We welcome contributions from our researchers about their work with our collections. Below is a series of articles by students, staff and private researchers - if you would like to contribute something please feel free to contact us.
The Josephy Slide Collection
[Article originally published here in 2017]
My name is Molly and I am a current student at DMU on the Photographic History MA, volunteering here at the archive! I wanted to become a volunteer as the Archive is currently undertaking a project to catalogue the V&A National Arts Slide Library (NASL) which came to the university in the early ’90s. The NASL was a slide lending service that began in 1898 in which people applied to borrow slides. Magic Lantern slides and later, 35mm positive colour slides would usually be taken out to illustrate teaching and lectures. The collection, although made up of many different kinds of slides, mainly depicted items of Art History and items at the V&A.
When I first came across this collection, I had been asked to choose a box of slides to catalogue and had to choose wisely; I was going to be working on these for a while so was best to choose something interesting otherwise I would get bored! I chose a box of ‘aesthetically pleasing’ images but the more I studied them, the more I found them strange. They were… ordinary and appeared to be holiday photographs. What were a bunch of tourist photos doing in a NASL?
I later came across the acquisition file for these pictures when rummaging through the NASL documents, looking for materials to work from for an essay. They revealed where they came from, who made them and how they ended up here. The box was part of a much larger slide collection donated to the V&A in 1987 by Miss M H Borman, the executor of the estate of Miss F.L Josephy. Frances Josephy or ‘Jo’ Josephy was a liberal party activist, the British representative in the European Union of Federalists and a keen amateur photographer. The collection boasts approximately 3,400 slides and documents Josephy’s travels over a span of twenty years (from 1956-1976) over 20 different countries.
The range of images produced by Josephy portrayed many places that had not been represented in the NASL, thus the donation was accepted and placed into the library. It is unsure whether or not these images were ever used by the public but since its revaluation and rediscovery in the DMU Archive and Special collections, we have begun to piece together the story and author of the images.
A number of Business Management in Sport MSc students from Leicester Castle Business School have recently used the Leicester Riders basketball club collection as part of their Sports Heritage and Legacy Management module. Phoebe Jones was tasked with writing about ‘match day programmes’ using materials from the archive collection. This article was originally posted here in 2019.
Match programmes are produced for every home match. They usually cost a small amount of money, but include a range of information about the club, including match stats, player profiles and the team sheet for that game.
The Riders have had a number of names over the years. When they were founded in 1967[1] they were called the All-Stars, which can be seen on the cover of one of the programmes from the 1981/82 season in figure 1[2] (see appendix). Other titles include Planters, Walkers and as known today, the Riders. As the programmes suggest, the name of the team usually depends on the title sponsor at the time.
The name ‘Riders’ came from the sponsorship of the team by Leicester City Bus, and Leicester City Council. As the advert on the back of a programme from the 1986/87 season suggests (see figure 2[3]), everyone can be ‘Riders’ by using the city bus.
The layout of the programme cover has changed a lot over the years, in the beginning they were very simple, for example the cover shown in figure 1[4], from the 1981/82 season. Similarities follow through to the programmes from the 1984/85 season; the same three colours, red, white and blue are used, with the addition of a black sketch of a player in the team kit (see figure 3[5]).
For the 1996/97 season the cover of the programmes celebrated the 30th Birthday of the club, as highlighted by the large number 30 over the Riders logo and a number of pictures from the last 30 years (see figure 4[6]).
A programme cover from the 2003/04 season is noticeably different from the past designs. The most obvious difference is the black and white image, where in the past few years they had been in colour. The only colour on the cover is the background where the text sits (see figure 5[7]). Another notable point is that it does not feature a player, rather the coach at the time, Billy Mims. A clue suggesting that the fans valued the coach of the team just as much as the actual players.
One consistent feature on all covers is the date and time of the game, and the visiting team. It also sometimes includes the price and the location, such as ‘Granby Halls, Leicester’ on the 1981/82 cover (see figure 1[8]). Despite the many design changes over the years, this information is always located in a clear and obvious place, commonly towards the bottom (see images 3[9], 4[10] and 5[11]).
It is not only the covers that have changed over time, the pages inside have also changed, including the number of pages, the content and the amount of adverts. A programme from the 1981/82 season only had 20 pages, slowly throughout the years this number increased on the most part, excluding a programme from the 1985/86 season which only had 16 pages. Unsurprisingly the 30th Birthday edition from 1996/97 (see figure 4[12]) had 40 pages, and from there on the number stayed around 30.
The majority of adverts in the programmes are for local Leicester companies. However one anomaly is the advert for the British ferry company ‘Sealink’ in a programme from the 1985/86 season (see figure 6[13]). It is unusual for the programme to include a national company, especially when Leicester is in the middle of the country, and not near the sea.
An interesting change in the order of pages in the programmes occurred between the 1999/2000 and 2000/01 seasons. Up to 1999/2000 the middle page spread of the match programmes had always been the team sheet for that game, including the names of the players and where they are from, as well as the names of the coaches and officials for that match; before the internet this was the fans only way of knowing the teams before a match. Surrounding this was usually advertisements, for example the pages seen in figure 7[14]; or the pages were simple with plenty of space around (see figure 8[15]) or, perhaps for fans to make notes throughout the game, as seen in figure 9[16].
The addition of a new feature in the 2000/01 season meant the middle page spread was now filled with a full length, colour photograph of one of the Riders players (see figure 10[17]). This was presumably designed in order for the fans to pull the photograph out and pin on their wall or to keep in a collection. These changes most likely occurred due to advancements in technology and colour printing, and the increased popularity and celebrity like nature of sports stars.
[1] Front cover of the Leicester versus Worthing Bear Match Programme, 30th Birthday edition, 26 Mar 1997, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[2] Front cover of the Leicester versus Milton Keynes Match Programme, 21 Nov 1981, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[3] Back page of the British Masters versus Aberdare Match Programme, 14 Mar 1987, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[4] Front cover of the Leicester versus Milton Keynes Match Programme, 21 Nov 1981.
[5] Front cover of the Leicester versus Worthing Bears Match Programme, 10 Nov 1984, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[6] Front cover of the Leicester versus Worthing Bear Match Programme, 30th Birthday edition, 26 Mar 1997.
[7] Front cover of the Leicester versus Westfield Sharks Sheffield Match Programme, 11 Oct 2003, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[8] Front cover of the Leicester versus Milton Keynes Match Programme, 21 Nov 1981.
[9] Front cover of the Leicester versus Worthing Bears Match Programme, 10 Nov 1984.
[10] Front cover of the Leicester versus Worthing Bear Match Programme, 30th Birthday edition, 26 Mar 1997.
[11] Front cover of the Leicester versus Westfield Sharks Sheffield Match Programme, 11 Oct 2003.
[12] Leicester versus Worthing Bear Match Programme, 30th Birthday edition, 26 Mar 1997.
[13] Page 3 of the Leicester versus Brunel/Camden Ducks Match Programme, 11 Oct 1985, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[14] Pages 12 and 13 of the Leicester versus Warrington Match Programme, 12 Jan 1983, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[15] Pages 12 and 13 of the Leicester versus Thames Valley Tigers Match Programme, 13 Feb 1992, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[16] Pages 12 and 13 of the Tournament of Champions Match Programme, 1 Jan 1988, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[17] Pages 16 and 17 of the Leicester versus Chester Jets Match Programme, 14 Oct 2000, Match Programme Folder, Leicester Riders Collection 1981-2016, De Montfort University Archives and Special Collections, De Montfort University Library, Leicester, United Kingdom.
A number of Business Management in Sport MSc students from Leicester Castle Business School have recently used the Leicester Riders basketball club collection as part of their Sports Heritage and Legacy Management module. Shrey Upadhyay was tasked with writing about ‘community projects’ using materials from the archive collection. This article was first published here in 2019.
Shrey wrote about the experience of using archives for the first time: “Being an outdoor sports enthusiast, silent libraries never appealed to me. I always used to find an escape route from the library in the days of my school and under graduate study. When I learned that I had to access the archives and special collections of the DMU’s Kimberlin Library for the Leicester Riders project, I was very nervous once again. Thankfully, I was effectively eased into working at the Archives through introductory classes and regular motivation from the module leader, Dr. Heather Dichter. This was my first experience in working with the archives and was invaluable. Amazingly, with my every visit to the archives, my interest in archival materials improved. One prominent thing that I came to understand while working in the Archives was the realization that it is good to peek into the future but it is equally important to cherish and preserve the past. At the Archives and Special Collections, all the materials were systematically organized and support from the staff (especially David) was immensely helpful. I really appreciate the University’s investment in developing a climate controlled archives and an exciting digitally-advanced highly interactive library. ”
Leicester Riders’ Youth Project and/or community charity works
Leicester is highly deprived, according to Index of Deprivation 2010, ranking 25th most deprived of 326 local authority areas[1]. The Leicester Riders are committed towards improving the present state of Leicester and have been quite proactive when it comes to contributing towards community projects and charity initiatives. There have been numerous examples of them supporting a charity event, fundraising cause, and donations. As the part of their involvement, the professional basketball team giveaways free family tickets, signed basketball, basketball training equipment and sometimes coaching facilities to the appropriate request of help from schools, organizations, and the general public. The donated signed merchandise and family tickets are then often sold or auctioned in a charity raffle to raise funds by the charitable organizations.
The most noticeable charity foundations to be benefited from Leicester Riders in the past are Childreach International[2], The National Autistic Society[3], and Walk in a mile in my shoes[4]. In addition to these charity foundations, the professional basketball club in England also helped other private organizations seeking funds for charity. For example, the contributions of Riders in raffle helped Alliance Leicester to raise funds for When You Wish Upon a Star Charity[5]. On 2 October 2009, the Leicester Riders received a cry of help from Fullhurst Community College for the socially and economically deprived students, both boys and girls[6]. The basketball club promptly reverted back with gifts in order to enable and positively encourage the dedicated staff of the college to work towards students’ development through sports[7].
The monetary aid received through Riders’ donations is not only limited to the local welfare in and around Leicestershire, but it also expands its horizons to national and international stages. From helping a national charity, The Fire Fighters Charity[8] to supporting charities working for community development programs in Ghana[9] and Uganda[10], Leicester Riders have supported people throughout the globe. For instance, the professional basketball club donated Family ticket for a Riders home game to an auction at a charity event ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ on 30 August 2008. This donation helped the charity ‘Walk in a mile in my shoes?’ to raise £2300 which was utilized towards building and furnishing of a permanent home for AIDS orphans in desperately poor regions of Luwero, Uganda[11]. Another instance of Riders’ contribution towards welfare internationally was in 2008 when the club donated a signed basketball for an auction to St. Paul’s Catholic School to raise money for providing a village in Ghana with a well[12].
Leicester Riders helped Walk a Mile in my Shoes to raise funds for their community welfare project in Uganda[13].
In 2013, due to the economic recession, there was a noticeable rise in unemployment trends nationally for young people[14]. In order to counter this, the Leicester City Council started Step Up project aimed to provide paid employment for 158 young people (age 18-24) who have been unemployed for 6 months and have been claiming JSA (Job Seeker’s Allowance)[15]. The Leicester Riders Basketball Club agreed to appoint one youngster for each of the four Step Up positions as a mark of their contribution[16]. Youngsters of age 18-20 years were recruited for the positions of Marketing Assistant (Social Media), Marketing Assistant (Sponsorship), Assistant Coach, and Administrative Assistant on 25 hours per week job in order to improve their necessary skills, professional experience, and support them financially[17]. These new recruits were also provided time to time mentoring and training from the Leicester Riders staff members in order to develop them into a company-fit professional[18].
Project Hub is a British Basketball Foundation’s Basketball development program funded by Sport England[19]. The Leicester Riders are the recognized provider of basketball-related community services of the Project Hub[20]. The project is designed to incorporate the sport of basketball targeted at young and older males and females[21]. Under this program, high-quality coaching is provided across Leicester and Leicestershire at 6 different locations in order to develop and improve skills and knowledge of the game[22]. Not only training, but these Hub Clubs also compete against each other in the local central venue league (CVL)[23].
The Leicester Riders Foundation organizes the British Basketball League’s community project, Hoops 4 Health in Leicester and surrounding areas. Under this project, the professional basketball players (men and women) of the Leicester Riders deliver Roadshows in the participating schools. The Roadshows are targeted at spreading awareness on healthy eating, dangers of smoking, fitness, and basketball among young people in primary schools[24]. These primary schools also get entry into Hoops 4 Health Basketball competition which takes place at the Leicester Arena, the home of Leicester Riders[25]. The winners of this tournament get a chance to play at the national Hoops 4 Health tournament. Around 2500 students from 40 schools received coaching and information on health aspects under Hoops 4 Health program in the year 2007-08[26].
In order to promote basketball in the schools of Leicestershire, the Leicester Riders also provide paid basketball coaching to the students in three types of sessions namely Basketball coaching in school, School Development day, and Basketball coaching after school[27]. All the coaches in Riders Basketball Programme are CRB checked and Level two qualified in Basketball Coaching[28].
[1] The Leicester Sports Partnership Trust Plan for Physical Education, Sport and Physical Activity 2014-2017, n.d., Bays 108-109, Leicester Riders Community, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[2] Sarah Melville to Holly Marshall, 27 February 2010, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[3] The National Autistic Society to The Leicester Riders Basketball Club, 7 May 2009, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[4] Faye Eveson to Russell, 5 September 2008, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[5] Secretarial Services Alliance & Leicester PLC to Leicester Riders, 26 November 2009, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[6] Ivan Kearney & Hilary Fielder to Leicester Riders, 2 October 2009, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[7] Ivan Kearney & Hilary Fielder to Holly Marshall, 9 October 2009, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[8] Matthew Cane to Leicester Riders, 20 March 2008, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[9] St. Paul’s Catholic School to Jelson’s Homes DMU Leicester Riders, 30 April 2008, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[10] Faye Eveson to Russell, 5 September 2008, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[11] Ibid.
[12]St. Paul’s Catholic School to Jelson’s Homes DMU Leicester Riders, 30 April 2008, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[13] Faye Eveson to Russell, 5 September 2008, Bays 108-109, Charity, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[14] Step-Up Steering Group Terms of Reference, 2 May 2013, Bays 108-109, Step Up Project, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[15] Ibid
[16] Supplemental Agreement Leicester City Council and Leicester Basketball Developments Limited, 16 August 2013, Bays 108-109, Step Up Project, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[17]Ibid
[18] Step-Up Applications Employee Support Plan, 30 September 2013, Bays 108-109, Step Up Project, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[19] BBL Foundation – Service Level Agreement Related to Project Hub (SD7), 11 August 2014, Bays 108-109, Project Hub Club, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[20] Ibid
[21] BBL Foundation – Service Level Agreement Related to Project Hub (SD7), 11 August 2014, Bays 108-109, Project Hub Club, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[22] Project Hub Club – Local Delivery Plan – RV0 (SD5), n.d., Bays 108-109, Project Hub Club, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[23] Ibid
[24] Hoops for Health School Evaluation, n.d., Bays 108-109, Box 4, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[25] End of the Year Report Basketball Development Officer, n.d., Bays 108-109, Leicester Riders Community, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[26] Ibid.
[27] Riders Community to Willcock.N, 12 August 2008, Bays 108-109, Leicester Riders Community, Riders Collection, De Montfort University Special Collections Archives & Rare Books, Kimberlin Library 00.21, De Montfort University, Mill Lane, Leicester, United Kingdom.
[28] Ibid
100 Years of the Representation of People Act
6 February 2018 is the 100th anniversary of the Representation of People Act 1918, in which women over 30 who met the property requirements were given the right to vote. To mark this occasion, here are a few items from our collections which showcase the women’s Suffrage movement.
First up are images from Punch Magazine. The first image is from January 28 1918 and was made to mark the Act. The second image is from 1911 and highlights the jiu-jitsu phenomenon that was developing in Edwardian Britain as well as the militancy of some Suffragettes.
Next is an article published in the Illustrated London News. What is interesting about this article is that it discusses the disappointment in not gaining the vote for all women.
“Of course, the vote is now given on different terms from those on which we have always asked for it. Our claim has always been “Votes for women on the same qualification as they are given to men.” I still believe that this would have been a much better basis. It would have enfranchised all women…”
The Briggs-Blake-Zurbrugg Memorial Library collection also contains writings which discuss the women’s suffragette movement. More information on this collection can be found here.
“It was born of the frustration of women being prevented from doing what they could do, and what they longed to do” ( ‘A Women’s place 1910-1975’ by Ruth Adam, 1975, page 32)
“It requires unusual moral courage as well as disinterestedness in women, to express opinions favourable to women’s enfranchisement until, at least, there is some prospect of obtaining it.” (‘Strong minded Women, Janet Horowitz Murray, 1984, Page 34-35)
Blog post by Gursharan Hayre, originally posted here in February 2018.
Ski Club of Great Britain – 1933-1934
by Alex Marlow
A number of Business Management in Sport MSc students from Leicester Castle Business School have recently used the Ski Club of Great Britain collection as part of their Sports Heritage and Legacy Management module. The students were tasked with preparing a brief history of two years of the Club’s operation, using archive materials such as committee minutes, year books and photographs. Below is the history of the years 1933-34, by Alex Marlow:
1933
1933 was an important year in the history of the Ski Club of Great Britain, as the club faced an uphill struggle to finance their operations as the country tried to recover from the Great Depression of 1929.
Despite the majority of Ski Club members being affluent members of society who were likely to be less affected by the Great Depression than the rest of the country, the Ski Club decided to seek additional revenue streams in order to solidify and improve their financial position. In light of this, the club published a ski guide, titled ‘Guide to Valais and The Haute Savoie’, which generated revenue of £75 for the club (as shown in the picture below), an extremely welcome windfall, with that sum being worth almost £5,000 in 2018 terms[i].
Alongside generating revenue through publication, the ski-club sought ways in which to generate revenue in the off-season where snowfall was minimal, such as holding dry-skiing classes. In the club’s AGM of 1933, club president Sir Claud Schuster (pictured below) noted that the debut of the dry-skiing classes in Autumn 1932 were extremely successful, returning £138 in class entrance fees[ii], and encouraged the council to organise further classes for Autumn 1933.
The July 1933 AGM also saw a change to longstanding Ski Club terminology. The council recommended that the word ‘’skier’’ be substituted for the word ‘’ski runner’’ throughout the SCGB rules. Despite strong protest from E.C Richardson, the council’s recommendation was put to the vote and was passed with a majority of 11-5, bringing in terminology which is still used around the world today. Other rule changes suggested by the council at the 1933 AGM can be seen in the photo below.
1934
1934 saw the departure of retiring President Schuster, with the council expressing that they were under great debt for the time he gave for the Ski Club and everything he achieved in his two-year tenure. Schuster was replaced by Sir Eric-Holt Wilson (pictured below), who began his term by attempting to address a number of issues which were causing friction within the organisation.
One of the issues that faced the council was the appointment of club officials at ski resorts around Europe. It had become apparent that club officials had been appointed at ski resorts in 1933 despite there being a lack of work to be done for the SCGB, making the trips an unnecessary expense for the Ski Club. Honorary Secretary Mr Seligman was particularly unhappy with this, suggesting a change to Rule 17 that meant ‘’no appointments be made merely in order that a member of the club should obtain a free or cheap holiday but that such appointments be restricted to cases where there was definite work to be done for the SCGB[iii].’’ It was decided that a formal letter be sent to all members who were guilty of obtaining a ‘free or cheap holiday’, setting out the standards expected of them, complete with an acknowledgement slip to be sent back to the SCGB.
There was also discontent among some of the council relating to payments of £200 and £74 made to the secretaries of the Editors of the ‘Ski Notes and Queries’ book. Mr E.H Houghton controversially suggested that the Editors and their secretaries be replaced by members who would be able to carry out the work without requiring payment, since the work of the Editors was not arduous. Despite Mr Houghton feeling passionately about the subject, President Wilson would not allow Mr Houghton the opportunity to air his views further as there was no mention of his issue on the agenda.
[iii] The Ski Club of Great Britain – Winter Arrangement Minutes 1931-1949. De Montfort University Special Collections. Leicester. England.
[ii] The Ski Club of Great Britain – AGM Minutes 1930-1935. Income and Expenditure Account. De Montfort University Special Collections. Leicester. England.
[i] Browning, Richard. “Historic Inflation Calculator: How Value of Money Changed since 1900.” This Is Money. January 31, 2018. Accessed April 23, 2018. http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html.
A Business student in the Archives…
By Alex Marlow
Originally posted here.
As part of my Sports Heritage and Legacy Management module of my masters programme, I was tasked with producing a detailed look into the history of the Ski Club of Great Britain between 1903 and 1933 [see the post below for Alex’s assignment]. As the internet was several decades away from being invented, I required a different source of information for which to write our assignment from, and this came in the form of the DMU Archives and Special Collections.
Having come from a Business background with no experience of working with archival material before, I was unsure of what to expect and how I was going to turn 70 year old books into an acceptable piece of post-graduate work, however the staff in the Archives made it a very easy and pleasant experience. Katharine and her team were always on hand to assist us when looking at the material, and this included showing me how to handle both books and images to ensure the quality wasn’t compromised, whilst also helping me to find books relating to my allocated years amongst the thousands of books in the Archives. Our class also received a dedicated two hour workshop on how to use archival photography and images, which saw us look at a number of interesting objects including old negative SCGB images and photo albums relating to our assignment. This workshop also showed us how to caption pictures and images correctly, which was vital when it came to our assignment.
Overall, my experience of working with DMU Archives and Special Collections was an enjoyable one, and I was impressed by the vast array of books and wide range of objects. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and helped me towards achieving a good grade in my assignment, and I would encourage all students to go and take a look at what the Archives has to offer.
English Adventures in the Archive
Originally posted here
Hello and welcome to English Adventures in the Archive! My name is Gemma, and I am a DMU English student working in the archive on a placement for the English in the workplace module. Over the coming weeks I will post a series blogs on what I discover about how the Archive and Special Collections can be used in an English degree.
Post 1: First impressions
On first walking into the Archive and Special Collections department, I was overcome with a feeling of discovery. Met with row upon row of incredibly old books, and what could be mistaken for boxes of secret treasure, for a fleeting moment I felt that I should not be there…that I had stumbled upon rarities that belonged to someone else and thus had not ought to touch. Yet, I am sure you can imagine where human curiosity takes such a find! Katharine Short (Archivist and Special Collection Team Manager) was quick to correct my common misconceptions and reassure me that my desire to open the boxes and explore was not only normal, but engagement with the collections is positively encouraged!
Like most newcomers to the Archive I wondered if finding material would require hours of searching through boxes, yet I could barely contain my excitement as I was shown around for each aisle is neatly organised by collection, with box lists and entries available on the Archive hub. It began to dawn on me that I had discovered a very special place, a fantastic ADH resource where as an English student my research could be taken in fresh, exhilarating directions.
For those of you who have never ventured into the Archive my upcoming series of blog posts will introduce you to some of the hugely exciting material held here. Over the coming weeks I will dispel the myth that archive material is dusty, boring or buried treasure that is simply to be stored and preserved, when rather it is a goldmine of already unearthed unique and original material that is held to be used, perused and enjoyed. On the lower ground floor of our very own Kimberlin Library, in a climate controlled room, the collection housed is brimming with incredible material that can be used to open the imaginations, inspire, enrich and enhance the studies of all ADH students. There is absolutely something for everyone here- including a particularly welcoming and helpful team. I certainly wish I’d found it sooner.
So come on, lets begin! To give you a flavour the Archive houses the recently catalogued papers of Andrew Davies (screenwriter), a fabulous collection of women’s magazines dating back to 1690, the papers of Bryony Lavery (playwright), The Theatre Archive Project (acquired by our VC, Dominic Shellard and an absolute must see for all Shakespeare enthusiasts) and many Early Printed Books.
Look out for next my blog post where I will reveal some of the fabulous items held in the Bryony Lavery and Andrew Davies collections. The feminists amongst you will not be disappointed…
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