Kent Archives and Local History Service

About the event: Bestselling novelist Gill Hornby has vividly recreated Jane Austen’s world in books including 'Godmersham Park' and 'The Elopement'. Her acclaimed novel 'Miss Austen' was recently adapted into a BBC series starring Keeley Hawes. In this event, Gill will discuss her novels and the research behind them, reflecting on how records held by Kent Archives relating to the Knight and Austen families have informed her writing. Perfect for readers who love all-things Austen and historical fiction, and for writers interested in how primary sources can be transformed into compelling stories. Biography: Gill Hornby is the author of 'The Hive' and 'All Together Now', as well as 'The Story of Jane Austen', a biography of Austen for younger readers. Her subsequent novels, 'Miss Austen' and 'Godmersham Park' were Sunday Times bestsellers, and 'Miss Austen' is a four-part BBC adaptation starring Keely Hawes as Cassandra Austen. She is also the President of the Jane Austen Society.

This Thursday, 7-8pm:
'From Letters to Literature: Gill Hornby at the Archives'

Discover how Gill's writing was informed by records of the Knight and Austen families, held by Kent Archives.

📍 Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone
🎟️ Tickets: £2.00
💳 Details and booking: bit.ly/42uFaz0

Shown here is part of a black and white photograph capturing male students using the 'spider's web' ropes in the gymnasium at Nonington College of Physical Education, 1970s [ref. U4164/P3/3/3] [Archives@Kent] is the quarterly newsletter published by Kent Archives and Local History Service, Maidstone. From publicising newly catalogued material to exploring documents in detail and sharing information about upcoming events, our newsletters can be delivered straight to your email inbox or accessed at www.kentarchives.org.uk/archive-newsletter Have yet to subscribe? Contact us today and we’ll be happy to add you to our mailing list – Email: archives@kent.gov.uk Telephone: 03000 420 673

🗞️ Autumn 2025 newsletter:
www.kentarchives.org.uk/archive-newsletter

Discover new additions to the Brabourne family papers including a note from #Gandhi concerning the death of the 5th Lord Brabourne, and somersault head first into the records of #Nonington College of Physical Education 🤸🏻

Very kind words, Kathleen – thank you from the team! 😊

Shown here is part of a Lettre de Bourgeoisie – a formal document once issued in certain European regions to grant non-native individuals specific rights and privileges. This example, with blue and gold marginal decoration, was received by Philip Stanhope (2nd Earl) and his son, Charles Stanhope (3rd Earl) from the Republic of Geneva in 1771 [ref. U1590/C709/2] Given the prestige of receiving such rights in a foreign region and the social status of the recipients, this manuscript exemplifies the type of historical document that might feature gilt decoration. Gold embellishments can be achieved in several ways. Methods include applying fine gold leaf over a thin layer of adhesive (flat gilding); affixing gold leaf to a substrate textured with gesso (raised gilding); mixing gold powder with gum arabic to create a gold paint (shell gold); and in bookbinding, impressing heated tools into leather through gold leaf to achieve lettering and ornate decoration (gold tooling).

G is for… #Gilding

The application of gold leaf or powder to the text, margins, bindings and text block edges of important documents. Often used to embellish theological texts and records relating to the nobility to express reverence and emphasise prestige.

#KAconservationAtoZ

Shown here is a mid-20th century photograph of two policewomen from Kent County Constabulary. Image courtesy of the Kent Police Museum. About the talk: 2024 was the 80th anniversary of the first recruitment of policewomen in Kent, the Second World War having opened the doors to female officers. Did war accelerate change? How did women carve out a path of respectability within a male dominated organisation? Pam Mills will examine these questions and other issues, such as the reluctance of Chief Constables to recruit women into the force and how after the war, change was inevitable. Pam is a former police officer and has written several books about the history of policing. The most recent of these is 'Commanding Kent County Constabulary 1857–1957' and her next book – currently with the publishers – is titled 'Reflections of 80 years: telling the story of Policewomen in Kent'. Pam will bring a collection box for donations to the charity 'Care of Police Survivors' (COPS), which supports the families of police officers and staff who have lost their lives on duty.

Announcing our penultimate lunchtime talk of 2025…
Monday 13th October, 1-2pm
📍 Lecture Theatre at County Hall, #Maidstone

'The history of Policewomen in Kent County Constabulary' presented by Pam Mills.

Book your free seat today:
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Blurb: Commanding Kent County Constabulary offers a comprehensive history of Britain's most south-easterly police force, covering its introduction and first hundred years; exploring innovations and developments, whilst also considering the lot of the front-line 'Bobbies' who kept the county safe. This history is charted through the lineage of its chief constables — from the indomitable John Henry Hay Ruxton, who instigated a constabulary where it "would have been impossible to find a force with a better state of efficiency and discipline"; through six successors including the indefatigable Major Chapman, the forward-looking Major Sir John Ferguson, and the high-flying Sir Percy Sillitoe. Featuring photographs, newspaper excerpts, and extensive archival research, this fully referenced and indexed book is a must for anyone who has served in Kent Constabulary, has a broader interest in the County's history, or the casual reader.

Newly acquired & available to read in our Search Room:

'Commanding Kent County Constabulary 1857–1957' by Pam Mills and Dave Swarbrick, 2025

🔎 To view, request ref. BK/C158062562
📚 For blurb, click ALT ☟
#Policing #LawAndOrder #CrimeAndPunishment #Kent

Shown here is a selection of corroded paper fasteners which have been removed from documents at Kent Archives. The harm caused to documents by historical fasteners can be categorised as mechanical damage, such as punctures, pressure and abrasion; and chemical damage, such as staining and embrittlement in the vicinity of a deteriorating fastener due to the formation of metal oxides (e.g. rust) and acidic compounds. Although a preservation concern, it’s thanks to these crusty clasps that many historical records survive in original order — giving present-day researchers a clearer understanding of the context, authenticity, and significance of archive collections. Designed with archival applications in mind, the brass paperclip is our go-to alternative. Coupled with a small piece of folded acid free paper or card to prevent distortion of the document, brass paperclips are safe for long-term use and allow the original arrangement of records to be maintained in a way that is non-invasive.

F is for… #Fasteners

Whilst attached with good intention, these now-corroded clasps – ranging from split pins and staples to bulldog clips – cause mechanical and chemical damage to documents. Our team replaces these with brass paperclips which do not rust.

#KAconservationAtoZ

Tim Reardon presents his lunchtime talk at Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone. About the talk: Using Dover Harbour Board files that are soon to be transferred to Kent Archives and Local History Service, this talk will explore the development of the port in the first half of the 20th century, its attempts to capture a share of the transatlantic liner traffic, and the challenges of operating a commercial business within a strategic naval base.

Our thanks to Tim Reardon of #Dover Harbour Board for presenting a fascinating lunchtime talk today at Kent Archives.

Join us in October for our penultimate presentation of the year (how time flies!) and for a special event in #Canterbury – to be announced soon… 👀

Shown here is a sample of main courses and desserts from a ring-bound booklet titled 'School Meals Service Recipe Book' issued by the Kent Education Committee, November 1957 [ref. C/E/15/4] Love them or loathe them, there was no escaping the concoctions in this volume if you attended school in Britain between the 1950s and early 2000s. That's right — many of these, shall we say, “vintage” recipes lingered on dinner hall menus well into the early 21st century! Among the nightmare-inducing dishes we'd really rather forget are cold boiled bacon, meat roly poly, pilchards, and the unappetisingly-named 'brown stew'. That said, the recipe book redeems itself when we reach the desserts section. From an array of sponge-based puddings and delicious biscuits to fruit crumbles and flavoured custards, it's a reminder that not everything served in the dinner hall was a culinary crime. We'll still pass on the tapioca pudding, though...

#DidYouKnow that mid-20th century school dinner recipes were still being served to students in Kent and beyond as late as the early 2000s?

Which of these savoury dishes and desserts had you going back for seconds — and which left you wishing you'd brought a packed lunch? 🧃🥪

Shown here is an extract from a ring-bound booklet titled 'School Meals Service Recipe Book' issued by the Kent Education Committee, November 1957 [ref. C/E/15/4] Titled 'Menu Making', this section describes how to plan nutritious and varied school dinners under three headings: 'Remember', 'Avoid', and 'Plan'. Key tips include serving only one flour-based dish per meal; ensuring a starchy main course is accompanied by light vegetables, followed by a light dessert; and serving a substantial dessert after a light main course. Variation is encouraged, with catering staff advised to avoid repeating the same menu each week; serve different combinations of main courses and desserts; and limit jam to just once a week. Advice is given on how to improve the attractiveness of meals, including embracing the bold natural colours of ingredients; using garnishes such as chopped parsley and sliced tomatoes; and enhancing pastry by glazing with sugar and water (sweet) or milk and water (savoury).

Fancy a plate of nostalgia served with a side of culinary trauma? 🍽️

From chocolate sponge and custard to lumpy mash, we're heading #BackToSchool today with this school dinner recipe book issued by the Kent Education Committee in 1957.

👩🏻‍🍳📖 See C/E/15/4:
kentarchives.org.uk/collections/...

The first Kent Police officer killed in Snodland in 1873 PC Israel May's body was discovered in Snodland in 1873, shocking a town's community.

Using police records (sub-fonds ref. C/PO) held by Kent Archives as part of her research, former #Kent Police officer Pam Mills shares with BBC Radio Kent the case of PC Israel May – the first policeman killed whilst on duty in the county.

🎧 Listen today:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrkzrl57g6o

Shown here are two photographs from a hop picking-themed scrapbook [ref. U3685/Z1]. The left photo, dated c.1910, captures a tally master and pickers at Lenacre Farm, Eastwell, emptying a large basket of hops into a sack; and the right photo, undated, comprises three tally sticks used at Provender Farm, Faversham. Tally masters were responsible for measuring the quantity of hops gathered by pickers. Using a type of basket known as a bushel, masters would scoop hops from pickers’ bins to determine their wages – the more bushels filled, the greater the pay. With volume as opposed to weight being the unit of measure, less generous masters were known to overly compress the hops within bushels to force pickers to gather more. Tally sticks were an agricultural currency. Often in two parts (one end for the master, the other for the worker), they were marked to indicate the number of bushels picked. At the end of the day or season, workers could exchange tally sticks for a cash payment.

As September approaches & the hop harvest season begins, let's explore how hop pickers' efforts were traditionally recorded & the role tally masters played in ensuring they were paid fairly…

🔎 To learn more, click ALT ☟

🧺 See U3685/Z1:
www.kentarchives.org.uk/collections/getrecord/GB51_U3685_11_1

Tithe Commutation Surveys, 1830s-1840s — Kent Archaeological Society The Tithe Commutation surveys carried out from the 1830s to 1840s, provide a great deal of information about land ownership, tenancy and land use at the time.

Hi Chris 😊 Our friends at the Kent Archaeological Society have transcriptions of the tithe apportionments available to view on their website. See here:
www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/records/tithe-commutation-surveys?rq=tithe

I hope that's helpful but let us know if you have any queries!

Shown here is an extract from the tithe map of Penshurst (ref. CTR287/B). It’s one of over 400 tithe maps held by Kent Archives and Local History Service, all of which have been digitised to ensure the information they contain can be accessed without compromising the preservation of the original sheets. These digital copies are available for the public to purchase, for private study and reference. You'll receive the ArchAngel Image Browser application (shown here) preloaded with the tithe map of your choosing, together with a folder containing the map tiles as individual image files. If you have any questions about a particular tithe map or would like to receive a list of all those available to purchase, contact us today and we'll be happy to assist. Prices correct at time of post upload – 18th August 2025.

#DidYouKnow that we hold over 400 tithe maps for Kent?

Digital copies are available to purchase at £17.00 per map. Files can be sent via WeTransfer, or alternatively, burned to a CD (+ £2.50 P&P).

To place your order, contact us today:
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Shown here is a postcard depicting a view of Admiralty Pier in Dover, c.1909. Image courtesy of Dover Harbour Board. About the talk: Using Dover Harbour Board files that are soon to be transferred to Kent Archives and Local History Service, this talk will explore the development of the port in the first half of the 20th century, its attempts to capture a share of the transatlantic liner traffic, and the challenges of operating a commercial business within a strategic naval base.

Next lunchtime talk: Monday 8th September, 1-2pm
📍 Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone

'Dover: the port before the ferry terminal' presented by Tim Reardon of #Dover Harbour Board.

Book your free seat today:
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Shown here is a certificate awarded to The Whitstable Oyster Company at the International Fisheries Exhibition, 1883 [ref. CAN-U372/X/684] The sheet has significantly yellowed, the crease at its centre has developed into a split and numerous losses have occurred at the margins. The yellowing of paper is largely caused by the oxidation of lignin, an organic substance found in wood which provides structural support and rigidity. The Industrial Revolution made paper more accessible and affordable owing to mass production but with this came greater demand. To meet this, the use of rags as the primary material in paper making was replaced by wood pulp, a readily available but less durable alternative. Exposure to excessive heat, light and low humidity causes the lignin in wood pulp paper to degrade and become acidic, and this weakens the cellulose fibres. Whilst the resulting embrittlement is irreversible, it can be somewhat managed through deacidification treatments and careful storage.

E is for… #Embrittlement

Excessive exposure to heat, light and low humidity can cause a substrate or medium to lose its flexibility, resulting in splitting, crumbling and loss. Commonly observed in paper made from wood pulp owing to its high lignin content.

#KAconservationAtoZ

Shown here is a trolley in our Search Room filled with de-accessioned books for sale. Our current titles cover everything from nature and railways to pubs and firefighting. Our team is regularly adding to the trolley, so please feel free to browse each time you visit — you might find the perfect title to aid your research...

De-accessioned books for sale in our Search Room 📚

No fixed prices – your donation will contribute towards the purchase of new books for our Local History Collection.

The titles on sale are duplicate copies, outdated editions or books which fall short of our collecting policy.

Shown here is an extract from a seven-year lease of a messuage (i.e. a dwelling house with outbuildings and land assigned to its use) located on Warwick Lane, London. Owned by Jeffery Amherst of Gray’s Inn, it was leased to Richard Farshall, a skinner who was also from London. Dated 12th June 1691, the lease stipulates that Amherst was to receive an annual payment of thirty pounds and ‘one sound Cheshire cheese of twenty pounds weight’, or six shillings and eight pence in lieu of the latter. Whilst his proviso for the cheese to be ‘sound’ was likely just a precautionary inclusion, we can’t help but wonder if Amherst had previously fallen victim to a dubious dairy payment… Document reference: U1350/T83 Amherst Manuscripts Collection

It's #NationalCheeseAndWineDay!

We're taking notes from Jeffery Amherst of Gray's Inn, #London, who in 1691 leased for 7 years a messuage in Warwick Lane to Richard Farshall.

The rent per annum? £30 — oh, and a 20 lb Cheshire cheese! 🧀

☟ See U1350/T83: bit.ly/U1350T83

Shown here is a photograph of Kent Archives' Search Room at Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone. Overlaid is a graphic of multicoloured confetti, with text stating '98% customer satisfaction rating – based on feedback received from the Archive Search Room Survey coordinated by the Archives & Records Association'. Conducted in late 2024, the Archive Search Room Survey saw 193 readers contribute their thoughts about our repository – the second highest return out of 80 participating archives, surpassed only by The National Archives. Among the positive comments we received include: · 'The staff are so friendly and responsive. They are knowledgeable and really make one feel welcome. The catalogue is easy to use and the response time to emails is very fast. Always a pleasure to use this archive.' · 'I really appreciate being able to order documents throughout the day – it is so helpful. Very friendly staff.' · 'Spacious, and access to staff very good, I'll be back!'

We're delighted that our readers report such productive and enjoyable experiences of using our Search Room. Our thanks to @araukie.bsky.social ‬for coordinating the Archive Search Room Survey and all those who took part.

Have some feedback to share?
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Shown here is a postcard titled 'Hampton, nr. Herne Bay', published by Fred C. Palmer at Tower Studios, Sea Front, Herne Bay, n.d. [c.1911?] (ref. HEB 741) The turn of the 20th century brought no respite for the residents of Hampton-on-Sea. The merciless hydraulic action of the waves combined with severe weather episodes, such as the Great Storm of 1897, continued to scour the soft, permeable London Clay upon which the fishing hamlet stood. Between 1909-1911 the properties of Hernecliffe Gardens were razed, an action taken by the council owing to the terrace’s increasingly precarious foundations. With no hope of a stable future for the settlement, it was abandoned by 1916 and entirely consumed by the sea in 1921. What remains of the ill-fated fishing community can be counted on one hand: namely remnants of the pier and failed sea defences, visible at low tide; and the Hampton Inn pub, which can be seen in the background of this postcard – a lone survivor above sea level.

Due to the area's geological makeup, the hamlet succumbed to coastal erosion and was lost to the sea by 1921. On the stretch of land shown here once stood Hernecliffe Gardens terrace, home to those working for the fisheries.

🔎 To learn more, click ALT
#EYANature

☟ See HEB 741

Shown here is an engraving titled ‘Hampton Oyster Fisheries nr. Herne Bay’ by J. S. and Co., n.d. [mid 19th century] (ref. KHLC-IMG/PR/1/HEB/21) Before the arrival of the oyster fishing companies in the 1860s, a community existed at Hampton-on-Sea residing in crudely assembled wooden huts made from wreck material. The establishment of the Herne Bay, Hampton and Reculver Oyster Fishery Company in 1864 saw the construction of a 300-metre pier, terraced housing to accommodate staff (visible at the far left of this engraving), and a tramway to transport oysters inland. However, the decline of the oyster industry in the 1870s left the area available for redevelopment. In 1879, land agents and developers attempted to transform the site into a coastal resort. Plots were sold, amenities planned, and ambitions to establish a thriving seaside suburb took shape. However, the area was low-lying and vulnerable to coastal erosion, a problem that had been long known but somewhat overlooked...

Hampton was a hamlet which expanded in 1864 at the hands of the oyster fisheries of the Greater Thames Estuary. However, the sea would prove to be a blessing and a curse for this short-lived coastal community…

🔎 To learn more, click ALT
#EYANature

☟ See KHLC-IMG/PR/1/HEB/21

Shown here is a white tray containing a document submerged in de-ionised water. It's a small 19th century print undergoing a washing treatment in the Conservation Studio at Kent Archives, Maidstone. Originally neutral, the de-ionised water has had its pH increased with the addition of an alkaline (in this instance, calcium hydroxide) which will help to flush out and neutralise any soluble acidic compounds within the sheet. Such aqueous treatments also reform the hydrogen bonds in the cellulose structure of paper – improving the sheet’s strength and flexibility – and deposit an alkaline reserve which, following the treatment, will remain in the sheet and help to neutralise any future acidity. Conservators also use de-ionised water in vapour form to reduce creases and distortion – a treatment known as humidification – and to hydrate archival-grade adhesives (wheat starch paste, methylcellulose etc.) which are purchased in powdered form and prepared by hand when required.

D is for… #DeionisedWater

Water stripped of metallic and mineral impurities provides conservators with a neutral base which can be conditioned to suit a treatment. For example, an alkaline might be added to deacidify and buffer a document through washing.

#KAconservationAtoZ

Kara Greig presents her lunchtime talk in the Lecture Theatre at Sessions House – part of County Hall, Maidstone. About the talk: During the Second World War, Kent had two Mental Deficiency Institutions – West View Institution in Tenterden and Leybourne Grange Colony in West Malling. The war had an impact on the ambitious building programme at Leybourne Grange Colony, the staffing of the Institutions, patient intake, and the families of both patients and staff. Kara will explore how the institutions prepared for the war; were impacted by air raids, rationing and evacuation; and how both staff and the families of patients contributed to the war effort. Kara Greig is currently completing a PhD at the University of Kent using source material held by Kent Archives at the Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone. Her work examines 'The Implementation of the Mental Deficiency Acts in Kent, 1913-1948'.

We’re very grateful to Kara Greig for delivering such an insightful lunchtime talk today. Thank you also to all of those who attended!

Our talks programme takes a summer holiday in August but we’ll be back in September to share with you another facet of Kent’s rich history.

Shown here is a charter issued by King Wihtred (c.670 – 23rd April 725) granting freedom from taxation to the churches and monasteries of Kent, AD 699 [ref. U140/T1] Dated at Cilling, the witnesses include Archbishop Berhtuuald; Gemmund, Bishop of Rochester; Tobias (Gemmund's successor); and Hadrian, described as 'indignus monachus' – a colleague and advisor of Theodore of Tarsus, a former Archbishop of Canterbury. This charter was purchased by Sir Albert Stern at Sotheby's in 1946, for presentation to the county. Some information as to its previous history can be gained from its endorsements. It was sold by Messrs Puttick, auctioneers, in 1861 and purchased by Sir Thomas Phillipps. Prior to this it was probably in the Surrenden Dering collection for 200 years – Dering's ownership indicated by marks of a saltire cross in a circle and a Greek letter Delta. An earlier endorsement, possibly dating to the late 12th century, indicates that it was formerly preserved at Christ Church.

#DidYouKnow that the earliest document held by Kent Archives is quite possibly the oldest possessed by any county repository in the United Kingdom? 📜👀

It's a charter issued by King Wihtred granting freedom from taxation to the churches and monasteries of #Kent, AD 699

☟ See U140/T1: bit.ly/4lioB0h

Shown here is a photograph of Sessions House, part of County Hall in Maidstone. Overlaid in the top-left corner is text stating 'VENUE REMINDER'.

A reminder that next Monday's free-to-attend lunchtime talk will be presented in the Lecture Theatre at Sessions House, County Hall (opposite #Maidstone East Station).

Seats are still available – contact us today to reserve your place:
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Shown here is Harry Gilbert, a PhD candidate at the University of Kent, funded by the CHASE Doctoral Training Partnership. He can be seen investigating 1 of 171 uncatalogued documents dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries from the Phillips Manuscripts Collection. [Archives@Kent] is the quarterly newsletter published by Kent Archives and Local History Service, Maidstone. From publicising newly catalogued material to exploring documents in detail and sharing information about upcoming events, our newsletters can be delivered straight to your email inbox or accessed at www.kentarchives.org.uk/archive-newsletter Have yet to subscribe? Contact us today and we’ll be happy to add you to our mailing list – Email: archives@kent.gov.uk Telephone: 03000 420 673

🗞️ Summer 2025 newsletter: www.kentarchives.org.uk/archive-newsletter

Discover our recent outreach activities, upcoming lunchtime talks and newly catalogued collections. Also, enjoy an article from CHASE doctoral researcher @harryjgilbert.bsky.social about his spring work placement at Kent Archives.

Blurb: Over a near-decade from 1986, the artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman and his partner Keith Collins created a home and sanctuary at Prospect Cottage. After Jarman’s death in 1994, Collins hung net curtains to shield the home they had shared from the eyes of visitors to Prospect’s world-famous garden. In 2018, the photographer Gilbert McCarragher, a friend and neighbour in Dungeness, was asked to record the house, a vital artwork in its own right. It was the first time this private world had been so extensively chronicled. Unfolding room by room, McCarragher’s photographs are accompanied by reflective essays that take the reader inside Prospect Cottage, revealing something of its history and his experience of photographing there.

Newly acquired & available to read in our Search Room:

'Prospect Cottage: Derek Jarman's House' by Gilbert McCarragher, with foreword by Frances Borzello, 2024

🔎 To view, request ref. BK/C335047697
📚 For blurb, click ALT ☟
#DerekJarman #Dungeness #Kent #LocalHistory

Shown here is a photograph of a typical villa for 60 patients at Leybourne Grange Colony, from a 20th century album capturing Leybourne Grange and County Police Headquarters, Maidstone [ref. C/B/4/1] About the talk: During the Second World War, Kent had two Mental Deficiency Institutions – West View Institution in Tenterden and Leybourne Grange Colony in West Malling. The war had an impact on the ambitious building programme at Leybourne Grange Colony, the staffing of the Institutions, patient intake, and the families of both patients and staff. Kara will explore how the institutions prepared for the war; were impacted by air raids, rationing and evacuation; and how both staff and the families of patients contributed to the war effort. Kara Greig is currently completing a PhD at the University of Kent using source material held by Kent Archives at the Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone. Her work examines 'The Implementation of the Mental Deficiency Acts in Kent, 1913-1948'.

Next lunchtime talk: Monday 14th July, 1-2pm

'Kent Mental Deficiency Institutions during World War Two' presented by Kara Greig – doctoral student at the University of Kent @kent.ac.uk

Free to attend – reserve your seat today:
📧 archives@kent.gov.uk
☎️ 03000 420 673

Shown here is a researcher using our new SL 1000 microfilm scanner. She uses both the touchscreen and mouse to navigate the microfilm. This is one of two digital devices that can be reserved for your visit to our Search Room. If vacant, they can also be used spontaneously. Please kindly check with the Search Room Supervisor to ensure a reservation hasn’t been made by another researcher. To use a digital microfilm scanner, you’ll first need to log in to the connected public computer using the barcode number printed on your Kent Library Card, followed by your six digit password. We still have our trusty Minolta MS 6000 microfilm reader for those who feel more comfortable using a familiar device. However, if you might like to try the SL 1000, please let a member of the Search Room team know and they’ll be happy to give you an induction. To arrange your visit to our Search Room, contact us today – Email: archives@kent.gov.uk Telephone: 03000 420 673

What's better than one digital microfilm scanner? Two!

We've recently installed a second SL 1000 device in our Search Room and both now have touchscreens. Enjoy sharper images, more user controls and crisper printouts.

Consider reserving a device for your next visit… 🖥️🖨️

Shown here is an early 19th century town rental on parchment displaying a type of planar distortion known as cockling. Cockling can result in the loss of media (printed or manuscript text, decoration etc.) due to the distorted areas of the substrate being raised and therefore at greater risk of rubbing against anything in the surrounding area (other documents, packaging etc.). Contraction and expansion of the substrate can also destabilise media, resulting in loss. Such distortion of paper and parchment can often be improved or resolved by using controlled humidification to expand the substrate’s fibres, followed by gently drying between blotters with weight applied. Where the media is too unstable to withstand exposure to moisture, a packaging solution may be more suitable to protect the cockled document from abrasion. For example, using a deep mount will ensure there is an adequate gap between the distorted document and its surroundings, preventing any potentially-damaging contact.

C is for… #Cockling

The consequence of a wet document drying unevenly or drying whilst constrained by its surroundings (e.g. an ill-fitting frame). Flattening using a gentle treatment will ensure the surface characteristics of the substrate are preserved.

#KAconservationAtoZ