Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Northern Ireland

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) (Northern Ireland)

PRONI celebrated its centenary by curating a collection of its 100 most significant records that best represent the archive. The so named PRONI 100 Treasures represents the diversity of the archive and is free to explore online. This publication rounded off a year-long programme of events, outreach programmes, community engagement and partnership projects organised to mark PRONI’s Centenary.

A montage made up of triangular and other geometric shapes, displaying sections of different records such as illustrations, posters, and maps.

Image credit: Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Scotland

Community Archives Heritage Group (CAHG) Scotland

CAHG Scotland and the Scottish Council on Archives organised an LGBT+ History event to foster networking opportunities and share best practices among various archival representatives. The event highlighted CAHG Scotland’s “Gaps in the Archives” oral history workshops, which assist archives across the country in preserving diverse histories, and the (Un)seen (Un)heard project, led by LGBT Youth Scotland, which amplifies the voices and stories of LGBT+ youth in Scotland.

People sat in red auditorium seating, most of them making notes on paper. Two people in the foreground at talking to one another and smiling.

Image credit: Cameron Speirs

DC Thomson and National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive (NLSMIA)

After discovering approximately 40 cannisters of film in a basement, DC Thomson collaborated with NLSMIA to digitise and catalogue 90 TV adverts for brands such as Bunty, Jackie, Hotspur and Bimbo dating from the late 1950s to early 60s. These are now considered some of the earliest surviving adverts from the new medium of commercial television available in a public collection.

Still from a black and white television advert, in which three girls - one adolescent/young woman, with two younger girls on her left. The adolescent/young woman is holding a copy of 'Judy' comic. The front cover has text reading 'FREE inside - The Wishing Star Ring', with an illustration of a ring with a large stone in it and a girl saying 'Just like mummy's!'

Image credit: DC Thomson

Scottish Council on Archives (SCA)

As part of Refugee Festival Scotland 2024, the SCA, Scottish Refugee Council and community archive, OurStory Scotland, hosted an oral history workshop for LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers. This sold-out event provided a platform for new Scots to learn mapping and storytelling techniques, while also participating in a group oral history interview. The workshop aimed to amplify their voices and preserve their stories as part of Scotland’s diverse cultural heritage.

Six people sitting in a semi-circle, each one sat a little further from the camera. The person closest to the camera is talking animatedly, and the rest of the group are looking at him.

Image credit: Cameron Speirs

University of Dundee Archive Services

University of Dundee has collaborated with academic researchers, community groups and school children to research the history of Baxter Park, explore its current use and importance, and run community activities based on archival material. Thanks to this project, there are QR codes on park benches linked to a website which hosts a quiz trail, several films and information about the park.

A notice printed in black ink on yellowed paper, which reads: 'Bye-laws for the Baxter Park, Dundee. At Dundee, the 21st day of July 1864, the Trustees of the Park, in virtue of the powers conferred on them by the Deed of Gift, enact and ordain the following bye-laws for the government and regulation of the Park:- 1. From 1st April to 30th September the Park will be open from Six o’clock Morning; and, during the rest of the year, from Eight o’clock Morning, until not more than an hour after sunset. 2. A Bell will be rung fifteen minutes before the Gates are closed, and again at closing. 3. No Person shall enter or leave any part of the said Park, except by the stated and ordinary Gates; and any one scaling the Walls or other Fences will be prosecuted. 4. No person will be allowed to enter the Park in a state of intoxication. 5. On no pretext whatever shall Spiritous or other intoxicating Liquors be sold, or allowed to be used or admitted within the grounds of the said Park, or any of the Lodges or Buildings connected therewith. 6. All gambling and improper language is strictly prohibited. 7. No Tents, Booths, or other Erections shall be put up; and no Refreshments, or other Articles or Commodities, shall be supplied or exposed for sale within the Park, without the special permission of the Trustees. 8. No Vehicle whatever shall be allowed to pass through or be in the Park; and no person shall take any Dog into the Park unless it be led. 9. No person shall cut, break, injure, pull up, or deface any of the Plants, Trees, Shrubs, Flowers, Grass, Turf, Fences or Seats in any part of the Park,- any person so offending will be prosecuted. By order of the Trustees, D. Small, Secretary.

Image credit: University of Dundee Archive Services, catalogue reference MS 105/11/4

University of Stirling Archive and Special Collections

University of Stirling conducted an oral history project which saw staff and students interviewed about their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. These interviews now sit in the University’s Pandemic Archive; a collection of material gathered through contemporary collecting, wellbeing workshops and community engagement which was used in the development of a creative article and film pairing.

A large tree trunk is on the right, with a couple of thick branches coming from it. A large number of differently-coloured pom poms are hanging from the tree, and tied round the tree is a printed message: 'Tillicountry Tree of Hope - Make a pom pom and hang it on the tree to spread cheer and joy in our community! #staysafe'

Image credit: University of Stirling, catalogue reference PAN/1/1/1/3/8

University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow worked in partnership with researchers and leading UK heritage organisations to develop new approaches to discovering and preserving community-generated digital content. Named Our Heritage, Our Stories, this project dissolves barriers between different collections by encouraging archives to link in, share work, and promote community-generated digital content. This was supported through the Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded ‘Towards a National Collection’ project.

A montage of five different images: on the far left is a portrait painting of a library wall, with a large number of books on shelves and a blue wheeled stepladder next to it. To the right of this image are three landscape images: top is a small green sticker with 'Yes' in white letters, next to a small red sticker with 'No thanks' in white letters, with both stickers surrounded by yellow, blue, green and brown paper tags with handwriting on. Middle is the words 'Discovery Projects' in gold letters, on a dark blue background, with two logos above it: 'Towards A National Collection', and 'UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council'. Bottom is a photo of two people seated on stage, with a small audience looking at them. On the right of these three landscape images is a large black and white landscape image, appearing to show a very large satellite dish, angled up at roughly 45 degrees.

Image credit: Lorna Hughes

National Records of Scotland (NRS)

In 2024, NRS celebrated the 250th anniversary of General Register House in Edinburgh; the first public records repository in the British Isles. Until June 2025, there will be a series of public events to highlight archives and the importance of their preservation. These will give visitors unique access to a building that remains a model of functional architecture.

A domed area of ceiling, as viewed from below. There is a small circular glass window in the centre, with a series of decorative plaster and gold-coloured features centred around it.

Image credit: National Records of Scotland

Wales

National Library of Wales

The National Library of Wales worked with Aberystwyth University to unlock the archive of Ann Clwyd, former Labour MP for the Cynon Valley. A project archivist arranged and catalogued the collection, and a roundtable discussion event was held on the subject. The collection is of international significance, containing material relating to international development, human rights in Iraq and the Coal industry. It is also the subject of a new PhD at Aberystwyth University.

A close-up photo of a woman wearing a white hard hat, which has a black torch strapped round it with a thick black cable. The woman has shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes, with coal marks on her face, and her mouth is open as if she is speaking to someone.

Image credit: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru/National Library of Wales