Over the last couple of months we’ve made great strides in adding data to our online catalogue, HUBCAT http://www.calmview.eu/HUBCAT/CalmView/
In our last update some 5,500 records were added to the system, a combination of retro-conversion of our paper catalogues and newly catalogued material.
Many thanks to all the Hub staff and clerical support staff who have been involved in making this possible.
More details will follow!
Posted by: Juline
Recently I have been entering catalogue entries for one of our largest collections, the Duns Watson Collection into our cataloguing system, CALM. As someone who works in a public Archive I was very interested to come across the following document from 1800:
DL/WC/9/64
Return by the Sheriff of Berwickshire to The Orders and Queries of the select Committee of the House of Commons upon the Public Records.
The Sheriff has no custody of Public Records.
The Sheriff Clerk has custody of Sentences & Records of the Sheriff Courts, which papers & Records date from the time of theUnionand some are older
They are kept in a room in theSheriff Courthouse in Greenlaw, are distinctly arranged and in good order.
They consist of Minute books or Indexes of Writs etc
Election Records
Records of Testaments of the Commissary Court.
It is suggested that a proper house should be built in Duns, Public Records would be kept there “would be more convenient for every person who had need to use them.”
An effort to raise money to build such a house which would cost about £2000 should be made, Help from the Government would be welcome.
Signed by
Al Christie
Sheriff Substitute
21st April 1800
at Duns
It is interesting that the need for the public to access records of this nature was recognised at this time. The Select Committee in 1800 enquired into Public Records provision throughout Britain and in 1838 the Public Records Act led to the establishment of the first national Public Records Office, known today as The National Archives. (for more on the history of the National Archives see http://www.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/resources/articles/PRO_TNA.html)
Posted by: Juline
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all
Christmas and New Year Opening Hours
Last Wednesday the Hub was a hive of activity with the launch of Fragments: Music, Movement and Memory in a Borders landscape, our two year joint project with Historic Scotland (funded as part of the Year of Creative Scotland).
Joining ourselves and the team from Historic Scotland for the day were Tim Fitzpatrick of The Red Field community arts group and Dr Matthew Cheung-Salisbury of the University of Oxford and his fellow singers: Martyn Matthews, David Bowe and Jennifer Rushworth.
Before the main event in the evening we held an afternoon press call where there was a sneak preview of the evening’s musical performance by Dr Cheung-Salisbury and the choir. You may have heard the radio interview with Dr Cheung-Salisbury and myself (Assistant Archivist) on the finding of the Fragment and it’s significance and importance.
Later, the main event was held in the Tower Mill auditorium where attendees enjoyed talks by Ian Brown (SBC Cultural Services Manager), Matthew Cheung-Salisbury & Adrian Cox of Historic Scotland and two short films and the highlight of the evening a performance of the music of the manuscript.
Then it was over to the Hub for the evening reception to see the Fragment in the exhibition space with Steve Bradley and Rick Wylie’s photo essay on Border Abbeys providing the perfect visual backdrop.
It goes without saying that the event wouldn’t have been possible without all the hard work put in by our colleagues at Tower Mill and Alison Stalker and the team at Historic Scotland behind the scenes. Many thanks to them and, everyone already mentioned who took part in the day/evening and of course, to everyone who came on the night.
As mentioned previously, the project will run for two years so stay tuned for further updates and notice of events. Also please visit the project website: http://fragmentsproject.co.uk/ for further details:
The Fragment will be on display at the Archive until Monday 17 December.
Posted by: Juline
Mistress Quill Workshop
Date: 1st Dec 2012
Location: Heritage Hub, Heart of Hawick, Kirkstile, Hawick, TD9 0AE
Time: 14:00 - 16:00
Cost: Free
An afternoon of ballad singing and Borders lore.
An afternoon of ballad singing, Borders lore and images focusing on the Border Ballads of Sir Walter Scott’s Minstrelsy of The Scottish Borders with Lucy Macrae and Kaye McAlpine of the School of Scottish Studies featuring ballads from Henry Douglas, Elsa Le Maitre, Kathy Hobkirk and Naomi Harvey.
How to book
Book your place by calling 01750 20842. This event is free entry, but places are limited to 30 so booking is advisable.
Next Wednesday, 21 November a special event ‘Fragments’ will be held in the Tower Mill auditorium at 7:30pm.
Fragments celebrates our Medieval Music Manuscript the ‘Hawick Missal’ fragment. There will be a performance of music from the manuscript and talks from leading experts in the field.
There will also be the opportunity to see the manuscript on display at the Heritage Hub. It has undergone conservation work by the team at the National Records of Scotland to ensure its long term preservation. See our previous post http://heritagehub.tumblr.com/post/535930193/heres-the-science-bit
This event is part of a two year joint project between the Heritage Hub and Historic Scotland and is supported with funding from Creative Scotland as part of the Year of Creative Scotland.
More information about the project can be found on the website http://fragmentsproject.co.uk/ and the project can be followed on Twitter https://twitter.com/The_Fragments
Tickets are available directly from the Heritage Hub or by booking online at http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events
Posted by: Juline
Book Week Scotland celebrations are set for Scottish Borders Council
Book Week Scotland is a celebration of books and reading for everyone in the country. People the length and breadth of Scotland are being encouraged to take part in the first ever week-long national celebration of reading, and to participate in a wide range of free events to be held throughout the week. This is a great opportunity for anyone who loves reading or who knows someone they would like to encourage to read.
Scottish Borders Library & Information Service and the Heritage Hub at Hawick are working in partnership to bring special events to the Scottish Borders.
Two events are taking place at the Heritage Hub as part of the programme:
Friday 30 November
2 -4pm
Heritage Hub, Hawick
Our Borders Heritage: Creative Writing with
Mistress Quill
Storytelling about Thomas the Rhymer, with a writing workshop based around the story, but taken from the imagined experiences of Thomas’ children. The writing workshop will be conducted using handmade quill pens.
Free entry, however places must be booked
Capacity 15
Bookings taken by admin
Saturday 1 December
2-4pm
Heritage Hub, Hawick
Our Borders Heritage: Reiving and Bereaving
An afternoon of ballad singing, Borders lore and images focussing on the Border Ballads. with Lucy Macrae and Kaye McAlpine of the School of Scottish Studies, along with some well know singers from the Scottish Borders, including Kathy Hobkirk
Free entry, however places must be booked
Capacity 30
Bookings taken by admin
To book your free place, please contact:
Scottish Borders Library & Information Services, 01750 20842, libadmin@scotborders.gov.uk
Please spread the word!
