Recollections of the Past, Future Nostalgia

Archive collections can spark a wide array of emotions in those who view them, especially when items have a personal connection. On placement at the Borthwick Institute for Archives, second year student Farhan Naqui found a surprising link to a childhood memory in the Rowntree Theatre collection, stirring thoughts on the nostalgic power of archives.

People associate and commemorate particular objects, subjects and life experiences with archives. When observing archives, these fragments connect us to the past. Going through the Joseph Rowntree Theatre collection, I found a poster that joined me with my history. This was a Tweenies event that occurred at the theatre. The poster brought many memories of my childhood and nostalgia. The Tweenies poster felt personal as the theatre archives were fascinating but disconnected from me. However, observing the archive in question made the experience of my placement personalised. I looked at the dates which weren’t on the poster. I had to use my research skills to find the year of this event. I felt a sense of my childhood come back to life as it triggered my fond memories. Archives allow an individual to recollect many past memories which they have forgotten about.

When looking around the Borthwick Institute, there’s a display of the Rowntree collections. The collections are preserved in glass cases within the building and contain old confectionary boxes, posters and archives, which are still in production to this day. When observing the collection, I was well-educated on the Rowntree Foundation. All the information was placed in a chronological order which described the history of the brand. The most exciting archive was an illustration of the Fruit Pastilles. Fruit Pastilles have evolved in a new direction as they are now vegetarian, which they were not before. I found this interesting, as Rowntree is appealing towards more audiences but still keeping the previous clientele happy. Going back to the related theme of nostalgia, I could see comparisons towards the older model to the new model. Many products have either developed from the original design or kept their authenticity. I find it fascinating that people in the current time have the ability to think further ahead of time to preserve history for the future. The reason I completed the placement is to allow future generations to be educated on the Rowntree Theatre as well as learn about the present, which will be their past. One thing I have learnt is the changes archives display within society, economics and industry. It allows businesses like the Rowntree brand to observe significant changes and trends between archives to understand what previous workers did to improve their brand.

Moving Pictures

Film is so evocative that researching old home movies can be emotional, as well as raise a whole array of questions, as Fae Godstchalk-Hart found on placement at the Yorkshire Film Archive. They share their thoughts here.

During my placement I worked in the Yorkshire Film Archives and I must say that though the work was not much different from what I was usually doing at university anyway, the experience was very enjoyable! They started of us newbies with a simple introductory course, which gave us a brief overview of what the archive was and also a little bit of the history of film. The experience was amazing on that day. On the day we learned how the first ever moving picture was made by a Frenchman in non other than Leeds! Unfortunately he went missing before he could patent his invention but the idea that films originated so close to home was more than fascinating. That was followed by examining the development of film through the years and I was very surprised to find that colour film had been around since the early 20^th century but was of course incredibly expensive. We then looked at some old film video cameras that would have likely been used for home videos. The objects that we handled there are a long way from what you would be used to today! The thought of carrying one around for more than a couple minutes alone made my arm ache. They were incredibly heavy.

The fun with the physical media didn’t stop there. We then went on to working and editing some pieces of real film reel, which really gave another meaning to the term ‘cut’. The process consisted of physically taking the film and slicing it apart with a special device and then re-taping it together with special tape. The old movie makers, and any poor editor working under Tarantino (who still uses reels of film and old cameras), must have been agonisingly time consuming which really makes you think about how far we have come as a society now. Now you can do all the film editing you want even from your phone, with just a few simple button presses.

The rest of the placement, and the actual work, consisted taking various films from the archives that had not yet been given a historic context and giving them an historic context. Most of these were of various home videos but some of the underlying topics of the videos were not only heart-warming but fascinating. My favourite two of the five I wrote contexts for were one about a man using gardening as a form of therapy after being disabled and another about fox hunting. The one about disability, labelled disability and the garden, led me down some thought-provoking research into the effects that disability can have on someone’s life, not just in physical difficulty but in mental difficulty as well. I naturally dived deeper and deeper into the topic and found that gardening is a proven form of therapy that has psychological research proving that it works in alleviating mental troubles. It has been commonly used to treat many forms of mental illness, such as depression and anxiety, and there are even charities that will help the disabled remodel their gardens so they can more easily participate. The second about fox hunting was more interesting than it was heart-warming. Foxes used to have a much lower population and the hunt for them was considered a working class form of sport. However, after the hunt was picked up by members of the upper class due to the chase being so long and thrilling, active breeding programs were put in place in order to up the fox population. In addition to this the very landscape was changed to better accommodate them just so they could be hunted. This raises a few questions about the ethics around fox hunting in the modern day most certainly, as their population problem is a direct cause of hunting! Yet hunting is often seen as the solution to the problem in many rural areas. It also raises questions about how class activities change from the rich to the poor depending on the circumstances and the timing. What else could have been affected by this sort of shift?

Personal Experience and the Weight of Cultural History

Exploring the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Archive while on placement at the Borthwick Institute for Archives proved a transformative experience for second year student, Perry Cooper, as he explains here.

My time at the Borthwick Institute for Archives has been a journey of discovery and personal development. My tasks there consisted of the analysis, documentation and storage of historical data gifted to the archives by the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, which has had archival material since its opening in all the way back to 1935. As a consequence of my time there, I find myself feeling much more confident in my subjectivity, reliability and professionalism, meaning that I feel much more secure in my abilities as both a historian and a person. Moreover, being able to learn from senior archivists there also proved to be a significant boon, as I was able to fully understand what was required to become one, both in terms of qualifications and general roles. I think most important of all to me is that the archives have transformed my perception of a career with history and actually given me the physical evidence of putting it into practice, which is certainly beneficial to me in presenting history as a viable career.

Before my placement began, I had no prior experience of the proper functions of an archive, let alone how to correctly store archival information. All I knew was what an archive was there for. I think everyone, including myself, has taken a rather simplistic view on archives. They collate and catalogue data, yes. But my time at the Borthwick archives have made me realise the value of cultural preservation as I got hands-on experience in being able to document York’s complex and varied history, meaning I have a greater understanding of just how significant culture really is. Furthermore, I also realised that there is a profound sincerity to history, as every playbook and script I sorted through carried with it many tales of its past, from modest tears to coffee stains. Even a humble place like a theatre can be steeped in rich and vibrant history, which is something I’m ultimately going to be much more sensitive to and aware of now because of the opportunities afforded to me by the Borthwick archives.

Overall, the Borthwick Institute for Archives has allowed me to feel more confident in my own personal abilities, as well as given me an empirical experience in the field of archival work, which has immensely helped in my choice of prospective careers. However, as a historian, the archives have also shown me the strong ties between culture and history that demand its preservation, as even the most insignificant cultural artefact contains a veritable wellspring of lived history.

Films, Fact-finding and Future Paths

Researching films at the Yorkshire Film Archive has been an enriching experience for second year student, Freya Rickards, both in terms of using historical skills and thinking about future careers. Here, she highlights her approach to writing context pieces for this special film collection.

For my History, Community and Culture module, I completed a placement at the Yorkshire and North East Film Archive to assist with their Nature Matters project, which looks at changes in the environment and local landscape throughout the 20th century. In my work I researched various films that were being used within the project and created a summary of the context and history behind each film, allowing for a better understanding of the films themselves as well as how they relate to the project. I was extremely happy to get a place on this placement, as being a History and American Studies student, I spend a lot of time studying film, and have therefore gained a great appreciation for all types of film, especially those that can reflect changes throughout history. The placement has also been a great help in my future career decision, as I had previously never thought of working in an archive, but now I am strongly considering it as a career path once I graduate.

I have completed six contextual pieces for my placement, with each focusing on a different film within the Nature Matters project. Choosing which film to research was quite simple, I read through the list of available films and chose six that appealed to me the most, whether it be due to the film’s content, the history behind the film, or simply the way the film visually looked. Once my films were chosen, I rewatched them and researched the history of the main theme of the film, for example a city, a social movement, or a place of interest. Once I had written a few paragraphs on the historical context of the chosen film, I submitted them to the archive for feedback, and then I made the appropriate revisions to the contextual piece if needed to endure that the contextual piece is of a good enough quality for the archive.

Overall, I have very much enjoyed my time at the archive. Learning about the history of film has been fascinating, and being able to handle old film cameras from the beginning of the 20th century has been amazing. Another highlight has been the opportunity for us on the placement to use a Steenbeck machine to show how film tapes are viewed. The placement has truly been a great opportunity and I am glad I have had the privilege to contribute towards the Nature Matters project.

Chocolate, Community and Conflict: Exploring the Rowntree Archive

The history of Rowntrees is famous across York and beyond not just for chocolate and confectionary, but also the work to alleviate poverty and develop community in the early 20^th century.  Second year student, Catherine Gallagher, had the opportunity to delve into the Rowntree archive while on placement at the Borthwick Institute for Archives, focusing particularly on the period of the Second World War. She shares her thoughts here.

The Rowntree company is well known for chocolate and the company’s factories, especially in York. However, the Rowntree family were not ordinary factory owners, as they built an entire community, including housing and even a theatre. The priority of these developments, such as the building of New Earswick, was to create a community with better housing and local facilities. This sense of community continued even throughout the war.

When researching the theatre collection during my placement, one thing that stood out was that plays still took place throughout the war – one of the ways people tried to keep up morale. As well as the theatre, Rowntrees also helped the community with sports clubs for men and women. They often did this for men so that they would be fit for the army, and the image from the archive collection below is an example of a men’s rugby club and the results of the match. 

Results were often published in the Rowntree company newspaper, the Cocoa Works Magazine. This was one of the documents I studied during my placement, while researching the Rowntree company’s involvement in the war and the sense of community the company created. This magazine not only spoke about local sporting events and games but also had letters from soldiers on the front lines talking about their experiences. They would often mention women working in the factories.

An article about a women’s club.

The company also advertised volunteer work or opportunities for the less fortunate. An example of this would be when mothers with young children who needed to work could drop their children off at the newly created day-care, so they could pick up on more wartime work. This further highlights how the Rowntree company acted to create a sense of community during World War II, reporting their work and events through their magazine, again helping to keep morale high and spread awareness of extra support for the less fortunate.

This article is about a practice should there be a bomb raid  during work hours at one of the factories.

I enjoyed the time I spent on this project as I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the sources about the Rowntree theatre and the Rowntree legacy. I especially enjoyed learning about the company’s war effort, as studying the Second World War is one of my favourite subjects.  Overall, thanks to this project, I have learnt so much about York’s part in the Second World War and its community, especially that the Rowntree company played a more significant role than I had expected.

History, Research and a Sense of Place

York is known for being an historic city and, for those studying the past, the historic environment can be truly inspiring. Second year student Leah Marshall shows just how captivating those surroundings can be, describing here the history all around her while on placement at York Explore.

Recently I had the privilege to partake in a volunteering experience at the city archive, where I had the chance to work in an amazing historical building – York Explore Library – and surround myself with beautiful and iconic historical features of the city of York.

The structure was built in 1927 and is in the heart of York, surrounded by numerous historical sites of the city. The library was dedicated on 23 September, 1927, by the Right Hon the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine C.M.G, Chairman of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, which contributed £13,200 to the building’s construction. Prior to the construction the library had been housed in what is now known as the York Dungeon on Clifford Street.

The building is surrounded by the very popular Museum Gardens and overlooks the ruins of St Leonard’s Hospital. These remains are amongst York’s oldest architectural ruins, with it being almost 500 years since the Reformation, which saw the hospital destroyed. The ruins of St Leonard’s initially resemble the remnants of an old church, and to some extent, this is accurate. The St Leonard’s hospital was formerly King Athelstan’s St Peter’s Hospital, but it was destroyed in a fire in 1069. King Stephen then reconstructed it in stone and some of these remnants can be found on the library grounds. During excavations, numerous Roman and medieval artefacts and items were discovered, including a Roman oven.

The historical beauty that surrounds the building immerses you into the history of York, making you want to explore it in the detail that the archives can provide. It certainly made me want to study more about York! Volunteering at the archive has allowed me to understand and appreciate some of the amazing historical features of this beautiful city. It has given me the opportunity to be able to research and analyse some of the work that has been produced over time to make the city of York the popular tourist destination it is today.

The building is also on the site of the Multangular Tower. York’s history may be traced back to at least AD 71, when the Roman 9th legion arrived at the strategic meeting point of the rivers Ouse and Foss and erected a fort to defend themselves against hostile inhabitants. The Multangular Tower, which can be seen from the windows of the library, was an important feature of the fortress defence. So, if you come to visit this outstanding historical landmark, make sure to have a look within the archives and research this amazing feature.

Inside the building, as you can see in the photograph above, there is a beautifully depicted story of some crucial historical events that took place in York, named York Panorama. I found this artwork fascinating, especially when looking at the detail it goes into and the magnificent yet emotional story it takes you on when looking at the history of York. This is just one out of many amazing things this building has to offer.

A Community Theatre: Past, Present and Future

For her placement at the Borthwick Archive, second year student Charlotte Pearce explored the collection of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. Here, she examines the history and importance of the theatre since its foundation in 1935.

For my work placement I helped to process a newly obtained archive from the Joseph Rowntree Theatre. The archive covered all sorts from the opening of the theatre to the present day, including items such as scripts, programmes, letters, posters and newspapers, to name a few.

The Joseph Rowntree Theatre opened 18 November 1935 and was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust. It’s a Grade II listed building and is the only Rowntree building left that is still used for its original purpose. Since first opening, the owners have always ensured the theatre was as well-equipped as other theatres. From the early 2000s onwards, many changes have been made to the theatre to ensure that it remains accessible to all. The theatre has undergone multiple renovations, including the refurbishment of the auditorium, upgrading the sound and lighting systems, and the replacement of technical equipment. Whilst adapting it to modern needs, there is always a focus on why it was built and a wish to preserve the best of the past. During these renovations, the community has always come together to help raise the funds needed.

Photograph of the Chocolate Works Magazine from when the theatre opened.

From the beginning, it was decided that the theatre would be in the very heart of the community, as a place of affordable entertainment, and it still is today. The theatre continues to be an integral part of society, providing entertainment and opportunities for volunteers to develop new skills. It is run for the community, by the community.

A 2001 article found in the archive – the theatre ‘continues to epitomise the community spirit so central to Joseph Rowntree’s philosophy’.

The owners believe it is the only standalone community theatre in the country, and perhaps even the world, which was built for the members of the Quaker faith. It presents a variety of shows including local amateur productions, dance, and professional productions. Thirty five groups regularly use the theatre, as well as being used to host different events. The Rowntree Players, a group formed by workers at the chocolate factory, made the theatre their home, and to this day continue to perform there on the same stage their founders did.

A newspaper article on the Rowntree Players.

York actors David Bradley (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) and Ian Kelsey (Emmerdale, Casualty, Coronation Street) both performed for the Rowntree Youth Theatre, and the pair recently became patrons of the theatre during the 85^th anniversary celebrations. Bradley has spoken about the importance of the theatre, recognising its role as a vital part of the city, and the opportunities it has provided many young people, including himself.

The Rowntree Nestle company pulled out of managing the theatre to focus only on making confectionary. Despite shocking some, the move allowed those who took over freedom to make changes and the theatre is still continuing to thrive over twenty years since this decision.

As a theatre-lover myself, and someone who has performed and volunteered at my own local community theatre, I understand the importance of the opportunities community theatres provide. Seeing how the values of the theatre haven’t changed, despite the changing of the community around it, has been intriguing. It is the only Rowntree building that continues to be used for its original purpose, and it still brings the community together in such a big way.

Scrutinising Layers of History at Explore Archive

The History/American Studies/War Studies YSJ blog is back! To start our new series of student work, we have second year student Layla Kershaw, who has been examining the city’s development in the finest detail during her placement at York Explore and learning much about how York has changed. Here, she highlights some of the exciting work she has been doing in the archive.

Volunteering with the York Explore Library and Archives provided a valuable perspective into the history of York and surrounding areas. This enabled me to understand and appreciate the city in multiple ways after being exposed to a range of materials detailing York’s developments and appeal throughout the years. The placement provided an insight into the role of an archivist while teaching plenty about York’s cultural, civic and communal past. I was fortunate to work with a variety of plans and records, each presenting an additional view of the streets and layers to the city of York.

One type of plan that stood out to me the most were the Goad shopping maps that were handled slightly differently to the rest of the archives we had worked on. These were incredibly detailed maps of York from the 1960s and 70s that were essentially a bird’s eye view of York’s retail and businesses. It was fascinating to see how the city had developed to such extent by the surprising amount of both independent and chain business that are no longer around, as well as the emerging of more modern businesses leading to a commercialised York. The maps perfectly detailed the layers of York and how it has developed economically and technologically. It is clear that the city and surrounding areas have advanced in its industry while modernising the retail and tourist aspects to York

We were provided magnifying glasses to aid us in this activity and gain the most out of the intricate plans and maps, making it an enjoyable experience throughout the voluntary hours. This task, though lengthy, was beneficial to gaining a great knowledge of the city of York, by listing each street, road and avenue from left to right. Each feature of the Goad shopping maps describes the fast change and development to York’s businesses and how it gradually became a popular city for tourists. It is evident in the plans how the city prepared and planned for the attractions and sights that are flourishing today.

The collection of plans aided my experience and knowledge of a career as an archivist further, analysing drawings and photographs as well as the maps. The archives offered a great insight into every aspect of York, such as its rivers, bar walls, bridges and churches, presenting their change and developments over time. Identifying York as a symbol of religion, community, history and industry is clearly indicated throughout the archives I worked on throughout the placement. These documents support York’s position and role as a city involved in trade and tourism, indicating how York has become popular as a tourist spot as it is so rich in history. Working on the architect’s and engineer’s plans with the archives at York Explore made it clear that York has plenty to offer to visitors and its community.

Developing confidence and knowledge: a placement at the Yorkshire Film Archive

At York St John University, we are very fortunate to have the Yorkshire Film Archive on campus, and to have placements with them offered as part of the History, Community and Culture employability and public history module. Here, second-year Elizabeth Allen reflects on her research experience.

During this past semester, I have undertaken a placement with the Yorkshire Film Archive as part of the module: History, Community and Culture. This placement for me was an opportunity to gain insight into archival work and to develop my research and written skills. Prior to this placement project, I had very little understanding of the potential careers that my history degree could take me to, however, since the start of this module, my insight and knowledge into future employment has grown significantly. Not only have my research and writing skills developed over this placement with the Yorkshire Film Archive but my confidence has grown, and this is something I can carry with me through the rest of my time at the university but also through to future employment. 

Film footage

Throughout the placement, we had to write contexts that would be published onto the Yorkshire Film Archive website. One piece that interested me was “Women in Sport” which was created in 1990. This film was a promotional documentary created by the Northern Region Sports Council with the purpose of creating more equality for women of all ages and ability and encouraging them to participate in sport. The film is significant in challenging the traditional views of women only being housewives and mothers and shows the increasing liberating attitudes of women finding their own identity away from their children and husbands. Throughout the promotional film, there are several interviews with women who share their positive experience of their involvement in sports and the benefits of making new friends and trying sports that they had either never done or had not done since school. 

To be able to write this written piece, I had gained a lot of knowledge on how to effectively research and analyse the film from the other films that I had researched beforehand and by taking onboard any feedback that I had received. Alongside this guidance from the team at the Yorkshire Film Archive, I had learnt how to communicate the necessary information into a piece of writing that would be published onto their website for their audience to read. At times I did find the research aspect of the placement difficult, especially when the films were quite long as there was a lot of information to process. However, through learning how I work most effectively, I found that once I had taken a step back and focused on one section at a time, I was able to have a clearer understanding of the research which then significantly improved the flow of my final written contexts. 

The outcome of my placement project with the Yorkshire Film Archive was hugely positive. Being able to work for an archive was a useful experience. Through developing my research, communication, and written skills, I have a significantly gained confidence and knowledge on the opportunities that could be available to me after my degree. Regardless of whether my degree takes me into archival work, I know that these skills are going to be transferable and have prepared me for my future. 

‘The Fallen Heroes of Normandy’ project – an emotive experience of public history.

Continuing with reflections on work placement and research experiences during our HCC module, Sian Ayre discusses her time working with Carl Shilleto’s Fallen Heroes of Normandy project, and what it’s taught her about working in public history, as well as the historical subjects themselves.

My time working as a student volunteer for the Fallen Heroes of Normandy Exhibition has been nothing short of both enlightening and engaging. Having the opportunity to help to preserve some personal and essential artefacts of World War II history has really opened my eyes to the world of freelance historians and their exhibition work. From successfully submitting my application and starting the process of meeting the other volunteers, exhibition co-ordinator and project manager, it was a great opportunity to meet like-minded people with a passion for history and wanting to gain experience for their future careers in the field. 

WWI trenches

One of the first contributions that the students made to this project was the opportunity of moving, preserving and setting up the exhibition on the York St John University Campus at the Chapel. With our gloves at hand and our interest in learning the stories of the personal artefacts that were on display in the cabinets, our exhibition coordinator divulged his immense understanding and knowledge of the origins of the photo-frames, shaving kits, helmets and war equipment that we were handling. It was a great experience on seeing the delicate nature of handling historical artefacts and how much time and effort it takes to orchestrate an exhibition. Once we managed to get all the artefacts over to the Chapel, we had the experience to help set up the display cabinets, information panels and lights throughout the whole exhibition.

What was most beneficial about this experience was that we began to understand the commitment, prior planning and time management side of orchestrating an exhibition. With the advice and guidance of the leadership team, the students were able to ask questions about pursuing their own careers in history and what the future looks like for freelance historians who are starting their own funded projects. It was valuable for the students to understand the ultimate process of setting up a public exhibition: from the planning and research into the individual artefacts, to the displaying of the pieces, to planning the times we would all meet up to plan our next moves before opening night of the exhibition. 

Another way that this exhibition work placement has been so insightful is how much work you do with the general public as a historian. The opening night of the exhibition was fascinating because it was an opportunity for the specially invited guests to meet with all of the team that had helped to put the exhibition together and ask us about our aspirations for the future. From speaking to the Lord Mayor and Mayoress of York about the amazing stories behind the artefacts they were asking about, the students were able to share their enthusiasm and passion for the project.

One part of the experience that has been the most memorable is meeting the veterans and hearing about their careers. All of the veterans that we had the opportunity to speak to were so pleased and grateful that their service and that of their fallen comrades had been remembered throughout our exhibition in such as respectful way and overall, it was an honour to meet them. I would encourage anyone who is hoping to work in history and exhibition work to take on these work experiences to gain insider knowledge and experience. It has really helped me to pursue my passion for the subject.