Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England

Citation

Lomas, E. (2010), "Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England", Records Management Journal, Vol. 20 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/rmj.2010.28120aae.005

Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England

Archives and Archivists in 20th Century England

Article Type: Professional resources From: Records Management Journal, Volume 20, Issue 1

E. ShepherdAshgate PublishingFarnham2009ISBN: 978-0-7546-4785-0£60

Keywords: Archives, History, Records Management

This book’s central thrust is to set out the historical development of the English archival profession, with some reference to the interlinked profession of records management and archival developments in Scotland and Wales. It is the first comprehensive study of the historical development of archives and archivists in the twentieth century in England. At a time when the structure of archive collections, management and supporting professional bodies are under scrutiny, review and (r)evolution this text is an important point of reference for anyone involved in the care, management and/or funding of archives. It explains how the current structures that underpin archives in England came into being and the choices that were made along the way. Furthermore, I think that it makes the case for the funding and the professional care of archives self-evident. Shepherd extends the National Council on Archives’ case for archives and it is worth reiterating here as a reminder of the role of archivists (although I would qualify that in the case of records managers it is dependent upon context):

Archives have the potential to change people’s lives. They are a fundamental bulwark of our democracy, our culture our community and personal identity. They are created to enable the conduct of business and accountability, but they also support a democratic society’s expectations for transparency and the protection of rights, they underpin citizen’s rights and are the raw material of our history and memory. Archivists and records managers have a responsibility to ensure that these qualities are protected and the values are exploited for public good (p. 1).

The book is written as eight chapters which Shepherd divides up into four themes:

1. 1.

   political engagement and the enactment of archives and records legislation;

2. 2.

   the emergence of a distinct and complex work group;

3. 3.

   an exclusive professional organisation; and

4. 4.

   archives and records management education.

The book develops these themes chronologically, considering how the government shaped the English archival profession, the impact of local and specialist archival provision, the development of professional bodies and societies, and the establishment of educational programmes. It spans the period from 1800 to 2003.

The book explains how the current professional bodies came into being; sometimes through planning and commonsense but in other instances through the enthusiasm and drive of one individual. For example, the strengths and weakness of Jenkinson, one of the founders of the English archival profession, are clearly set onto a balance sheet. On the one hand he was a great scholar who undoubtedly contributed to archival thinking, but ultimately he also failed to engage with modern recordkeeping requirements and key initiatives. The Grigg Committee, which established the principles for reviewing UK Public Records until the end of the twentieth century, was conducted with Jenkinson’s specific exclusion although he held the role of Keeper of the PRO.

Shepherd also has an ability to deal with more recent professional developments with detachment. There have been some potentially acrimonious moments in professional discussions and Shepherd is unflinching in ensuring that the key points of conflict are recorded; for example the difficulties of reforming UCL’s Archive Studies Master’s programme in the 1990s. In this context, some additional praise and assessment could have been made of later professional figures, for example Sarah Tyack’s role transforming the PRO/TNA and Victor Gray’s role in the development of RE:source/MLA. However, in a publishable manuscript the scope and length clearly had to be limited: there is another book on the same subject waiting to be written in detail on the history of records management! Shepherd does meet all the goals she sets in the book’s title and scope – it does do what it says on the tin and more.

This is a tremendous piece of work and is to be particularly noted for the fact that Shepherd has managed to deliver the text with academic credibility and also in a form that is incredibly readable. I set out to read this in support of my work but was amazed at how much I enjoyed it and how accessible it proved to be. Its price is in line with other similar texts, £60 (cheaper if bought online). I hope that despite the price tag many people will feel inspired to read this book. It sets out an agenda to answer questions about a professional past but equally these questions need to be levelled into the future. Anyone who truly considers themselves an “archive professional” based in England has no excuse not to read this book and it will be equally valuable to a wider audience.

Elizabeth LomasNorthumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK