Issue 5 Autumn 2007 Meet Sophie Floate, Welcome... ...to the latest, festive, edition of the Brazen Notes. Antiquarian Cataloguer As the end of term approaches, College is full of seasonal cheer with Christmas dinners aplenty and a Sophie began working for Brasenose in Summer 2007, wonderful candle-lit Carol Service on Sunday of cataloguing the College’s considerable collection of Eighth Week. The whole community can celebrate antiquarian books. This work was made possible another very busy and positive start to the academic thanks to the support of an Old Member of the year, and look forward to a well-earned break, College, Paul Lloyd (1954). We visited Sophie in the returning to BNC re-invigorated for Hilary term. Muniment room, in the tower above the main gate, to ask what she had discovered so far, and what had drawn her to work in this area: ‘I have enjoyed working with antiquarian books ever since I was employed as a cataloguer at Lambeth Palace Library. I worked on a project to retrospectively convert the printed catalogue to computerised form. It was a great learning experience; Lambeth has a rich collection of ecclesiastical and historical books. After 3 years cataloguing at the Bodleian and a break after having my daughter, who is now 18 months old, I have started cataloguing the antiquarian books at BNC, continuing the work of the previous cataloguer, Molly McFall. ‘I enjoy it so much. I’ve been working through the books that were bequeathed by Francis Yarborough, and I find the variety intriguing. Mainly theological in subject, but with various other topics also covered, the books vary in date from the 16th to the 18th Sophie Floate centuries. Each book needs careful inspection to check for variations that may indicate they differ tomes are well represented in Oxford’s libraries but from other copies held in Oxford. If this is the case, still, one never knows what may be found when the book has to be catalogued separately on the examining each volume in detail. It is fascinating Reading through the pages of this edition of the Brazen Oxford University Library System (OLIS) so that any also to see if any handwritten notes have been added has provided a welcome opportunity to reflect differences can be detailed for the reader. These to the margins or fly-leaves of the books by their Notes differences may be, for example, imperfections in various owners.’ upon the many interesting projects and initiatives we the type, the date or place of publication, or have underway. It is an exciting time for Brasenose. th differences in the pagination. Sophie is working closely with Head Librarian, Liz Our eyes are firmly fixed on our 500 anniversary and Kay. They believe that this comprehensive on the College’s future. ‘In addition to the Yarborough collection and the cataloguing will benefit not only the Fellows and several thousand books kept with them in the students at Brasenose, but also the wider scholarly At the University level, many of you will have read refurbished Basement XII area, there are many books community. In time, the unique features of recently that the Vice-Chancellor John Hood has yet to be catalogued in the Latham room. There are Brasenose’s antiquarian volumes will be available to decided to step down at the end of his five year term over 2500 books kept here, including numerous view online, making a positive contribution to of office. While issues surrounding University copies of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. These weighty academic research worldwide. governance have made much play in the media, as Vice-Chancellor he has also achieved many positive things for Oxford. Not least was a root and branch review of the University’s financial management, and the establishment of the Oxford Opportunity Bursary Scheme, which is arguably the best in the UK. Now is the time for Oxford, like Brasenose, to focus on its future. John Hood has a further two years to serve, while the University seeks a successor who will move this great University forward as an institution of global significance. I do hope you enjoy reading about the recent goings on at our College, and will want to attend some of the many events we have planned - whether in London or Oxford, for a Gaudy, a BNC Society event or a high table dinner. We are always very pleased to see you! May I wish you Season’s Greetings and a happy and healthy 2008. Paul Lloyd (1954) Roger Cashmore, Principal Safeguarding the archives A kind gift helps BNC conserve and preserve its unique heritage known depiction of Folly Bridge, and a rare 1780s and credited with being the oldest dining set of maps (of Burrough, Leicestershire) club, is still in existence. And, appropriately showing an estate before enclosure, with the for a college once renowned for its sport, there mediaeval strip farming pattern still in place. are records of fourteen sporting clubs; those of the Boat Club date back to 1837. In addition, we hold administrative records of College members, including some memorabilia Our ongoing commitment to our holdings for particular individuals. These are mostly and history newspaper cuttings, obituaries and other ephemera, but there are some small collections Thanks to a bequest from the estate of Brian Miller, a former Fellow in English, we were of personal papers including those for Roman recently able to refurbish the storage facility Historian Ronald Syme, Economist Colin Clark for our 17th and 18th century book collection, and Maurice Platnauer. There are also letters stored in Stamford House, bringing it in line of John Buchan, Viscount Sidmouth (Prime with British Standards. Minister 1801-1804), William Golding, Sir Arthur Evans, Lord Runcie and Swinburne. Brasenose At the same time, the collection itself was also holds the largest collection of Walter professionally cleaned, and in order to protect Pater’s letters: a collection of immeasurable and preserve it for the future, many items significance for Pater scholars. have been housed in tailor-made boxes. Once the cataloguing is complete (see article on front page), a wealth of important texts will be available for the first time to scholars worldwide. And now, thanks to a very kind gift from Sir David Akers-Jones (1949), the College is able to turn its attention to the archives. A significant portion of the archive is currently stored in the cellar below Old Lodge Staircase. The earliest known view of Folly Bridge This has been giving cause for concern, as the store doesn’t currently meet standard The papers of W.T.S. Stallybrass incorporate regulations and suffers from poor the negatives of over six thousand environmental conditions which can lead to A 1761 Food bill photographs taken by him between 1909 damp, mould and dirt developing on critically- and 1947 of family, friends, travel and College. important documents, including many of Brasenose is the custodian of unique They include the date, subject, time of day those detailed above. The fire protection, collections that are held for future and exposure details of every photograph, wiring and security also need to be improved. generations, as well as for the many academic and an astonishing 84% of the collection is researchers who regularly apply to use our recorded in this way; it is very unusual indeed But before the College can even think about library and our archives. However, Brasenose to find this level of information. From one the refurbishment of this key space, its is constantly challenged by the need to perspective the pictures are just a fascinating contents will need to be removed. In the same accommodate its thriving community of resource for information about buildings, way as the Stamford House project, we first scholars and enhance its facilities, while dress, pastimes and people; the interest is need to safeguard and conserve our priceless protecting and preserving our priceless increased by the completeness of the documents and artefacts – and Sir David’s holdings in our historic buildings. recording. But in creating memories for contribution has enabled us to do just that. himself of his holidays, his homes and his Conservation and bulk storage of archival Brasenose has one of the largest – and most friends, Stallybrass actually left behind material is a highly-specialised task and complete – collections of archives in the multiple memorials: to one moderately well- requires considerable expertise. It will be a long University. Among our unique treasures, we off family and its life before the Great War, and painstaking job. hold the sixteenth century foundation charter to the distinctive character of inter-war and statutes, and revisions of the statutes Oxford life, to two generations of young men Sir David is excited to have made this possible over nearly 500 years. We also hold minutes lost in their prime and, of course, to himself. and keen to be kept up to date with progress. of the Governing Body from 1539 and the This project is very close to the College’s heart accounts of the College from 1516. Our clubs and societies collections reflect the and we are delighted that we are able to get range of interests pursued out of working it underway. As we approach our 500th This gives us a fascinating insight into the life hours. There are records of debating, anniversary, conserving and protecting the and running of the College from its earliest vocational, literary, dramatic, and musical College’s heritage and history for future days, from the deliberations of the Fellows to societies. Records of three dining clubs include generations seems both timely and highly the food bills of the undergraduates.