Aldbourne Archive

Aldbourne Band 1885
Johnny Morris at the 1990 Aldbourne Festival
Aldbourne Heritage Centre during the village scarecrow trail in 2018

The Aldbourne Archive was the name for an idea.  The idea was to collect and safely store information about our village; and to make that information as accessible as possible.

Thankfully, the idea was very well received in the village and received the enthusiastic support of many individuals and groups in the community.  The parish magazine – The Dabchick – purchased a laptop and two backup devices, and a Carnival Committee disbursement provided storage boxes.  The archive was intended to be purely digital, but some items have been collected that might otherwise have been lost for ever into a skip!  Wherever possible, documents and photographs have been digitised and the originals returned to their owners or deposited at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.  Many items have found their way into the collection of the Aldbourne Community Heritage Group (formed in 2013)

I must pay tribute to all the others who have had the same idea, past and present historians who have worked so hard to preserve our village history.  Even after almost two decades, I still consider myself to be the ‘new kid on the block’.  However, if I can be of any help with Aldbourne’s history please do drop me a line on the email below.

Many thanks to the Wiltshire MuseumWiltshire & Swindon History Centre and Swindon Museum & Art Gallery for their help, advice and support.

The Aldbourne Archive contributes to exhibitions, village celebrations and has taken our village history into the digital age – you can find Aldbourne Archive on Facebook, Twitter Instagram & Flickr

So what does the future hold for Aldbourne’s past?  I’m delighted with the continued success of the Aldbourne Community Heritage Group, the group maintains a fascinating programme of talks and walks.  If you have the opportunity, please visit their wonderful Heritage Centre in the Square.  Aldbourne Heritage Centre is also on Facebook.

Aldbourne Heritage Centre 2018 – the scarecrow represents a famous visitor to the village in 1971.  A clue or two would be: he drove a yellow car and battled Daemons!

Jo Hutchings  – May 2018

This archive entry was last updated on 07/03/2024. Information incorrect or out-of-date?
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