49 Library and Archives

THE ALCUIN LIBRARY

A year of consolidation and progress has passed, and stage one can now said to be over — the initial reorganisation of the library. About 800 new books have been added to the library, and borrowings and use have all increased. More pupils are realising the benefits of a quiet study area and, with minor lapses, have used the facilities well. The experiment of opening the library on Saturday afternoons, and for sixth form students in the evenings has been most useful.

Earlier in the year our library stock was boosted by the addition of over 100 books from the library of the late Gerald Pawle, O.P. We are indeed grateful to Lady Pawle and the solicitors of the estate for their interest and generosity. On the shelves reserved for books by or about Old Peterites we now have several volumes written by Gerald Pawle himself — on Churchill and wartime naval warfare, and on squash, reflecting his own great skill and fine records. Other books from his collection show his interest in war-time commanders, political leaders and espionage.

We are also grateful to the following pupils who are presenting books to the library as leaving gifts:

Alastair Alton David Baldry Ian & Joanna Gordon Christopher Lloyd Caroline Murphy Shelagh Pitt Caro Roberts Scott Roberts John Sutcliffe Paul Reavley Dominic Bundy, with Prudence and Philippa Robert Hiles Dominic Todd Richard Stout

Mrs. Glover also kindly remembered us when disposing of her aunt's estate. She sent us a box of most useful books on Art which were shared between the Art Department and the Library.

During the year, John Lee and Jem Pearson have been most helpful and hard-working as voluntary helpers, and I am grateful to them.

As written earlier, stage one can now be said to be over, but an eventful future awaits. For the first time the School is to have a full-time librarian who is also fully trained and experienced. We have been very fortunate in the appointment of Mrs. Avril Pedley, M.A., A.L.A., who is to join us in September. She was an exhibitioner at Newnham College, Cambridge, later being librarian at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge and Tutor Librarian at Keighley College. She also has excellent experience in archive work, book-binding and integrated computer systems. I hand over the library to her with the greatest confidence, and look forward to keeping a toe-hold as archivist.

Growth, interest and work continue to grow, and it is pleasing to welcome increasing numbers of visitors and pupils who are researching into the School's history. The policy of re-binding books and records has continued, and soon the mammoth task of labelling and cataloguing all books, photographs and other memorabilia will begin.

Items can so easily just go astray, and this was certainly proved on the very morning of the Old Peterite weekend when some keen-eyed neighbours spotted some interesting documents put out ready for the dustbin. Fortunately they put their interest to use and contacted the School. Thus we now have photographs, reports, bills, magazines and badges formerly belonging to Edward Harrop O.P., who was at School in the twenties. Amongst other things that we had not seen before was a photograph of a young assistant master — Kenneth Chilman!

Mr. J. T. Harding continues to bring momentoes whenever he visits the School, and Michael Hollway sent cloth badges, programmes, squash records and reports, old School lists and some very useful "Peterite" magazines of the nineteen thirties. When he visited the School later he brought further photographs and items for our collection.

Another rich source of material is George Alderson who in addition to the items he has already presented, sent us recently items concerning his father Brian, also an Old Peterite. Calendars of events, diary extracts, badges and more photographs have now been added to the Alderson file.

Corps photographs, metal badges and other memorabilia came to us from Neil Simmons, together with a complete set of the very first O-Level papers which replaced the old School Certificate in 1951.

C. H. Lockwood sent us his brother's O.T.C. swagger stick for safe keeping, and we are very pleased to have it.

We are indeed grateful to all who have presented or promised items for the archive room. As has been said before — the more the merrier; if in doubt — send it! Today's trifle is tomorrow's treasure. After all, even as we go to press, an item from a former pupil is coming up for sale at Sotheby's — a title deed signed by Guy Fawkes, which is expected to make about £4,000. Your momentoes might not be quite so costly, but would be most valuable to the archive department.

THE ARCHIVE DEPARTMENT

J. V. Mitchell J. V. Mitchell