News from the Library
The Visual Records group has this autumn grasped the nettle of working on the Visual Records database.
The popularity of the Visual Records and the increase in enquiries has prompted the group to try and resolve issues with the database in co-operation with the Society’s IT manager. The work is ongoing and is likely to take some time, but it is hoped that in due course online access to both the Visual Records and the book stock will be improved. Work is also continuing on digitising images. Ann Pinder has been working on a collection of heraldic devices taken from a series of rubbings done by Nicholas Eyare Toke during church visits he made during the First World War and into the 1930s. This has encouraged her to start visiting the churches where the rubbings were done in order to discover the current state of preservation of the ledger stones which date to the 17th and 18th century. She has also attended a workshop in Cambridge to find out more about the Ledgerstone Survey of England and Wales which aims to record all the information engraved on to ledgerstones. Ledgerstones have long been neglected as a source of historical data. This is an interesting project which is quite easy to join - more can be learnt about it at www.lsew.org.uk
Pat Tritton has been continuing her work collating a large collection of handwritten letters from KAS members, dating from 1859-1948. Most of these are addressed to the Secretary of the KAS of the time and the bulk of the collection was compiled by George Payne. Some letters contain personal details of the people concerned and others deal with KAS matters. It was through one of these letters that we were able to pinpoint exactly when the Bywater collection of glass plates was donated to the KAS. Many of the recipients of the letters were the important figures of the KAS’s
past such as Edward Pretty, Augusts Arnold, George Payne and Rev. W.R. Scott Robertson.
Thank you to all of those who have kindly donated items to the Library’s holdings. There are too many to mention you all. I will just mention that the generosity of Dr Philip means that the Library now stocks a complete collection of the publications of the Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit. Additions to the Library’s holdings have also been made to reflect the popularity of Family History. With particular regard to this, Diana Webb and Peter Titley continue their friendly Research Help sessions for those who have limited training in Latin and Palaeography and would like some advice.
On Mondays Dr Jacqueline Bower has been teaching her popular Adult Learning Classes, which this year are on The End of the Middle Ages, 1381-1547 and The British Empire. The classes are organised by Joy Sage and they not only provide a chance to learn, but also excellent company.
If you have not been to the Library before you might like to visit us on a Wednesday or Thursday morning between 10.30 am and 12.00 noon. The Library is open at other times, but it is very busy with committee bookings so please always check the online diary before you travel to avoid disappointment. Please also remember to show your membership card and sign in at the Museum’s front desk. The recent Membership Survey highlighted that many members wished to have more information about how to use the Library. If there is enough interest I will do another ‘Introduction to the Library session.’ You can contact me on: Librarian@kentarchaeology.org.uk
Information about the Library and the online catalogue can be found on the Society’s website: http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/. I hope to see you in the Library.
Pernille Richards, Hon. Librarian