Archived News
May 2006
BRG Special Issue of ARC
The May issue of ARC includes a range of interesting and informative articles relating to a wide variety of issues relevant to business archivists and others. Many thanks to all of the BRG members who contributed to this special issue of ARC. If you would like to discuss any of the issues raised in the articles, why not send a message to the BRG mail-list? You can send a message to group.businessrecords@archives.org.uk
February 2006
Appeal to save unique Equitable Life Assurance Society (ELAS) Archive
The Institute of Actuaries is actively seeking to save the Equitable Life Assurance Society Archive. A recent article in their newsletter sets out the background to the initiative and a call for support.
The Actuarial Profession has been offered the opportunity to purchase the
archive of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. Items in the archive are
of the highest significance in the history of actuarial science and
practice, comprising original work by Thomas Bayes, James Dodson, William
Morgan, and Richard Price, amongst others. The archive places the origins
of the profession in context and comprises a virtually complete record of
over 200 years of life insurance practice. Failure to secure the archive is
likely to result in it being broken up, with significant items possibly
going abroad. We therefore appeal for donations from companies and
individuals by 31 March 2006 to secure the purchase of the archive and make it accessible to members, researchers and the public. Donors who so wish may have their name permanently associated with the archive.
Please contact David Raymont at Staple Inn (tel: +44 (0)20 7632 2114;
mailto:david.raymont@actuaries.org.uk ) for further information.Contributions made payable to the 'Actuarial Profession' and sent to David will be most gratefully received and acknowledged.
BRG Links Updated
The links page now includes a link to the Directory of Corporate Archives in the United States and Canada compiled by the Society of American Archivists Business Archives Section.
January 2006
Who Do You Think You Are?
The BBC 2 series Who Do You Think You Are? has been enormously popular, putting celebrities in touch with their family history. Archives have played a huge part in the series, without them it would not have been possible to uncover the individual stories that make up the patchwork of British history. Series One explored the themes of aspiration and migration, civil rights and colonialism revealed in Moira Stuart's family history and discovered the musical gene that shaped Lesley Garrett's family for generations. Series Two has already seen Sheila Hancock exploring her family history at Thomas Cook Archives.
As part of the BBC web pages to support the series you can find out more about starting out in family history and how hundreds of archives across the will be throwing open their doors as part of Archive Awareness Campaign and inviting everyone to get to grips with their own history.
Museums, libraries and archives can also support the Family History Weekend (11-12 February) which is being co-ordinated by local BBC radio stations. For futher information please contact Lucy Fulton, AAC Officer, on 020 8392 5237 or email lucy.fulton@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
BRG special issue of ARC
May 2006 wlll be the next Business Records Group special edition of ARC. Do you have an article or case study that would be of interest to the wider profession? Articles can be on a professional issue or relate to a project or case study in your archives.
Articles in 2005 included:
Steve Gardam (The British Postal Museum and Archive), ''The Camden and Islington Family History Map - a simple plan.'
Sara Kinsey (Business Archives Council), ''Hidden Assets Campaign.''
Moira Lovegrove (ING Bank N.V.), ''ING Celebrates the Bicentenary of the Financing of the Louisiana Purchase ."
Seonaid McDonald (HBOS plc Group Archives), ''Case study of appraisal of a business archive - Bank of Scotland.''
Dr Lynda R Pearce (CHIK), ''The Coalfied Heritage Initiative Kent (CHIK) Project.''
Eibhlin Roche and Clare Hackett (Guinness Archive, Diageo ) ''Guinness Archive, Diageo ."
Karen Sampson (Lloyds TSB Group Archives), ''Lloyds TSB 10 years on."
Jeanette Strickland (Unilever PLC), ''The opening of Unilever Archives.''
Alison Turton (Royal Bank of Scotland Group Archives), ''A treasured memory'': remembrance, war memorials and archives.''
Articles should be 600-700 words in length, accompanied by an image if possible. Copy needs to be submitted by 24th February. If you have an idea for an article please get in touch and I’ll provide more information.
Emma Stagg , BRG Communications Officer email: emma.stagg@mla.gov.uk or tel: 020 7273 1421
Last modified 12/07/2006
