New Accessions

The list that follows gives brief details of accessions received by gift, deposit or purchase for the period 1 December 2002 to 28 February 2003. Please note that not all items shown are available for immediate consultation, and some dates given are approximate. Some items may be on restricted access. Reference codes or accession numbers are given in brackets.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council, registers of electors, 2002-2003 (2002/239)

South Glamorgan County Council, Social Services Department: working party minutes, 1990-1998 (2003/1)

St. Bride’s Major Community Council, minutes, accounts and correspondence, 1988-2001 (2003/4)

Bridgend Town Council, minutes, correspondence, accounts and audit papers, 1974-1997 (2003/5)

South Glamorgan County Council, Wentloog planning inquiry files, 1960s-1970s (2003/7)

Caerphilly County Borough Council, registers of electors, 2003 (2003/10)

Mountain Ash Urban District Council, miscellaneous papers, C19-C20 (2003/33)

Cardiff City Council, Clerk’s Department papers, C19-C20 (2003/34)

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RELIGION

Commemorative pamphlets and histories of various nonconformist chapels and parish churches in Glamorgan, c.1924-1985 (2002/238)

Service of consecration, hymn sheet and story of Caerphilly parish church, 2000 (2003/15)

Church in Wales, canticles and hymns to be used at district festivals of parish choirs, 1871 (2003/16)

Llandaff Mothers Union Diocesan Overseas Committee, minutes, files and photographs, 1982-1984 (2003/17)

Llandaff Mothers Union, inserts and service sheets, 1968-2000 (2003/18)

Marriage register of Ynyswen Methodist Church, Treherbert, 1971-1989 (2003/21)

Baptism and marriage registers for the parishes of St. Dyfrig with St. Barnabus, St. Samson, St. Mary the Virgin and St. Stephen, Cardiff,
1895-1990 (2003/25)

Marriage registers for the parish of Gileston, 1820-1970 (2003/27)

Barry Protestant Mission, photographs of the opening ceremony, and photographs of watercolour paintings, 1935-1990s (2003/38)

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EDUCATION

Penydarren/Gwaunfarren School, admission registers, attendance registers and stock books, 1869-1989 (2003/3)

Register of Collegiate School, Pontypridd, 1900-1906 (2003/13)

INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS

Stephenson and Alexander, client files, c.1914-1915 (2002/237); C19-C20 (2002/242); c.1899-1971 (2003/14); 1907-1913 (2003/29)

Morgan Cole Solicitors, Aberfan claims files, c.1966 (2002/240)

FAMILY, ESTATE AND PERSONAL

Papers of Thomas Hinchey, reminiscences of Thomas Hinchey of Cardiff, 1912-1928 (2002/241)

Deeds, conveyance and related papers concerning Meirion Street, Aberdare, 1963 (2003/2)

Papers of Robert Drane, Drane family correspondence and photographs of Drane’s effects, C19-C20 (2003/12)

Papers of Frank Roper, designs by Frank Roper for stained glass windows, along with programmes for exhibition of his art, c.1970-2002 (2003/19)

Papers of Mrs B. D. Bowen, correspondence with former pupils, c.1990s-2002 (2003/22)

Papers of Gwynfor Owen Lewis, reports and certificates from Tonypandy Secondary School and Royal Army Medical Corps papers, c.1931-1946 (2003/23)

Papers of Elizabeth Giles, family papers of Elizabeth Giles of St. Hilary, including photographs, postcards and collected ephemera, C19-C20 (2003/30)

Papers of County Councillor John Smith of Cardiff, personal papers and papers relating to Cardiff County Council business, c.1998-2002 (2003/24)

Edmondes Family, deeds and family papers, C17-C19 (2003/32)

Ewenny Estate, maps and plans, c.1880 (2003/36)

Papers of Mr Dennis G. Sellwood, research papers collected by Mr Sellwood whilst writing his book, ‘The Friendly Invasion’, regarding US troops stationed at Caerphilly during the Second World War. These include correspondence and photographs, 2002 (2003/42)

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PICTORIAL

Photographs of Abercerdin schools, 1907 (2003/20)

Family photographs of V. E. Murphy, c.1910 (2003/26)

Welsh Championship Club, photograph of pigeon club members, 1909 (2003/31)

Photographs of Cardiff buses in 75th anniversary livery, along with Rhondda Transport bus tickets, 1950s-1968 (2003/37)

Photocopy of a collage regarding the first knickerbocker bride married at St. Bride’s super Ely in 1929, 1990s (2003/39)

SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

Records of Cardiff Oddfellows Widows and Orphans Society, C20 (2003/9)

Caerphilly Music Club, programmes and posters, 1964-1988 (2003/35); minutes, membership records, financial papers, publicity material, programmes and posters, 1964-1998 (2003/41)

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TRANSPORT

British Railway, signal box train registers for Aber Junction, Black Lion, Llandaff Loop, Maesmawr, Walnut Tree Junction and Ystrad Mynach, 1972-1988 (2003/8)

MAPS AND PLANS

Ordnance survey 1” plans of Pontypridd and Barry; ¼” plan of South Wales, 1940 (2003/6)

1910 Finance Act duplicate record plans, 1899-1940s (2003/11)

Ordnance survey 1:500 Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, 1:2500 Glamorgan various editions, 1868-1942 (2003/40)

WOMEN'S ARCHIVE WALES

Archif Menywod Cymru / Women’s Archive Wales, ‘Ein Lleisiau’, reports, conference papers, newsletters and newspaper cuttings, 1997-1999

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Staff News

A new Project Archivist was appointed at the end of February to work on the Cardiff: The Building of a Capital project. Claire Collins began work on April 1st. Many of you will recognise Claire from our searchrooms. She has been working as an Archivist at the Record Office since August 2001, and has now been seconded to the project. More information on Claire, and her fellow project workers Steven and Christian, can be found below.

 

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Cardiff: The Building of a Capital

As of the 18th of February, the project database contains 18,381 entries, with details of 29,864 plans. Work has been continuing on packaging, cleaning and repairing plans. So far, 186 plans have been repaired, and a further 163 have been cleaned.

A small interim project exhibition was held at the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff Bay on 12 and 13 February. These proved a successful few days, with a number of Assembly Members and county councillors attending, in addition to members of the public, volunteers who have been working on the project, and staff of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Project workers Steven Locke and Christian Williams have spent the past eight months producing a database consisting of over 40,000 building plans, ranging from the 1870s to the 1950s. Their work will enable visitors to the Record Office, and remote users of the site, to search for relevant plans quickly and easily. Not only have Chris and Steve been working towards completing the database on time, but they have also repaired and conserved plans that were in a poor condition to a suitable standard for public use.

 

Claire Collins, the newly appointed Project Archivist, said of her post,

'Since starting my new job as project archivist on 1 April I have certainly learnt a lot about the history of this fascinating city, which included a tour of some of its distinctive architectural features. My role for the next few months will include developing online resources to enable learners of all ages to explore Cardiff’s built heritage. I will also be putting together an exhibition to mark the completion of the listing and conservation work in September'.

Project Archivist Claire Collins studying one of the Cardiff building regulation plans.

The majority of the listing work is now finished, leaving the project team free to concentrate on the physical condition of the plans.

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Useful websites

http://www.pro.gov.uk/equity

This recently launched website provides quick and easy access to the Equity Pleadings of Chancery. These records, which are held at the Public Record Office, have long been known to contain wonderful material, but have been difficult to access due to poor cataloguing. They are a rich source of information for legal, social and economic history; as well as providing fruitful genealogical sources. Something over 30,000 cases are now entered on the database, and are easily searched by place name, personal name, and even by using short case details.

http://www.south-wales.police.uk/museum/

The South Wales Police Museum has recently launched a new website. By accessing this site you can take a virtual tour of the museum, which includes a visit to the Edwardian charge room, and a meeting with resident inmate Isaac Martin who was arrested for drunkenness in 1854. You can also catch a glimpse of some of the fascinating objects held by the museum which compliment the police records held here at the Glamorgan Record Office.

http://www.uwcm.ac.uk/support/information_services/libraries/cochrane_archive/index.htm

This website was launched by the University of Wales College of Medicine in December 2002. It marks the first stage in UWCM's plans to establish a Centre for the History of Evaluation in Healthcare. The site is devoted to the life and achievements of British epidemiologist Archie Cochrane, and provides a rich resource for researchers, scholars and others interested in the history of medicine.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org

From 1674 until 1834, the proceedings of the central criminal court in London, better known as the Old Bailey, were published eight times a year. These proceedings are now searchable on-line, via this website. They contain accounts of over 100,000 criminal trials held at the Old Bailey during this period, and form one of the largest published sources ever on the lives of non-elite people.

http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/localhistory/

The National Grid for Learning is running an on-line local history trail, comprising interactive quizzes, ideas for local history investigations, and an on-line gallery to which users can contribute. Everyone who sends in a contribution will be entered into a prize draw, so the site is well worth a visit.

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The National Archives


A new organisation was launched in April 2003. The National Archives brings together two existing organisations, the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission. The National Archives will combine the services and expertise of both the PRO and the HMC. It will be a national resource for anyone interested in, or with responsibility for, documents relating to British history: whether for professional research reasons, as an archivist or records manager, for school or learning projects or, simply, for personal curiosity and a unique day out.

The National Archives has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from the Domesday Book to government papers recently released to the public. You can see this collection at Kew, or view certain documents online. The National Archives also advises people on the location of non-public records and manuscripts relating to British history.

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Starter Sessions

A new series of Starter Sessions begin in May. The Glamorgan Record Office will be offering the following workshops, covering a variety of different topics. All courses are £9 each. To book a place on the courses please contact the Centre for Lifelong Learning, Senghennydd Rd, Cardiff CF24 4AG (Tel 029 2087 4831).

A full copy of the timetable is available on the 'Courses' page

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Volunteer Policy

The Record Office has recently produced a Volunteer Policy, with accompanying guidelines on the use of volunteer workers within the Record Office.

We felt it was important to produce such a policy in order to highlight and acknowledge the value of the contribution made by volunteers to the work of the Glamorgan Record Office.

Experience has shown that volunteering benefits both volunteers and those with whom they work. We hope that all our volunteers will enjoy their time spent at the Record Office, and will gain from it in terms of their own personal objectives.

 

Eluned Glover, a regular volunteer at the Glamorgan Record Office, busy at work

The Glamorgan Record Office is always ready to arrange new volunteer placements, either for short periods of time or as a regular, on-going project. If you're interested in volunteering, then get in touch with the office and we'll provide you with further details.

A copy of our 'Volunteers Policy' is available to view on our 'Policy Documents' page

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Digital photography

The Record Office has recently purchased its own digital camera. This will allow us to provide copies of documents to the public when, because of the danger of damaging the document, photocopying is not possible. These copies can be provided at a charge either as print-outs, or stored on a CD-ROM.

(Digital photography is at the discretion of the Duty Archivist)

 

An example of an Indenture, photographed using the new digital camera

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