Louise, previously archivist at UoG, introduces special collections and archives
The UoG Special Collections and Archives hold the historic records of the University of Gloucestershire, predecessor colleges and several special collections relating to Gloucestershire and beyond. Open to students, staff and members of the public, the service offers a wide range of archive and special collections material for your research.
There are a number of University special collections available for research use
Search the Special Collections and Archives catalogue.
The Archives Hub provides a way to quickly find archives held in the UK. It represents over 350 institutions across the country. It includes
The feature of the month posts provide a great introduction to the variety of resources available in UK archives.
Discovery is the main national portal for locating information about records held at The National Archives and other archival repositories in the UK. It holds more than 32 million descriptions of records held by The National Archives and more than 2,500 archives across the country. Over 9 million records are available for download.
It also contains a wide range of Research Guides to help you get started with your research.
When you search Discovery you will be searching the descriptions of records, as provided by the relevant archive, so think about broadening your search if you are having trouble finding something on your topic.
Note: You may have started your search on The National Archives website, but you could end up looking at descriptions of records held anywhere in the UK or even abroad. Take care to check where records are held and to contact the relevant archive if you want to find out how to see them.
The National Archives is home to millions of historical documents, known as records, which were created and collected by UK central government departments and major courts of law. Many of the records in the National Archives are available online through Discovery but to access other information you may choose to visit their site in Kew.
The building is open to everyone and hosts a wide range of events and exhibitions. However, if you wish to use the reading room and access documents you will need a reader's ticket and are encouraged to book and order documents in advance.
As with all other sources it is important to reference the resources you find in archives.
History students use MHRA referencing.
First Citation
Place, Repository (abbreviation), Item reference, Title or description of item, Date
Example:
Cheltenham, University of Gloucestershire Special Collections and Archives (UoG SCA), D467/4/1/3, Diary of Leonard Joseph Mayer written in France, 1 January – 15 May 1916
Subsequent Citations
Abbreviation, Item reference, Short date
Example:
UoG SCA, D467/4/1/3, 1916
Bibliography
The bibliography format is the same as the footnote format for manuscripts.
It is preferred that you use the format for referencing archival materials, above, and include the URL, as follows:
Place, Repository (abbreviation), Item reference, Title or description of item, Date. <URL> [accessed date]
Example:
Cheltenham, University of Gloucestershire Special Collections (UoG SCA), DP/JC/3/3/1/1, Interview with Catherine Abercrombie 1963 part 1, <http://sca.glos.ac.uk/index.php/interview-with-catherine-abercrombie-1963-part-1> [accessed 9 November 2023]
You can also use the format for referencing webpages
Archives can be found in many places, and most are open to the public and free to access. A Google search will help you to identify where archive collections relevant to your subject are housed. Here are some examples of different types of archives you might find useful:
Gloucestershire Archives aims to gather, keep and share historic archive collections and local and family history resources relating to Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire, making them available for research.
The website provides comprehensive information about access and visiting arrangements - note that you will need to register on the Archives and Records Association (ARA) Archives card system before your first visit and ensure that you have the correct documentation with you.
You can search the online catalogue to see what is available and order documents in advance of your visit.
The information leaflet provides a brief introduction to the service.