Roy Edwards - University of Southampton Keith Harcourt – HMRS

Roy Edwards - University of SouthamptonKeith Harcourt – HMRS

Co-Founders – The Archives and Artefacts Study Network

Archives, Artefacts, Amateurs & Academics

Alliance or Atrophy?



The National Coalition for History - USANearly every program of interest to the

historical and archival communities have cuts from 2011

Wagons-Lits Archiveand Collection sold

The Silk Mill Industrial Museum Derby, a World Heritage site was mothballed at short notice in 2011.

Photo: Derby City Council



How can the community of amateur historians and enthusiasts work with those in the

academic/education community to ensure that these records will be available for future

generations to use?

Faced with the circumstances, our question is:



The survival of records and artefacts is best ensured by their use:

- Education: 5-16 years old – History is there, but who knows where next.- No undergraduate degrees in business or technological history.

- No departments of business history (BHU at LSE). - Media – Video Conferences, Radio and Television.

- Manufacturing is suddenly important again.- Engineering is being seen as the saviour of the British economy- Museums are starting to have links with colleges who use their material


Alliance or Atrophy?Who are the stakeholders of business/technological history?

Aviation enthusiastsMotor Vehicle enthusiastsRailway enthusiastsAcademics working in archivesor with artefactsShip enthusiastsUrban exploration ‘practitioners’



Academics, Professional Museum Curators and Archivists haveagendas that vary from those of the Enthusiast, but ALL need therecords, artefacts and the ideas that arise from them.We have common cause, but how do we articulate this?



We need to co-operate:1. Preservation2. Use of Archives & Artefacts3. How do we let people know?

Paul Garrret – HMRS Drawing Archivist, Dr Terry Gourvish – Chair of the Business Archives Council,

Margaret Garret – HMRS Secretary, Dr Roy Edwards – Univ. of Soton and Clive Walton Evans – Chair HMRS

in the HMRS Drawings Archive discussing these issues as A2SN was founded



But not only do we talk – we hold conferencesWhy not come and join us?



Thanks for listening

Roy and Keith

Documents

Roy Edwards - University of Southampton Keith Harcourt – HMRS