First World War Collections in the UK a Preliminary Horizon-Scan
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First World War Collections in the UK A preliminary horizon-scan JISC Content February 2012 © IWM Q 10661 © IWM Q 1563 © IWM Q 1789 © IWM Q 4349 © IWM Q 3990 © IWM Q 4662 © IWM Q 580 © IWM CO 874 First World War Collections in the UK A preliminary horizon-scan First World War Resources Online Introduction Foreword The Imperial War Museums, commissioned, funded and supported by JISC and the The legacy of First World War in terms of social, economic and political global change of a growing body Wellcome Trust, have produced the attached guide to First World War collections held cannot be overstated; it changed the individual’s view of society and their place within of research on this across the UK. The guide provides information on which archive, museum or library it with far-reaching effects into their future and our past. In the words of H.G. Wells: topic and should not across the UK has material relevant to the First World War. ‘This is the end and the beginning of an age’. be considered in any way as a complete This is the first iteration of a growing body of research on this topic and is not To mark this event is therefore a key landmark for custodians of heritage and appraisal, especially comprehensive. Further research on First World War content and collections educators alike. The commemoration provides the opportunity for museums, as many collections available to education in analogue and digital form will be undertaken as part of galleries, archives, libraries, the creative industries, universities, colleges and schools are conspicuous by the JISC WW1 Discovery programme by King’s College London and will be openly to work together to provide a user experience made possible through innovative their absence e.g. released in March 2012. digital technologies that is as personal, rich and vivid as it is focused; an experience Army regimental and that offers the user the ability to contextualise their own understanding and customise corps museums (www. Questions which can be answered include: resources in line with their own learning and research priorities. armymuseums.org. nnWho has Prime Minister Lloyd George’s papers? uk/). Any omissions Therefore, as the anniversary of the start of conflicts of First World War centenary here were only due nnWhich museums have First World War aeroplanes? approaches in 2014, the JISC is exploring what opportunities – creative, strategic the limited scope nnWhich library has the papers of women’s suffrage societies? and technological – there may be in the seamless provision of the rich content and resources of this (from audiovisual, images and text- based works to film) held by range of initiative. Further nnWhat books were children reading and what toys were they playing with? organisations across the UK to enhance educational and research opportunities in research on First 1 nnWhere are the silent films that were shown to cinema audiences at the time? universities and colleges and more broadly . To support the ‘JISC World War One World War content and (WW1) Commemoration projects’, JISC aims to create resources that are open, collections available to nnWhich art galleries have major works by First World War artists? comprehensive and sustainable, underpinned by guiding strategic and technological education in analogue nnWhere do I find out about the medical effects of working with explosive material in principles outlined in the ‘JISC WW1 Statement of Intent2’. and digital form will munitions factories? be undertaken as 3 Following on from a number of successful roundtable events and workshops part of the JISC WW1 Collections are split by region, type of material or subject to uncover how war shaped convened by JISC, involving a range of heritage and educational organisations, it © IWM Q 4100 Discovery programme4 the lives of men and women across the nation. became clear that fostering a dialogue between organisations was essential. In by King’s College particular, participants articulated that it would be hugely beneficial if the range of London and will be Suzanne Bardgett, organisations that collectively held unique and authoritative materials on the First openly released in March 2012. To contribute to this activity or to find out more, don’t Head of Research, IWM (Imperial War Museums) World War were able to plan for and map activities using a ‘joined-up’ approach. hesitate to get in contact. However, in order to make real progress with collaborations, some key questions were outstanding: Through this research and the complimentary work being undertaken throughout nnWhat collections/assets are held by cultural heritage and education on the First education, cultural heritage and beyond, we shall scope effectively the opportunities, World War? capability and possibilities provided by this valuable body of content in order to improve understanding on the First World War in preparation and as part of the legacy nnWhere were these collections/assets held on a regional basis? of the centenary. nnWhat were the key assets of each collection? Did these pertain to an event, an individual or geographic area? We are grateful to all of those who have contributed to this research. Particular thanks and gratitude should go to Suzanne Bardgett and Lucy May Maxwell at the nnWere these collections available online and if so, were they free to access? Imperial War Museum and Anthony Woods at the Wellcome Trust. It became clear that in order to scope the opportunities that this rich body of content Sarah Fahmy could provide to the heritage and education organisations and the public alike, a full JISC Programme Manager for First World War commemoration, audit of collections and assets needed to be undertaken. The following documentation Strategic Content Alliance @JISC was therefore commissioned and funded by JISC and the Wellcome Trust and November 2011 undertaken by the Imperial War Museum This document represents the first iteration 1 For more information on the JISC WW1 commemoration activities, see http://jiscww1.jiscinvolve.org/wp/ Images on the front page and this page from The First World War Poetry Digital Archive, University of Oxford 2 JISC WW1 Commemoration ‘Statement of Intent’: http://jiscww1.jiscinvolve.org/wp/jiscsww1statementofintent/ (www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit); © The Imperial War Museum. 3 Details available on request- contact Sarah Fahmy ([email protected]) 4 http://jiscww1.jiscinvolve.org/wp/jisc-ww1-discovery-programme/ Page 2 First World War Collections in the UK A preliminary horizon-scan Holding Item/ collection Link to website Brief description Region Type of Subject area Status Medium Key individuals Highlights or Detailed Description Hours of access Social Networking Online access Link to website Terms of use institution organisation Specialist Archive/ Museum Bethlem Archives of the www.bethlemheritage.org.uk/Archieves_ Bethlem Royal Hospital London region Specialist Mental health, Important Public records, Lantern Slide Collection: Lantern slides compiled by the Bethlem Chaplin Archives and Reference Library, http://twitter.com/#!/bethlemheritage Searchable www.bethlemheritage.org.uk/Archive_ Catalogues is currently in the Royal Hospital South London about.asp Archives and Museum archive/ Hospitals and private papers, Reverend Edward Geoffrey O’Donoghue between 1900 and 1938 to accompany Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks catalogue Cat.asp process of being developed. www.facebook.com/pages/Bethlem- Archives and Maudsley is a ‘place of deposit’ museum convalescence photographic his lectures on the history of the hospital. Includes excellent photographs of Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, (incomplete) Access to the imaged materials Heritage/122142577804674?sk=info NHS Trust and its for the archives of the collections Bethlem Royal Hospital during the First World War, including shots of soldiers BR3 3BX. Opening Hours: Monday and digitised online is provided for the predecessors. South London and taking part in sporting contests in the grounds on ‘Wounded Soldiers’ Day’ - Friday: 9.30am - 4.3pm. Open by content purposes of individual research. Maudsley NHS Trust of 1916, tanks and soldiers marching past the hospital as part of the Victory appointment only. There is only Some records, like patient and its predecessors, Parade of July 1919, photographs of hospital staff during the war, photographs space for one or two researchers records, are closed to users including the records of of bomb craters in the hospital grounds and cartoons and sketches by patients. so users are advised to talk to the because of their confidential Bethlem, the Maudsley, Photographs and postcards of hospital buildings, staff and patients during archivist beforehand to check that nature. Note from Bethlem and Warlingham Park the war years. For instance the Maudsley was requisitioned by the Army as the archive holds material relevant website: “Records relating to Hospitals, and the joint the Maudsley Neurological Clearing Hospital. Patient records include those to the user’s project. Telephone: individual patients are closed to records of Bridewell and admitted to the hospital during the war; in some cases the doctors considered 020 3228 4053 or email colin.gale@ public inspection until they are Bethlem. grief for a loved one who had died in the armed forces or the zeppelin and slam.nhs.uk one hundred years old. In certain then Gotha raids to be triggers for mental disorder. Records of hospital circumstances, however, we may administration: meetings, finance, correspondence, registers, staff, reports