Check this page regularly for the latest news from Nottinghamshire Archives
Charles Dickens - the Nottinghamshire Legacy
New collections available at Nottinghamshire Archives
On The Trail! - awards evening
A Grisly History of Nottinghamshire
Volunteering at Nottinghamshire Archives
Follow Rufford Abbey's Gertrude Savile on Twitter!
Charles Dickens - the Nottinghamshire Legacy
The recent dramatisation of The Mystery of Edwin Drood has aroused renewed interest in both the novel and how the Legacy of Dickens has come down to us through the generations. Documents on display at Nottinghamshire Archives reveal how his daughter Kate was in demand for 'answers' to the Drood mystery and how his sons continued the celebrated Dickens' readings.
Dickens himself had given a couple of notable readings at the Nottingham Mechanics Institution, being described at one reading as 'a live author'. Continuing that legacy his three sons gave readings around the country, including Nottingham. Alfred Tennyson Dickens performed 'A Night With Dickens' at the Mechanics in 1910 and Henry Fielding Dickens recited 'The Christmas Carol' in 1912.
Local diarist Sydney Race records a meeting with Kate Perugini, Dickens' younger daughter. He recalls how at the time of his visit Kate was taking tea in a Victorian-style drawing room with 'an American visitor'. Race remembers her being 'amused' by the 'quarrels' caused by speculation over the ending to 'Edwin Drood'. She stated that the ending was probably only ever revealed to one person and that was Dickens' close friend and biographer John Forster.
The display case can be viewed in the Reception area at Nottinghamshire Archives from 7 February. Find out more about visiting archives.
Sydney Race's encounter with Kate Perugini is our Document of the Month for February 2012, marking the bicentenary of Charles Dickens' birth.
Story posted on site: 3 February 2012
New collections available at Nottinghamshire Archives
The following records have recently been catalogued at Archives and are now available:
- Papers of the Nottingham Master Butchers' Association, 2006 - 2011 (DD/2360/1/13)
- Sales particulars and deeds for property in Selston, 1857 - 1980 (DD/2677) and for Newlands Farm in Misson, 1985 (DD/2628)
- Vernon Road Bleach Works: correspondence, plans and order records, 1888 - 1997 (DD/VR)
- Faculties of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, 1975 - 1984 (DR/1/2/3).
Visit our online catalogue to get more information about these records.
Story posted on site: 13 January 2012
On The Trail! – awards evening
On 28 November an Awards Evening was held at Nottinghamshire Archives for winners of the young people’s On The Trail! competition.
The competition was for children to create a village or urban area trail that would highlight buildings, cultural events or other aspects of their local community. Entrants could also choose a themed contribution. Entries could be written, audio or electronic, and all winning entries will be deposited in the Archives. The entries were remarkably diverse and highlighted both their research skills and creativity. The prizes were donated by the Nottinghamshire Local History Association and were presented by Councillor John Cottee, Cabinet Member for Culture and Community.
Find out who won the competition on our On The Trail winners page.
Story posted on site: 14 December 2011
A Grisly History of Nottinghamshire
A new book for children reveals the gory details of the bloody and gruesome history of Nottinghamshire. The book is Nottinghamshire County Council's first local history book for children, and is entitled ‘A Grisly History of Nottinghamshire in 10 Spine-chilling Chapters’.
The book has been written by local children’s author Michael Cox, and is illustrated by Clive Goddard. It has been published by the council’s Libraries, Archives and Information Publications Group.
The book covers the history of Nottinghamshire in ten grisly and humorous chapters and wonderful illustrations. It reveals:
- Which horrid king dangled screaming children from the walls of Nottingham Castle until they were dead
- Why the River Trent ran red with blood on one sunny summer afternoon in 1487
- How a posse of blood-thirsty Nottinghamshire ‘hard-cases’ massacred woolly mammoths
- Which Nottinghamshire town was blasted to bits in three bloody sieges then devastated by a gruesome plague!
‘A Grisly History of Nottinghamshire’ can be bought for £5.95 from Nottinghamshire Archives and major libraries. It can also be purchased by post by sending a cheque for £8.95 (including £3.00 for postage and packaging) payable to Nottinghamshire County Council to: Libraries, Archives and Information, 4th Floor, County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP.
Story posted on site: 14 December 2011
Stone Age Nottinghamshire
This new publication from Nottinghamshire Libraries and Archives, written by David Budge and Chris Robinson, is a well illustrated guide to the archaeology of Stone Age Nottinghamshire including discoveries from Creswell Crags caves.
‘Stone Age Nottinghamshire’ can be bought for £7.50 from Nottinghamshire Archives and major libraries. It can also be purchased by post by sending a cheque for £10.50 (including £3.00 for postage and packaging) payable to Nottinghamshire County Council to: Libraries, Archives and Information, 4th Floor, County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7QP.
Story posted on site: 14 December 2011
Taster Sessions
Not sure what to look for when you visit Archives? Don’t know how to use the microfiche or not sure what the catalogues and indexes are for? Why not book a small-group or one-to-one Taster Session? These sessions last for fifteen minutes and will help you to get the most out of your visit. And they’re free!
Taster Sessions provide general introductions to the search room. It is also possible to bolt on one of our 'special interest' topics:
- Cemetery records
- Electoral registers
- Building plans
- Maps
- Poor law records.
Taster Sessions can be arranged for Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays between 9.30am and 11.30am and 2.15pm and 4.00pm
To arrange your taster session, telephone us on 0115 958 1634 or email at archives@nottscc.gov.uk.
Story posted on site: 25 November 2011
Why not get involved with volunteering at Archives?
If you have explored our online catalogue you will know that there are lots of catalogue entries available; however, we still have 47 years worth of catalogues to add! This is where you can help.
Two projects are currently available for volunteers:
- Retro-conversion of catalogues
Volunteers will input earlier catalogues into an Excel spreadsheet which will then be transferred onto the online catalogue - Data-entering of bishop's transcripts catalogues
Volunteers will enter the catalogue of the bishop's transcripts from c 1600 to 1815 into an Excel spreadsheet which will also be transferred onto the online catalogue. Later bishop's transcripts are already available on the online catalogue from 1813 to 1835 (DR/1/6) and 1836 to 1902 (DR/1/7).
Interested?
If you are, then please contact archives or visit our volunteering page for more information and application forms.
Story posted on site: 15 August 2011
Follow Rufford Abbey's Gertrude Savile on Twitter!
Gertrude Savile lived at Rufford Abbey in the 1720s. Her diary is held at Nottinghamshire Archives and is part of the Savile archives (reference: DD/SR/212/10-11).
You can now follow Gertrude as she tweets her diary: http//twitter.com/GertrudeSavile.
Gertrude's diary recently featured on the BBC 2 programme At Home With The Georgians. Look out for more social networking projects as part of the Museum Buddies (MuBu) web site: visit www.mubu.org.uk/rufflives.
Story posted on site: 7 January 2011
Find us on Facebook!
Notts Archives is now on Facebook! Why not look us up or even become a fan?
You can access the Nottinghamshire Libraries and Archives Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nottslibraries.
Story posted on site: 13 October 2009
