The building work is gathering pace with much activity taking place particularly inside the building.
The new windows along the front of the building have been reinstated. (The view on the left was taken from the site manager’s office.) Continue reading
The band Madness once sung a song about how much they enjoy driving in their car. It wasn’t quite a Jaguar, but it didn’t matter, as they were satisfied that it got them far.
I enjoy driving in my car too. It also isn’t quite a Jaguar. It’s a Hyundai. Which is nothing like a Jaguar in reality. They both have a steering wheel I suppose, and four wheels. But it gets me to work and back, and other places I choose to be at, in sufficient comfort and convenience.
And that is half of what cars are all about. Convenience. Cars can also be status symbols, of course. But getting you from where you are to somewhere else, when you choose to do it, and not having to rely on timetables, connections or cancellations is one of the main reasons for car ownership.
Sometimes it’s an unexpected glimpse of times past that I really enjoy about my job here at Gloucestershire Archives. I had such a moment recently, with a discovery that came my way.
Part of my role as Collections Care Conservator is to protect the collection against damage from insect pests. Our eagle-eyed staff and volunteers are super-vigilant about spotting any possible signs of infestation. One of our volunteers was emptying out an old box when she spotted what she thought was frass (i.e. insect poop) and so brought the box to my attention.
Autumn has seen a flurry of new collections arriving at Gloucestershire Archives – and all are now recorded, labelled, boxed and tucked away safely in our care.
We were delighted to receive an archive bequeathed to us by the late June Lewis, a well-known local author and historian of Fairford. Alison Hobson of Fairford Local History Society has spent over 12 months listing the contents of the collection ready for its transfer to the Archives. This help is much appreciated by our busy team! Mrs Lewis collected, researched and wrote extensively so it will take a little longer before the 20 or so transfer boxes have been processed ready for research.
Some of the highlights for September and October are listed below. As ever, please search our online catalogue using the reference numbers given in the list to find further details. Most items are now ready to be used by visiting our research room.
Gloucestershire Archives 