Contact the committee here.
Unlike many of you, I came into the archive world late, having retired as a History Teacher in 2014. I came to Sudeley Castle as a volunteer but walked into the CEO in the first week, and having taught all of his children, he offered me the job of part-time archivist! Right place – right time!
I have been tasked with digitising the documents that mainly date from the Victorian rebuild which followed the Parliamentary slighting ordered after the Civil War, liaising with the guides and volunteers so that we all tell the same story, assisting with displays, working with researchers and, most unexpectedly, acting as the face of Sudeley when any TV work comes round!
I work with Imogen at Wadhurst Park, a private house in East Sussex. We’re a relatively new, small, archive still finding our way within the company. We largely manage paper family and estate records, though we are starting to move into records management and digital records. Our current main focus is cataloguing the paper archive and making digital records accessible to the family. As a small team in the world of owner-managed archives, the HHAG is a great support – whether that’s providing advice on purchases or reassurance that others have dealt with similar owner requests/requirements in the past!
I’m Imogen and I work with Martha at Wadhurst Park. We’re unusual within the HHAG as we’re a modern house built in the 1980s on a historic site. Despite our surroundings (and newly renovated archive) we deal with many of the same issues as others within the group, especially in terms of supporting our owner and their family.
I’m Catherine and I’m Head of Archives and Records for the Rothschild Foundation at Waddesdon Manor. I work with two colleagues in the Archives and Records team to catalogue and make accessible the archives of all areas of Waddesdon as well as offering support for the management of both paper and electronic records across the whole organisation. We also provide data protection advice and support to the organisation. We therefore get to work with the Estate, farm, family and private offices, our wine company, hotel and events teams, as well as supporting the main visitor operations and collections department at Waddesdon Manor itself. It’s never boring.
I am responsible for the paper and digital archives at Blenheim Palace.
I’m Vicki and I’ve worked as the Archivist at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, since 2020, having previously spent 15 years working in the archives at Hatfield House, as head of department for the final eight years. I am a lone archivist now (apart from when the Duke is in the archives, continuing the work of his grandfather, who spent most of his time in here!) and I’m currently working on a list of our five rooms full of documents, as well as setting up preventative conservation measures (including lots of hoovering…). Many of the documents have not been touched for decades and are still in the original bundles from when they were sent from the solicitors, so I am enjoying making new discoveries.
I’m Louise, Assistant Archivist and Librarian at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire. I work with Fran Baker, Archivist and Librarian, to preserve, catalogue and make accessible the extensive archive and library collections that form part of the Devonshire Collection. The Devonshire Collection Archives are a large collection of both family papers and estate material relating to the Dukes and Duchesses of Devonshire, other family members and associated individuals.