21 October
Documents that give a rare glimpse into what life was like for Caribbean labourers over 100 years ago have now been added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
In collaboration with archives, museums and libraries from countries ranging from Jamaica to the USA, The National Archives for England and Wales submitted documents to UNESCO that chronicle the mass movement of over 100,000 West Indians to Panama and include historically significant events such as the construction of the Panama Canal.
Guy Grannum, Discovery Product Manager, said: 'It is a real stamp of approval that our records relating to the West Indian experience in Panama are acknowledged in this way. They are vital to the collective Memory of the World, demonstrating the value and importance of archives for preserving the history, heritage and experience of people and their families'.
The UNESCO UK National Commission launched the UK Memory of the World National Register in Parliament in 2010, listing ten of the UK's most important archival holdings, from King William's Charter to the City of London to the archives of the Company of Scotland (now RBS), recording early trading to Africa and the Indies in the late 17th century.
