A crowdfunding appeal by Dorset History Centre and partners
Dorchester is home to the finest archive of material by and about Thomas Hardy in the world – that is, the primary sources which support and inform any new research into Hardy and his contemporaries. The archive is recognised by UNESCO as a collection of international significance and as the key archival source for the understanding and appreciation of one of Britain’s literary greats. This puts it in the same category as Magna Carta, the Domesday Book and Shakespeare’s first folio.
The collection is made up of archives derived from Dorset Museum, Dorset History Centre and Dorset Library Service. These have been brought together in one place at Dorset History Centre where they are held for public benefit. It consists of over 150 boxes containing thousands of individual items; correspondence, poetry, diaries, manuscripts, architectural plans, photographs, printed books, pamphlets and ephemera.
Less positively, access to this archive is currently very restricted with a miscellany of finding aids and lists instead of a single uniform catalogue. At present, anyone searching would be told that a box list of the Hardy archive exists and that a detailed catalogue is planned for the future. What this means for people researching Hardy is that it is not possible to find things which would otherwise be clearly described online. This presents a real obstacle in terms of research as people are obliged to make further enquiries of DHC which in turn has to search through lists and boxes to see if any relevant material exists.
In short, this archive is not easy to find and use which given its significance is highly problematic.
The archive is safely preserved on the environmentally-controlled shelves of DHC’s repositories. However, the current catalogue entry states that the archive is held in Dorchester, but little more than that. Therefore, one of the most in-demand collections at DHC and a jewel in Dorset’s archival and heritage crowns is also one of those about which we have relatively little information to share with the public. This is the situation we wish to address by creating a permanent tool by which the archive can be searched and accessed by anyone – whatever their interest in Hardy.
It’s fair to say that cataloguing (whether it be archives or objects) is the poor relation of public engagement (that is outreach, exhibitions etc) with very little dedicated funding available. Cataloguing works! It represents a long-term investment and the real starting point for any other form of outreach and engagement. It offers benefits over many decades with a permanent legacy that allows anyone interested to actually find things unaided by third parties – and thus to get on with their research accordingly.
DHC is working alongside Dorset Archives Trust, The Thomas Hardy Society and Dorset Museum to try to raise £60,000 to deliver this project. The funding is required to employ an archivist over 18 months who will work with volunteers to document this magnificent archive.
If you’d like to contribute you can go to our donations page on the website of the Dorset Archives Trust. Any support pledged there can also benefit from Gift Aid.
Thank-you for your support!