Meet the Archive Team

This week we thought an introduction to the team would be a good idea, so that our readers further afield* (see note at the end!) could get a better idea of who writes this stuff and who's been lurking in the archive office!

Our Glorious Leader is Dr Roberta Anderson, senior lecturer in History at Bath Spa University. It was Bobby's idea in 2011, to try to build a project based on the first haul of archive documents, and to fully explore oral history opportunities. Bobby advises, encourages and oversees the work here. We now have a suite of three work placement modules which provide the students with an excellent opportunity to learn about the workings of an archive through hands on experience.

Kate James is lead archivist, researcher and student mentor. Coming to BSU as a mature (only in years!) student in 2008, Kate has immersed herself in the world of history, dusty primary sources and oral history interviewing, and likes nothing better than a day of research and the waft of old paper. Gaining a BA in 2011 and an MA in 2012, a PhD is her next target. Her research will cover the history of Newton Park as an educational establishment and the oral history of place. Kate writes the blog each week, and occasionally goes home to cook meals.

Adam King, History and Heritage 2nd year, came on board last October, is interested in 18th and 19th century history. He is an avid reader of history books by authors such as Simon Schama and Norman Davies. He has an enthusiasm for researching the history of Newton Park.

Hayley Crymble is a 2nd year Historian, who has also been with the archive for 5 months. She has enjoyed discovering the pleasures of oral history interviewing, and getting to know the interviewees. She's not quite so entranced with scanning (its cold in that corridor!)

Richard Carpenter is the techno wizard. Let him tell you about his part in the work:

"My main role has been working on the transcription of interviews. Using some helpful software and my apparently legendary speed of typing acquired during my A level days, I have been able to almost half the time it takes to do them whilst still ensuring accuracy. Additionally, I have helped supervise the scanning process and set up our social media presence, including @BSUArchive  on Twitter, do give us a follow! At postgraduate level I am hoping to work on the digitisation of the archive for our website."

And by the way,  other 'Humanities at Work' students have been involved along the way: Rachel carried out the first interview and scanning tasks, back in the summer of 2011, and Chris continued with more scanning and research the following summer.

So that's the team. Although the current module ends in May, we hope we can continue to work together on future modules, and keep up the great momentum we've gained this year. With current developments, such as the move to the Corsham Court office, the exhibition and contribution to the book about our university, who knows what the future holds?

It's very exciting, and we look forward to sharing it with you, too!

(* According to the Blog stats, we have readers in UK, US, Germany, Netherlands and Denmark.)

Warm greetings to everyone. We hope you're liking the archive news so far. 

Let us know what you think! 

Best Wishes from the Archive Team

 xxx

A morning with Professor Michael Pennie

One of the privileges of working on the BSU Archive is meeting a wide range of people, and hearing their stories and memories. Everyone we meet during our research has had a long, interesting and varied life, despite sometimes believing that the opposite is true. And everyone we talk to can illuminate the past for us, in a way that a historical document can never do.

Professor Michael Pennie

This week I have had the honour of meeting Professor Michael Pennie, who has observed artistic life here for half a century. First at Corsham Court in the 1960s, and then at Sion Hill in the 80s and 90s, and more recently back at Corsham Court, he has been teaching and practising the art of sculpture over five decades of change and development.

Michael talked to me about his work and about life at the Court during the Bath Academy of Art days. We also discussed his personal memoir of a life in art, which he is currently writing, and the possibility of adding this memoir to the BSU Archive when it is completed.

Michael's memoir, in preparation

This work, entitled 'Michael Pennie: Sculpture - Making and Teaching' takes the form of a treasure box of individual memories, written about his work, his exhibitions, former students and colleagues, all of which are gathered alongside rich images of artists and their work. Digital technologies also offer the potential for wider audience engagement, and this also formed part of our discussion today.

I was then taken to see Michael's studio in the basement of Corsham Court, where he described the discipline of daily creativity; even at the weekend he spends every morning in the studio, surrounded by his work and tools, drawings and sculptures. In fact his work is dotted all over Corsham Court, in public rooms, in the gallery, and in the grounds. I have walked past them many times, appreciating the art, without realising that the artist was in our midst.

The Basement Gallery, inside Michael's studio and an example of his sculpture

It was a fascinating morning, and yet another reminder of the rich seam of creativity which exists at our university.
I hope to continue mining this seam for some time - who knows what will be discovered next?

The Official Opening and Cake Event!

On Friday 8th February, the BSU Archive office hosted its official opening ceremony.

We might not have had the spectacle of choreographed dancers, Kenneth Branagh as Brunel and an audience of millions, but oh boy, we have the history.

On the guest list:

Professor Christina Slade, Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University
Dr Steve May, Dean of School, Humanities and Cultural Industries
Dr Alan Marshall, Head of History
Dr Alison Hems, Course Leader, Postgraduate Studies in Heritage and Applied History
Mr Terry Bracher, Archives and Local Studies Manager, Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre

Adam, the VC and Richard considering more cake, perhaps?

And greeting them, the BSU Archive team:

Dr Roberta Anderson, Senior Lecturer in History
Kate James, Archives Manager, BA History, MA Heritage Management
Richard Carpenter, Archives assistant, 3rd Year History undergraduate
Hayley Crymble, Archives assistant, 2nd Year History undergraduate
Adam King, Archives assistant, 2nd Year History undergraduate

Bobby, Alan, Alison, Steve and Hayley enjoy tea, cakes and  the discussion

And on the desks and tables:
Personal papers and photographs from the first principal of Newton Park Teacher Training College, 1946 - 1968
Original plans for Sion Hill campus, 1959
Guest book used at the opening of the new Domestic Science College at Sion Hill, signed by Her Majesty, the Queen Mother
Auction booklet for the sale of family possessions from the Newton Park Estate, 1941
Photographs of Rural Studies students, 1980s
Photographs of Newton Park campus, tennis court and orchard, 1980s
Exhibition materials for the forthcoming exhibition at Newton Park, (March 2013)

And not forgetting the triple chocolate layer bars, chocolate and caramel fingers, almond slices and caramel shortbreads, and lashings of tea!

The archive assistants showed their knowledge and enthusiasm, and enjoyed meeting and spending time with our Vice Chancellor. We were able to discuss ways of using the archive for wider public and institutional engagement, through publications, online resources and social media like this, so that our story can be told.

In fact our institution, our archive, holds many stories. The history we have to tell has many facets and many layers, and is growing. What started as corporate documents is being added to through the nuances of people's voices, experiences and life memories. The archive is a living and growing resource with amazing potential.

Just this week, we have provided a music student with the history of the Garden Temple, for a piece she is preparing. We have retrieved information about the School of Art prior to its move to Corsham in 1946. Exhibition preparation has been ongoing, and another oral history interview has taken place. We have transcribed and proof read several other interviews, and contacted past and previous oral history interviewees. And of course, we prepared for the opening ceremony!





It was a great afternoon, but in the excitement we forgot to take enough photographs. So sadly you'll just have to imagine the sight of our Vice Chancellor, Professor Slade with the 1902 Peer's coronet, ermine trim, red velvet and all. But she did look splendid!







(you'll just have to use your imagination!)

Bath Technical Schools

Following last week's blog about Mary Berry and her training at the Bath School of Domestic Science, this week at the BSU Archive office I decided to delve into the box marked 'Bath College of Domestic Science, Old Prospectuses'. What a treat!

Bath Technical Schools main building, at the Guildhall

The prospectuses are A5 booklets, usually no more than 6 or 8 pages in length. They date from the establishment of the Domestic Science department of Bath Technical School, in 1893. Technical Schools were part of the nineteenth century expansion of education, and provided practical classes with the aim of increasing the skills level of a community.

Technical Schools prospectus, 1913-14

Local Authorities set up these schools, which included secondary, evening and adult classes, according to the skills required in the area. A sample of the learning supplied by the City of Bath Council in 1913 includes commerce, languages, maths, book keeping and clerical skills. A large department fulfilled the city's need for engineering knowledge and there is provision to learn engineering drawing, design, and technical skills as well as coach building, carpentry and plumbing. A combination of skills to suit a city concerned about its economy, perhaps?

Since its 18th century heyday, Bath had struggled with the image it displayed to the world and the reality of the life in its streets. In the later 19th century, the city fathers continued to emphasise its gentility, yet industry did thrive here, in the form of engineering works, and car manufacture grew out of the coach building businesses. The technical schools' prospectuses give a fuller picture of a city looking to the future.

Two of Bath Spa University's founding colleges have their origins in this move towards increased public education and training; the School of Art, and the Domestic Science College. These early prospectuses demonstrate the way that 19th century thinking, democratisation and a more diverse economy laid our foundation stones.

The Domestic Science school altered its course when an early student, Adela Heygate, asked to be trained as a teacher of Domestic subjects. She went on to become the Principal of the College, and later, a school inspector.

Cookery and Domestic Sciences prospectus 1914-15

Early classes feature in illustrations in the prospectuses, as well as course descriptions. The courses are very practical, as indicated by early lessons in 'range building', and early student memoirs attest to the resourcefulness they learned. Such skills stood them in good stead when they entered the teaching profession  between the wars, when many school premises were still quite basic.

Range building?

'Care of the Drains' and 'The Danger of Flies' - crucial in an era long before domestic refrigeration! 

Domestic Science students in 1900 wore a uniform consisting of  'a long black serge skirt, ankle length. A scarlet cashmere shirt and black tie for winter, white blouse and red tie for summer, worn with stiff white collar and cuffs. White linen aprons, skirt length with bibs and shoulder straps. A white muslin cap with scarlet ribbon'. (Memoir of student M. S. Toller, written in 1953)

The uniform made them very conspicuous, and earned them the local nick-name of 'Scarlet Runners'.

An anonymous student, also reminiscing in 1953 (the College's Jubilee) recalled that 

'In 1911, the militant suffragette movement was at its height, and Annie Kenney came to Bath and hurled a brick through the GPO window to arouse attention and interest - we students all there in the seething crowd - but alas the scarlet blouses were noticed and we were reported to the head'.