And One on Archives.... Digitisation: A Lifeline for Archives

After recent visits to the Wellcome Collection and London Metropolitan Archives it’s really hit home that digitisation doesn’t just make our lives easier as researchers but is an important life line for archives and one of growing importance.

I’m a huge fan of archives and physically visiting them, where you come face to face with documents and to be honest, feel like a proper historian. And yes I probably fall into that category of people who gets lost in awe of original documents, at least at first. Because they are a direct record of the past. They are real pieces of history and I get just as excited as if I were to pull a piece of bone out of a trench. Maybe that opens me up to ridicule but to me visiting archives is something that distinguishes us as historians, or more broadly, as researchers.

Nothing beats finding something really special - like the stationary heading for Anton Jamrach’s exotic animal business that I found in the NHM archives for example. I couldn’t believe the elaborate detail and depictions of all sorts of creatures, including elephants, rhinos and a monkey that strongly resembles a man. I couldn’t have imagined that something like that would have survived and yet there it was and it was pretty cool seeing it in the flesh rather than on a computer screen. Unfortunately I can’t upload a picture due to the copyright restrictions imposed on it, which actually  brings me to what sort of inspired me to write this blog; the changing attitude of archives thanks to digitalisation.

Wellcome Library, London
Zoological Society of London: a variety of animals,
including a lion, a goat and a tiger.
Wood engraving.
Collection: Iconographic Collections
Library reference no.: ICV No 23587

Through visits to Wellcome and the LMA I was surprised to learn how much more open they have become, especially with regard to access of their images collections. I suppose I’ve been used to hearing “no” and “you have to oblige to copyright rules”, which I fully respect, but find it refreshing to hear that the tide is changing and open access seems to be more embraced. The Wellcome collection’s digitising policy applies right across their collections including their special collections, manuscripts and images. In fact they are so keen to promote use of their collections that Wellcome Images was re-launched and all fees were wavered. People from around the world now have complete access to the images Wellcome has digitised. I mean how fantastic is that?  It’s an opportunity to get images out there, to get people talking about them and stimulate discussion not just about the images themselves, but also about the collections they have come from. As evidence it was explained to us that Wellcome Images formerly had 10,000 visitors/users a year, but when it was re-launched that figure rose to 10,000 in just 4 days. With the rise of social media there are ample ways for images to gain high publicity in very short spaces of time and that can be a great tool for promotion.

The LMA shares a similar policy, believing that digitalisation provides ample benefits, including the provision of global access and ensuring the archive has a wider reputation. It also introduces the collections to new audiences, is cost effective and creates preservation surrogates of the originals. I’d also underestimated the commercial benefits that many of the agreements around digitising provide. In some cases they can be a life line and vital source of funding in a very vulnerable sector.

I’m not unfamiliar with archive websites or those that provide access to archive material like Ancestry, I was just surprised to learn how much emphasis is being place on this area of development and just how much like businesses archives have to run. Archives can be intimidating places to visit but the process of digitalisation demystifies them, especially, larger and better established institutions that have a highly respected reputation. Promoting access through various mediums and harnessing the potential of digital media has more benefits than I had ever considered, both for the archives and for the growing number of researchers out there.

One from the archive.... Restoration Controversies

Restoring England’s Heritage – Transmitted on BBC 1 5/12/13

I know, I know another television driven blog piece, but again it was one I saw and thought raised a number of issues interesting issues regarding public history and the preservation of heritage.

Presented by Gyles Brandreth, this one off episode was a follow up piece marking the 10 year anniversary of the BBC’s Restoration series (2004) which saw the British public vote as to which heritage sites from across the country they wanted to see saved from ruin and receive grants from HLF. I vaguely remember the series but can’t claim to have watched it. But what a novel idea? Using a television series on BBC 2 to highlight the plight of British heritage on a regional basis and encourage the public to rally to its protection. I can’t help but feel that the concept had great potential and it would certainly be something that would have caught my attention as a television viewer. However, having done a bit of further research around the piece it would appear that very little was actually achieved as a result of the series, those that were awarded funding struggling to overcome bureaucratic obstacles and other things that prevented restoration efforts. 

That said, in revisiting the legacy of the series this short episode once again drew attention to the question of preservation and raised some interesting questions about its place in modern society. Evidently, this episode was one of a number made but in keeping with the regional focus of the original series, each focused on a specific region and was only aired in that particular area. The one I watched therefore focused on London. At the opening Gyles made the strong assertion that amongst London’s construction boom a great deal of heritage is being left to crumble away. Given that we Brits are a nation of history lovers,who often seek out period features in our homes, I was quite taken aback by this remark at first, but then when you think about it, this hankering for nostalgia has left us with so many properties now in need of preservation, that some are going to fall by the wayside; especially when you consider the economic climate and budget restraints facing local authorities. Right from the beginning a number of the debates surrounding preservation therefore became clear.  

Sandy Coombe
http://www.turnerintwickenham.org.uk/the-restoration-project/

These debates were then put into context through the discussion of several examples which illustrate restoration, redevelopment and non-action. The case for restoration was put forward by the example of Sandy Coombe, Turner’s country retreat, which has been fighting a long battle for preservation. The most recent turn of events has seen HLF grant the Trustees of Turner’s House a small development fund in order to start a campaign for the £2 million need for complete restoration. In this case a voluntary group has been essential to its survival, for without their campaigning it could easily have been bought by a property developer and all connection to Turner lost. That said however, can we afford to cling to every property that has ties to famous British individuals? A line has to be drawn somewhere and perhaps that is why causes such as this never reach the national level but remain local causes. If the nation was littered with blue plaques and houses preserved in memory of former owners, would those we have continue to have any value or meaning?

Battersea Power Station
http://www.industri.uk.com/battersea/filming.html

The more controversial example of Battersea Power Station was used to argue the debate between preservation and redevelopment. The plans for the redevelopment of this site were much contested and remain to be, for the power station chimneys are an infamous part of London’s skyline and conservationists don’t want to see those lost. Developers concluded that the originals couldn’t be preserved and would have to be replaced with replicas and this continues to be a contentious issue. Developers have had to work closely with English Heritage who were responsible from approving development plans and who continue to work closely with developers throughout construction but questions around the nature of redevelopment and whether this is the right course of action still exist. As a whole the power station may be staying and brought into the twenty-first century but at what cost? Are preservation and redevelopment compatible to any degree? Will Battersea provide evidence for this? I wonder.

Broomfield House

www.broomfieldhouse.org/files/BroomfieldHouse_Scaffolding2

The final example shown is that of Broomfield House in Palmers Green. The original assessors from 10 years ago revisited the site in the hope that some sort of redevelopment had taken place and having heard of its importance, as a viewer you will that to be the case - but sadly it isn’t and we’re greeted by, for want of a better word, a ruin. It has been left untouched for the last 10 years and continues to decay, despite the continued efforts of the Broomfield House Trust to secure HLF funding. It’s a rather subdued note to end on, but is this to be the fate of other heritage sites? If someone had taken a wrecking ball and placed a plaque in its memory it might not have been so saddening, but there is something about seeing this once glorious building in such a dilapidated state upon the landscape, that gives off quite a poignant message.

Sadly we can’t save every piece of heritage, but who makes the choice as to what we do save? Restoration attempted to put these decisions in the hands of the public, but from what I gather little changed and I just wonder who will be making these decisions in the future, or in fact, whether there will be these decisions to make. At present it appears to be local enthusiasts campaigning for funding for sites with local meaning, but what if that ends. Who will champion the cause then? And will heritage always have a place in the hearts of the British public?

Fairgrounds at War

Given that we are now in 2014 and fast approaching the centenary of WW1 this blog post is perhaps not as topical as it could be, but this week I’d like to share with you a more unusual perspective of World War Two. Most of us are familiar with the events of 1939-1945, whether it be the participants, the mechanisation of warfare, the Blitz, evacuation, Dig for Victory or the Holocaust. The list goes on, but I am pretty certain that most people can recall something about the period. We tend to think of it in terms of ‘the people’s war’; the war that affected everyone’s daily life in one way or another, but how many of us can say we’ve thought about the impact on specific professions – in this case I’m thinking about show people and fairground owners?

J P Collins’ Fowler traction engine King George VI, i
n war damage at Manchester, Oct 1941
(SHC Ref 6790/4/8 F2147)
www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk

I recently undertook some research on the experience of the fairgrounds and the show community during the war and found it extremely thought provoking. WW2 is on most school syllabuses at most school levels and we’re all taught about the basics – evacuation, conscription, the blackout etc. But they’re general war time policies that applied across the country. When I was encouraged to think about these policies in relation to one particular profession I somehow felt I’d gained more meaningful insight into wartime Britain and the experiences of those who lived through it. It put into greater perspective the sacrifices people made and the extent to which war can turn people’s lives upside down.

Throughout much of 1939, Europe had anticipated war. As a reflection of this uncertainty, attendance to fairs declined, people just weren’t in the mood for spending money, and by September, a number of showmen had shut down their fairs for good, believing they were merely pre-empting government policy. They had expected the war to finish them off, but this wasn’t to be. To my great surprise, thanks to the efforts of the Showmen’s Guild and continued support of the government, fairs generally emerged from the war in a much stronger position.

1939: A Depleted Guildford Fair showing Wall Bros Dodgem Tracks
(SHC Ref 6790/4/2/ F629)
www/exploringsurreyspast.org.uk

Of course fairs were affected by wartime policies. Blackout regulations were introduced as part of the ARP regulations and in order to comply with these regulations showmen were forced to alter equipment, mainly by encasing them in material that prevented light seepage. Rationing also affected the showmen, changing the attractions that were on offer to fairground goers. For example shooting galleries declined in number, not surprisingly owing to a shortage in ammunition. Showmen also turned their machinery over to the war effort and got involved in demolition, agricultural and forestry work; while the sites where fairgrounds were held were also turned into allotments and civil defences. I don’t know why all this came as a surprise when I was researching this topic, of course the war effort came first, but I’d never really thought about how those policies could dramatically alter someone’s way of life to such an extent, as they did in the case of showmen.

My biggest surprise however came as I was reading about the Holidays-At-Home Fairs which were a government supported scheme introduced 1942/43. As it became apparent that the end of the war was a long way off, the government began to place emphasis on bolstering the morale of the population and promoted certain forms of entertainment, especially fairs. It was believed that in order to maintain productivity and support for the war effort the population needed some respite and activities that resembled normal life, prior to the war. As a result of the holidays-at-home fairs, many more were held across England and attendance figures soared, contradicting completely what I’d expected to uncover.

Fun Fair at Hoglands Park, Southampton
www3.hants.gov.uk/heritage100/itemlist

War turned life for members of the show community upside down and through my research I gained fascinating new insight into life during WW2. It’s one of those areas that unless you make the effort to look into it you don’t think to consider – like the fact that rationing also affected zoo animals. Bristol Zoo’s gorilla, Alfred was famed for suffering the same plight as Bristolians during the war, it’s something we don’t think of, yet, because it is less conventional, it has huge potential for prompting renewed interest into a well-researched area of British history.

When thinking in terms of public history finding such alternative and engaging perspectives has huge potential when attempting to communicate past events to those disinterested or desensitised to history. Just think, if you could pick any topic to find out a little more about its history, what would it be? I doubt it would be something that we’ve all learnt about during education, more likely it would be something unique to your personal interests and because of that, you’d undoubtedly be more prepared to engage with historical material. In short, I suppose what I’m trying to say is don’t be afraid to look beyond the conventional and pursue your own interests. It doesn’t matter what history you engage with, just that you do. 

Grant’s Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy

Grant Museum of 
Zoology & Comparative Anatomy

In keeping with my weird and wonderful interest in natural history and its evolution during the Victorian period, I had wanted to go to the Grant Museum of Zoology, part of UCL, for quite a while. So imagine my excitement when, while sat eating lunch after a very interesting seminar at the British Library, I discovered it was in fact only just around the corner! That was it, my three willing accomplices and I had a destination and we set off, too tick yet another thing off the history ‘bucket list’.

The museum was established in 1827 as a teaching collection for the newly founded University of London by Robert Edmond Grant, himself a Professor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy. Grant struggled to find the resources he needed to successfully teach his classes and began to amass his own collection for the purposes of dissection, diagrams and lectures. The collection was bequeathed to the university after Grant’s death in 1874, and has been repeatedly expanded upon by a number of his predecessors, including E. Ray Lankester and W.F.R Weldon.

My first impression of the museum was that it was much smaller than I had imagined – the whole contents, office included, confined to a medium size room in the Rockefeller Building. But what I immediately loved was the nostalgic feel to the place; it was almost as though I had stepped back in time. “Hypocrite!” I hear you cry; given last week’s blog you’d be fully justified in making such comments, but in this case I found that to be a positive experience. The glass cabinets, remnants of what I imagine a Victorian museum to have looked like, were crammed with weird and wonderful specimens from the natural world; some preserved in liquid, others with bones and skeletons, as well as mounted animals and examples of taxidermy. It felt very authentic and yes, ‘refreshingly old fashioned’.

I think what really stood out for me was the opportunity to see animals, well at least bits of them, that are now extinct and that I’ve only read about or seen in very early photographs. Take for example, the Quagga (a subspecies of a zebra), a Thylacine (a carnivorous marsupial, known as the Tasmanian Tiger) and the Dodo. I mean one jar had parts of the Thylacine in formaldehyde…. A real Thylacine! Tell me that, that isn’t cool! Natural history is still incredibly relevant and I believe there are still a lot of lessons to be learnt about conservation, that linger on from the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Seeing specimens of extinct species, those we as humans have been involved in killing off, is quite a poignant experience, especially given the current threat to a wide number of species. It was a weird sort of place, there were exhibits that made you want to recoil in horror - hey Katy? But generally I found it to be incredibly fascinating.

Katy not sure what to make of it all

Quagga Skeleton

Thylacine Skeleton and jar of parts

It has to be said, for a moment I did stop and wonder where the historic value was in what I was seeing, it was a fascinating curiosity, but how is it a museum? I suppose this comes down to our definition of a museum, but I thought the question over its relevance and place, has been answered in a particularly interesting and quite modern way. Topical and contemporary issues are juxtaposed against the specimens, though the use of modern technology, which is interspersed throughout the museum. In amongst the jumble of artefacts, there were a number of Ipad’s which posed thought provoking questions about the morality and purpose behind what you were witnessing. The museum encourages public participation in the debates that surround the themes of the museum rather than hiding away from the more controversial elements. As visitors, we were encouraged to type comments on the Ipads, or use social media and tweet our responses using a hashtag.

I think that is perhaps what for me swayed me into feeling more positive about the nostalgic feel to this museum; the merging of both old and new techniques for a positive visitor experience. We may not have spent particularly long in this museum, but it provided thoughtful stimulation about natural history both in the past and in today’s world. This, in my opinion, gave the Grant Museum an edge over other museums I’ve visited and one that I was particularly fond. I am definitely glad I took the time to visit!

A quick further note - a read of the website reveals more details of the museums interesting history and can be found here -  http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoology/about/history. The museum’s use of this website in ‘outreach’ is also interesting, for example ‘collection highlights’ and ‘specimen of the week’ which make the exhibits and interesting features of this museum more accessible to the wider public.