Joining up our Heritage Project

West Sussex Record Office

In 2009 West Sussex Record Office launched a new, two-year project called Joining up our Heritage.  This was made possible with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and West Sussex Archives Society.

Project Aims

The aim of this project is to enable small local archives and museums, particularly those that are volunteer and community-led, to make their records, objects and information more accessible to the public.  This information will be added to the Tithe Maps database and eventually become available to look at in the Record Office and County Libraries , or on a Tithe Map CD.

Unexpected Developments

During the last six months, volunteers working on the project have been tracking down a range of archive and other historic sources.  However, we are also seeing some unexpected developments.

For example, the project acting as a catalyst to provoke people into considering whether their personal collections of documents, photos and other memorabilia should be recorded and conserved more carefully.  West Sussex Record Office is being offered some of this material to store or to copy. 

In addition to this, individuals from around the county are seeing the importance of rescuing their local heritage in the form of documents and oral histories and are setting up small archive or history groups to carry out the task of tracking down this material in their local area.  This is very exciting for us because we are seeing a growing awareness of the importance of preserving the evidence of history and we intend to support these groups by offering workshops to help them sort, catalogue and conserve their archives.  We are also attempting to link new groups with existing groups in neighbouring areas.  This is particularly important where their histories overlap.

Some people have expressed a desire for a county network of local archives whereby information and experience can be shared between groups.  Unfortunately the Record Office does not have the manpower to organise and manage this type of group, this is where the Community Archives website can play a very significant role and we hope that a greater number of West Sussex local archive groups will join the register.

If you would like to know more about the Joining up our Heritage Project, please contact:

Gillian Edom,
Project Coordinator,
West Sussex Record Office,
County Hall,
Chichester,
West Sussex,  PO19 1RN

Tel: 01243 753622        
email:gillian.edom@westsussex.gov.uk