Working in partnership for the people of Herefordshire
Depositing Archives
Our role is to collect, preserve and make available for research the archives that tell the story of Herefordshire. Like most county archive services there are a number of organisations whose records we are obliged to hold.We are a diocesan record office, which means that we look after the records of the Bishop of Hereford from the earliest times to the present. We also provide safe accommodation for the historical records of the county’s many parishes. In addition, we hold the records of courts, hospitals, prisons, local authorities – any institution run by central or local government. For a rural county like ours, the archives of landed estates and other sources for the history of agriculture and country people are, perhaps, particularly important.
We want your archives
We are constantly taking in new deposits of archive material. It is vitally important for the sake of the county’s collective memory that we continue to do so. We are not only interested in long established or formal bodies. Groups such as Women’s Institutes, Scout troops and charities all represent part of the Herefordshire’ narrative and we are keen to look after their papers.
Equally, the papers of private individuals, including letters, diaries and property records can be important to us, particularly if they cover a lengthy period or concern a significant time in the county’s history. So if you represent a group or business that has generated records, or if you have some family papers that you’re not sure what to do with, let us know by ringing 01432 260750.
Please remember that we have to be selective about what we keep for the future. There are types of records, such as modern financial material, that do not need to be retained and there are items like newspapers that we do not keep because they can be found elsewhere. If you are in doubt give us a ring. Remember, even if we don’t think your records need to be kept here, it doesn’t mean to say that they are unimportant to you and your family. We can always advise you on how best to look after them at home.
If we agree to take in your archives you will be asked to complete a deposit form, which will record the terms of the transfer. Although you will be entitled to retain ownership, we would prefer that you pass them to us as an outright gift. This will make it more straightforward to manage the collection in the future. For more information on our terms of deposit, click on the relevant heading on the left.
All new deposits are put into a room called Document Reception and are looked at by the archivist.Each separate collection is given a number - the accession number - which uniquely identifies it from other collections. This number stays with the collection through all of its life at the record office and is used to refer to the collection in lists and indexes. Here at Herefordshire Record Office we use an alpha-numeric system of numbering beginning at A1 back in 1959. We're now at CK54 - that's a lot of documents!
If the new deposits are mouldy or dirty they are moved to the Conservation Room for the conservator and conservation assistant to deal with. They are cleaned and a watchful eye kept on them over several months before they can be put into the repository with other archive collections. If other conservation work is needed it will be done at this point.
If the documents are fine they are moved to the strong rooms/repositories. From here the collections/documents are sorted then listed, catalogued and indexed in order that they can be made available to the public.The document will then live its life in an acid free box in temperatures and relative humidity as stated in BS 5454 Recommendations for Archival Storage.
The main repository is three floors high and is constantly cleaned from top to bottom with all the boxes being dusted. In total there are nearly 2 miles of archives - a never-ending job!