A Lengthy List of Libraries
Libraries have always been fundamental in the realm of preserving the information published by our forbears across centuries. Rather than delve into the resources shared by each of these libraries through the AJCP, I have elected to provide snippets of records from random collections. This serves to emphasise the great variety of resources made available through the AJCP but is in no way indicative of the rich resources provided by each of these libraries.
The links for each library lead to the Finding Aid which provides an overview of that library's collection within the AJCP.
a marriage certificate from the Bodleian
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| https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1067184692/view |
An 1875 letter - Difficulty of getting books on birth control in Australia… 'consequences of excessive marital indulgence are most appalling', opposition of clergy
An 1817 outline map of the settlements in N.S.W. from the Cambridge University Library
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| https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2642571621/view |
In 1926 the London and National Society for Women's Service established the Women's Service Library which gradually built up a collection of books, periodicals, ephemera, manuscripts, photographs, posters and cartoons relating to most aspects of women's place in society. In 1953 the Society changed its name to the Fawcett Society in honour of Millicent Fawcett. By 1977 it could no longer support the Library and it was transferred to the City of London Polytechnic.
A 1938 pamphlet from the Society for Oversea Settlement of British Women from the Fawcett Library
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| https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1308353670/view |
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Library manuscripts of Australian explorers
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| https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-806988845/view Copy of an inscription on Thomas Blossom's tombstone |
Many libraries contain collections of personal and business letters.
This one in the Liverpool City Libraries is from Sir James E Smith to W. Roscoe where he provides news of A. Macleay, leaving to take up post of Colonial Secretary in NSW 'to colonize the country with eleven unmarried daughters and many sons'.
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| https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1423738804/view |
How appropriate for a library to have Letters from Clerks and Librarians of Australian Parliaments to Louisa Denison
If you had persons convicted in 1792 -1794 there's a list of 23 of them but while Anthony Purchase and Riichard Warnbeck were tried for rioting the comments list them as being orderly lads, fit for any service and not thieves.
William Salt Library Staffordshire
The National Libraries
Some items from the National Library of Wales
- The Black Books of the Court of Great Sessions in Wales, 1785 - August 1830
- Genealogical details of 'The family of Kemeys, Kemmis, Cameys or Camoys' Revised by Lewis G.N. Kemmis, Typescript, 1940
- Copy of The will of Catherine Welbore Ellis of Marrickville, 1898
Look up the Libraries, lots of links leading to likely treasures.
As you suggested I looked up each of the Libraries. So many primary records that give personal accounts of life in Australia and the voyages to get there.
ReplyDeleteAmazing that you looked at all of them, took me ages but yes there are just so many primary records, years of reading if one wanted to do it.
DeleteI LOVE libraries. I have spent so many hours in pure research and the blissful pursuit of knowledge in so many. That is what I have been missing the most in this Covid-19 time, to go to a library and just soak in the feeling on them.
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Tim Brannan, The Other Side: 2021: The A to Z of Monsters
Thanks for dropping by Tim. We've been lucky where I live with access to the library continually available by wearing a mask.
DeleteOh Carmel! What a feast ! I hadn't heard of the Fawcett Library and I'm definitely off to look at the Hove Library. Thanks for making us aware of these fabulous resources.
ReplyDeleteLots here that I hadn't heard of so more to look at when I revisit after April.
DeleteHow am I ever to get anything else when I do a deep dive into AJCP after A2Z?
ReplyDeleteIt is just fascinating trawling through such a collection and yes I have spent many hours doing little else,
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