The Archive-Skills Consultancy Report on the Access to Shipbuilding Collections in North East England (ARK) Project Margaret Crockett & Janet Foster October 2005 Contents 0. Executive Summary ............................................................................ p 4 1. Introduction ......................................................................................... p 5 2. Survey Methodology (Collection Audit) ............................................... p 6 3. Findings and Conclusions: the Collections .......................................... p 7 1. Findings ................................................................................. p 7 i. Armstrong Whitworth /Vickers Armstrong................. p 7 ii. Austin & Pickersgill .................................................. p 9 iii. Bartram & Sons ..................................................... p 10 iv. British Shipbuilders ................................................ p 11 v. Clelands Shipbuilding Co ...................................... p 13 vi. John Crown & Sons ............................................... p 14 vii. William Doxford & Sons ......................................... p 15 viii. Sir James Laing & Sons ........................................ p 17 ix. North East Shipbuilders ......................................... p 18 x. Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co ............................. p 19 xi. J Readhead & Sons ............................................... p 20 xii. Short Bros .............................................................. p 21 xiii. Smiths Dock ........................................................... p 22 xiv. Sunderland Shipbuilders ....................................... p 24 xv. Swan Hunter .......................................................... p 25 xvi. JL Thompson & Sons ............................................ p 27 xvii. Robert Thompson .................................................. p 28 2. Conclusions ......................................................................... p 29 i. Appraisal ................................................................. p 29 ii. Cataloguing and Description .................................. p 30 iii. Preservation and Conservation .............................. p 34 4. Survey Methodology (Stakeholder Consultation) ............................. p 38 5. Findings and Conclusions (Stakeholder Consultation) .................... p 38 1. Archives and Repositories with Similar Holdings ................ p 38 2. Users and Researchers ...................................................... p 46 3. Strategy and Policy ............................................................. p 54 4. Discovery Museum Visitor Survey ....................................... p 67 ARK Project Report: Page 2 of 120 6. Findings and Conclusions: Access ................................................... p 69 7. Findings and Conclusions: Marketing ............................................... p 70 8. The Case for a Maritime Heritage Network ...................................... p 72 9. Options and Strategies for ARK ........................................................ p 77 Appendices A. List of Recommendations .................................................................. p 80 B. Next Steps for the ARK Project .......................................................... p 85 C. Record Groups Removed from ARK List ........................................... p 87 D. ARK Record Survey Data Categories ................................................ p 88 E. Definitions of Importance Criteria ...................................................... p 90 F. Table Summarising Key Findings for Each Collection ....................... p 91 G. Suggested Retention Guidelines for Shipbuilding Archives .............. p 95 H. Summary of Findings on Physical Condition and Conservation Requirements .................................................................................... p 97 I. Stakeholder Consultation Questions ................................................. p 99 J. Text Sent to Stakeholder Publications ............................................. p 102 K. Stakeholders Consulted: Archives & Repositories with Similar Holdings ........................................................................................... p 103 L. Summary Details of Similar and/or Complementary Collections & Holdings ........................................................................................... p 105 M. Expressions of Interest in Partnership with ARK Project.................. p 108 N. Additional Expressions of Interest .................................................... p 109 O. Stakeholders Consulted: Users & Researchers .............................. p 113 P. Stakeholders Consulted: Strategy and Policy Development ........... p 115 Q. Discovery Museum Shipbuilding Records Awareness Survey ........ p 116 R. Summary Lists Generated by Strategy and Policy Stakeholder Survey .............................................................................................. p 117 S. Maritime Heritage Advocate Person Specification and Job Description ....................................................................................... p 119 Tables Table One ARK Collections: Estimated Quantities by Format ............... p 7 Table Two Cataloguing Ranking of Shipbuilding Fonds ...................... p 31 ARK Project Report: Page 3 of 120 0. Executive Summary The TWAS shipbuilding archives are first in the country in terms of quality and quantity as a source of information on shipbuilding. They are of significant international importance. The ARK survey gives excellent information on the size of the collections and the type and format of the records it comprises which can be used as the basis for managing its processing, description, preservation and access. This report finds that in order to facilitate access, all the collections need to be catalogued, in a way that users find intuitive and simple to navigate. Catalogues and other finding aids should be online but there is still a need for hard copy as well. This report recommends practical strategies to further cataloguing of the ARK collections. Although there are some cases where the material requires conservation work, most of the ARK collections only require cleaning and archival packaging. Any project that aims to process, promote use of and provide greater access to the TWAS shipbuilding records must involve a strategy which will allow access to previously inaccessible material at an early stage. Currently there is a small but enthusiastic constituency of regular users with a wide range of research interests from differing educational backgrounds. The ARK material is not being marketed to optimise its potential use in the reading room, for research services or other products that would generate income and/or raise its visibility and use. In particular the ARK material should attract a more culturally diverse audience, lifelong learners, those in formal education and the physically and sensory impaired. The ARK collections also have potential for commercial exploitation. The ARK stakeholder consultation revealed lots of practices and examples that TWAS can learn from and emulate. There are many interesting complementary projects and opportunities for partnerships which would enhance and promote the ARK collections. TWAS must maintain the flourishing network of contacts, joint projects and stakeholders that has been revealed by the ARK project. It should encompass not only shipbuilding but also maritime heritage resources in the UK and links between shipbuilding holdings and other industries. The scope of the ARK project might include related areas such as marine engineering and maritime commerce. There is very real potential for a National Maritime Heritage Network and many stakeholders would welcome and/or support such an initiative. The initiative would need to work with the existing networks and sites. Any future ARK project should be managed by a Maritime Heritage Advocate, an individual who would liaise, facilitate, supervise and move the project’s various aims to successful delivery, embedding new skills in staff, partners and volunteers and transferring skills in line with HLF’s training plan policy. ARK Project Report: Page 4 of 120 1. Introduction The Tyne and Wear Archive Service (TWAS) was awarded an HLF grant to carry out a thorough assessment of the access, conservation and cataloguing requirements of the shipbuilding collections housed at Tyne and Wear Archives. The main project deliverable is this, a strategic report which provides TWAS with data, information, guidance and recommendations on: Priorities regarding future work on the collections Strategies for widening access to the collections Maximising resources available for the shipbuilding archives Work on the collections for the next five to ten years The project began in September 2004. Colin Boyd, the Assistant Consultant, carried out the detailed survey of the seventeen shipbuilding archives and Margaret Crockett and Janet Foster of the Archive-Skills Consultancy provided professional expertise (particularly with respect to developing the survey data collection) and project management services, conducted a wide-ranging stakeholder survey and analysed all project findings for this report. TASC would like to take this opportunity to thank Colin Boyd for his untiring support and enthusiasm, the many stakeholders consulted who were so generous with their time and in