Page 63 - Mercian Eagle Year of 2023

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In addition, work has continued on
the management of our collections. Conservation work funded by a West Midland Museum Development (WMMD) Collections Management Grant began in November. This has involved conservator Katerina Powell assessing the condition, handling, and housing requirements of bound volumes in the collection, including accessioned books, manuscripts, and photograph albums.
have now all been measured, and boxes have been constructed with the help of
our volunteers ready for repacking and labelling. This will provide a safer storage environment for a significant group of vulnerable material. The digitisation room has been reconfigured to allow photography and scanning to take place in the same area and with adequate space to allow books and larger material to be properly supported
This will vastly increase the searchable content available for relevant research enquiries.
A total of sixty-two new objects have entered the Museum since September.
This includes fifty-one items formerly the property of 2 MERCIAN, which have been transferred by the Regiment and are being assessed as to their suitability for accession. Highlights include:
• A letter from 9739 Sgt Henry Stovold of Z Company, 4 WORC R, dated
4 July 1915, originally given by his granddaughter Gillian Chapman.
• A letter from George VI to former POW 9293 Pte Samuel Fellows of 10 WORC R, on his release in 1918.
• A page from an album featuring
a photograph of J M Reddie, T H Hughes, A Whitty and J Winnington as winners of the Officers’ Cup at Bisley in 1903.
Finally, the Museum Trustees have agreed a five-year loan of the Neuve Chapelle oil painting by Mantania to the Officers’ mess of 1 MERCIAN at Picton Barracks, Bulford. This was collected from Dancox House and installed at Bulford in September.
Her final report will
provide us with a sound
basis for determining
which of our high-
priority material can be
digitised in-house with
appropriate care and
equipment, and which
items may first require
remedial conservation.
Training on safe handling and use of collections, funded by the same grant,
will also be provided to all volunteers in combination with the museum’s Christmas event. Work has also taken place on the rehousing project funded by our WMMD Benchmarks Grant. The photograph albums
during photography. The post-1919 database now contains records for 30246 soldiers, and images of the relevant pages of the enlistment ledgers have been linked to many of these records. Sixty-two objects relevant to this database project have
also been lent to the museum by Mr Ian Tipper for digitisation only. So far this has resulted in sixty-eight images of documents and photographs being added to the Regimental Roll. The volunteer project to fully transcribe the 1st Bn Digest of Service has continued and is nearing completion.
A total of sixty-two new objects have entered the Museum since September.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE