressed amongst friends they did not want it to go. I do however feel for the families who have to deal with these large, complex and specialised collections, especially where a personal wish has not been expressed to them, and I suspect my stuff will end up going the same way even though there is not an archive I respect enough at present :captain:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know little of CRT archives, but was under the distinct impression that much material that was previously archived at Gloucester had been transferred to place much more of the collection at Ellesmere Port.

Have I got that wrong?

 

Otherwise I might have expected material now donated to the CRT archive to end up at the Port.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I gave dad's (max Sinclair) collection of 2 1/4 slides except his Droitwich ones to Laurence, as dad had the same opinion about the

BWB CRT (what ever their name is at the time) and considered someone like Laurence or Hugh Potter would use them and not just put them in a store

hope they go to a good home with LHP collection and are put to a good use.

 

RIP LH and Dad

 

On another note spent today at a ceremony to acknowledge dad saving a narrow gauge which has been restored and back in steam, one of 13 he saved  

IMG_3883.JPG

  • Greenie 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My view could be perceived as selfish but I believe is for the greater good.

 

I think it best if the records of a departed 'researcher' are placed with another like minded 'researcher', the reason being they will know the best way to understand it and then allow it to continue to grow as it naturally merges and fills in gaps elsewhere. Once these records go to an archive they become lost amongst all of the other dusty boxes, and even when catalogued are only as good as the words used by the person in that archive - and these are frequently different words to those that we use.

 

There is no doubt that research no longer appears to be the preserve of the young, so as credible 'researchers' pass on there will inevitably be less others to take on these collections so they will inevitably end up with C&RT / HNBC or similar - but the longer this can be put off the better :captain:

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Liam said:

 

I'd suggest an online archive, suitably backed up would be the best way forward.

If we are talking about photos, there already is an online archive - it is called Geograph (www.geograph.org.uk), which is an independent charity and is backed up in several places including the British Library's UK Web Archive project (www.webarchive.org.uk)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Pete I am really surprised to hear Lawrences collection is heading to CRT, his views on their archivists abilities and past dealings were not something he kept to himself. Not long before he passed away he very kindly gave me permission to use any of his own photographs on my website and offered to liaise with owners of third party material he had to allow the same access. An arrangement which would have seen at least a digital copy of his photographic archive to be available to the public.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had some drawings on order from Laurence when he sadly passed. Wherever his collections end up I hope they will be as accessible as possible, as otherwise, as mentioned they become just another dusty box. I totally agree with Sarah and Pete that they should be with like minded people not just "on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard"......to quote......

 

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know you all mean well, but I don't think you are really being realistic. My digital archive probably comprises over 100,000 files, and the cost of putting that on-line with suitable captions would be prohibitive for any organisation, let alone one serving a comparatively small group of interested people. In the long-term, what is needed is continuity of control and access, and this is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve with volunteers. Yes, there are people who will try to do it, but there is the probability of their having to give up at short notice because of illness or infirmity, so a collection would then be at risk again.

I think the onus is on the person putting together an archive to create something that can be passed on easily, and that means digitising everything. The collection can then be 'donated' to several people/organisations, making its survival more likely, and increasing the chance of people accessing it. I have left my collection to the Waterways Archive, as there are few other places which would be interested. The current Archivist is well versed in how to make collections available, and the use of volunteers is much better controlled than previously. There certainly were problems fifteen years or more ago, but things have definitely improved with professional control. That said, they are working on a very limited budget. I am currently in discussion with them regarding my library, which has an extensive foreign canal section. All museums/archives have a collecting policy, and anyone donating things needs to ensure that they understand what that policy is, and to try to alter it if necessary to encompass their collection. Finance is also needed, so along with my library, I will be giving money for shelving, though space is already at a premium at Ellesmere Port.

As a final note, it is fine suggesting material is kept, but I don't see many people actually using canal archives, and there are certainly very few people writing good canal histories. There is a wealth of material already accessible in archives, it just needs a few more people to use it to encourage increased financial support.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In a parallel world, the Vintage MotorCycle Club has created a library open and available to members and I believe the public, that covers a huge amount of material, photocopies of which are available at a price, and perusal of same on premises when open. The Historic Narrow Boat Club has an archive, but as far as I know no dedicated building for same - nor would it be forthcoming, even to house collections of those held by individuals. The CRT is the only organisation available to handle such - even if in the past they have come under fire for mis-placing items. Failing that, we might be left with the Science Museum? And we all know how public money is stretched to breaking point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

The Historic Narrow Boat Club has an archive, but as far as I know no dedicated building for same - nor would it be forthcoming, even to house collections of those held by individuals. The CRT is the only organisation available to handle such - even if in the past they have come under fire for mis-placing items.

Shortly after Alan Elyard Brown passed away his waterways collection / researches / books e.t.c. went to H.N.B.C., Archive even though he expressed his wish (verbally to me) for them to go to another researcher. Alan had serious missgivings about the direction and ability of the H.N.B.C. and their Archive, and the same for C&RT and their Archive - and his records were not to go to either under any circumstances. I was unable to attend Alan's funeral and have never been in a position to express his verbal request to his family, but it is now too late anyway. Alan's hand writing was latterly poor at best and almost unreadable at worst, and many people made fun of this. I do hope the H.N.B.C. will give Alan's work the respect it deserves and spend the time understanding his hand. Alan spent some time with me and my family when his wife passed away almost 20 years ago and I feel privileged to have been given access to his records :captain:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For someone who was largely responsible foe laurence's introduction to the world of canals, I am utterly amazed that the many people who knew, including his ex. wife, members of the BCNS and god knows who, no one had the decency to let me know, modern world eh !, R.I.P Laurence, think on when you are counting your friends, RIP Alan Brown as well, last met him at Ricky lock in the laste 60's

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I am dead against special interest groups such as canal societies and similar organisations receiving historic records unless they have facilities such as a search room for the public to visit and study documents. I've never heard of any that have.

 

Its a safe bet that any material deposited with these organisations will never see the light of day again. I have had personal experience dealing with some of them and its hopeless to get to see anything, in fact some just don't want to be bothered and give the impression they don't want any enquiries at all. 

 

People may be critical of the C&RT archives but at least they have a search room for visitors to study documents. Those wishing to deposit historic material and are unhappy with C&RT then perhaps they should consider their nearest county record office, which should have search room facilities open to the public.  

 

I agree with Mike (Pluto) that anyone considering depositing material at these places should make sure they are properly indexed and catalogued first, as the material is more likely to be accepted if the archive don't have to start cataloguing it themselves.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 02/10/2018 at 21:49, Chris M Jones said:

Personally I am dead against special interest groups such as canal societies and similar organisations receiving historic records unless they have facilities such as a search room for the public to visit and study documents. I've never heard of any that have.

I don't know of any canal societies which have search rooms, but there is at least one railway society that does have one - http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/StudyCentre/studycentre.php

and at least one car club - http://www.rootesarchivecentre.org.uk/

 

On 02/10/2018 at 21:49, Chris M Jones said:

Those wishing to deposit historic material and are unhappy with C&RT then perhaps they should consider their nearest county record office, which should have search room facilities open to the public.  

 

I agree with Mike (Pluto) that anyone considering depositing material at these places should make sure they are properly indexed and catalogued first, as the material is more likely to be accepted if the archive don't have to start cataloguing it themselves.  

I totally support this. It's easy to forget the county record offices, but they often have excellent facilities and have a strong chance of being maintained long into the future.

Please make sure that your photos are titled and dated- then they will be a great help to future historians.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Local Archives have limited finances, and so deposits may take time to be catalogued. It may rake years to do this, in fact. Yet the collection may be relatively safe.

 

 

Transport Societies also have important collections, and to dismiss this option may not be the best. Yet the publication of images remains the best, as such images reach the general public and help show the diverse nature of transport.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.