National Archives of Scotland

This afternoon we visited the National Archives of Scotland, where we were given a lecture about the Archives' work and history, and then given a chance to see some of the treasures of the archive. The archives are housed in three buildings, with the main site being General Register House on Princes Street. General Register House was built in 1774 by Robert Adam, and is currently undergoing renovation to link it to the General Registers nearby. This will allow researchers to better use both collections. The National Archives' collection dates from the 12th century, and provides access to many official documents, including legal papers, church records, and government papers. The Archives allow free access to materials, although digital images or copies may be presented instead of originals for many of the more delicate items. Patrons are allowed to make copies of the materials, although there is a charge for this service. The General Registers, on the other hand, provides access to documents regarding births, deaths and marriages, so the refurbishment will allow researchers to continue their research in the National Archives after completing initial searches in the General Registers. Both institutions will be required to make some minor changes in their practice when this project is completed. The National Archives has traditionally provided service to the public for free, while the General Registers has charged. To provide equity in service, the new practice will be to provide a certain amount of research time for free, with a charge for additional time. The second site of the National Archives is known as West Register House, and was opened in the 1970's. It is located in what was St. George's Church in Charlotte Square. The third site, Thomas Thomson House, allows no public access but is large enough to accommodate expansion. The expansion would, our lecturer explained, hopefully allow room for a research room at the site. Currently, Thomas Thomson House is the location for the Archives' conservation projects. Expansion may be necessary very soon, as our lecturer informed us that the collection is always growing, and space is at a premium.

Our speaker explained to us that Scotland has the happy distinction of possessing some of the best-kept official records in the world. The Archives have been preserving official documents for centuries, and genealogists worldwide have a much easier time of finding information in Scotland than in many other places throughout the world. To assist these researchers, the National Archives makes its catalog and many additional resources available on its website. Additional resources include links to the Scottish Records Advisory Council, the Scottish Archives Network, Scottish Archives for Schools, Scotland's People, and Scottish Handwriting. The link to Scottish Archives for Schools is particularly interesting, as it shows both the educational possibilities of the Archives' collection and the Archives' willingness to work with all areas of the public. Scottish Handwriting is also a unique link; it educates users about how to decode handwriting, and provides a series of tutorials for visitors. This service undoubtedly enriches the quality of information gleaned from the collections.

One of the interesting issues raised by our visit to General Register House was the question of what should be preserved in the archive. Our lecturer explained to us that government offices are instructed to save important papers for eventual placement in the archive. Problems have arisen with too many items saved for preservation, and the National Archive has provided training to government offices about what qualifies for placement in the archive. Additionally, the development of certain technologies, specifically photocopying, has made the work of the archivists more difficult. The Archives always aims to preserve the initial document, and this document has become more difficult to identify, in many cases, because of the widespread practice of photocopying.

Our visit was ended in glorious fashion by the presentation of some of the Archives' treasures. These included a letter written by Mary Queen of Scots in 1550, a cookery book written in 1727, Journals of the Commissioner for the Union of the Kingdoms from 1706, and criminal case files for Janet Arthur (a.k.a. Fanny Parker), a suffragette prisoner. Additionally, a scroll of the Record of the Exchequer from 1495 was shown to us, as well as the passage marking the earliest reference to Aquae Vitae, or whisky, known to the Archive. Seeing these items makes it patently clear how important the act of preservation and conservation can be for an informed society. If organizations like the National Archives had not endeavored to collect and preserve items such as these amazing treasures, we would now be unable to see and learn from them.