The Declaration of Arbroath will be displayed at the National Museum of Scotland from 3 June this year, but you can find out more about it now. In this talk, recorded on the Declaration’s 700th anniversary in 2020, archivist Dr Alan Borthwick spoke about the document’s long and surprising history, and more about its significance… … Continue reading 700 Years of the Declaration of Arbroath, with Dr Alan Borthwick
Objects, Archives and Diseased Potato Tubers
When we think of archives, the first thing that comes to mind is books, paper, plans and maybe photographs or film. Objects are not the first thing that we think of, but the National Records of Scotland has gained a number of objects over the years, from knives that have been involved in murders, to a … Continue reading Objects, Archives and Diseased Potato Tubers
Best laid plans: why I don’t work at a desk
Today, we revisit the NRS Conservation studio with conservator Jackie Thorburn, who tells us about the unique challenges that her team deal with – including conservation of gigantic maps of Scotland and historic plans … I’ve worked in the NRS Conservation department since 1992 and am no stranger to working on maps and plans. They … Continue reading Best laid plans: why I don’t work at a desk
Conserving Christmases
Conservator Gloria Conti looks at a fun item from our archives and tells us about the challenges of conserving a poster that would have been designed for use for only a short period of time... Sometimes jobs can feel like a treat, and what’s better than a fun job just before Christmas? In preparation for … Continue reading Conserving Christmases
What is Conservation?
Today, NRS Head of Conservation Linda Ramsay explains what her team's role is and looks back at the history of paper conservation in Scotland... Public interest in objects and their conservation and preservation has never been stronger. ”Before and afters“ are endlessly fascinating, connecting us to our past and history, and next to cookery and … Continue reading What is Conservation?
The “Radical Rising” of 1820
The “Radical War” or “Radical Rising” of 1820, also known as the Scottish Insurrection of 1820, was a week of strikes and unrest in Scotland that culminated in the trial of a number of ‘radicals’ for treason. National Records of Scotland (NRS) holds the trial records and to mark the 200th anniversary of this event, … Continue reading The “Radical Rising” of 1820
Locked Down: The Inveraray Jail album
NRS Conservator Jacqueline Thorburn is one of the team responsible for conserving items held within the NRS archives. Here, she tells us about a fascinating artefact of Victorian Scotland that she has worked on – a small book containing details and photographs of inmates of Inverarary Jail… Front cover and title page, before treatment This … Continue reading Locked Down: The Inveraray Jail album
Plastic Fantastic: Archives and Modern Materials
Plastics are a wonderful material for creating all manner of useful items but as NRS conservator Andy McFarlane explains, they can create difficult conservation challenges... Whatever image comes to mind when you hear the word “Archives”, I am pretty certain it will be of something old, pre-modern. “Modern” and “Archives” seem contradictory - they just … Continue reading Plastic Fantastic: Archives and Modern Materials
The “Radical Rising” of 1820, Part One
Conserving the Evidence of a Revolution NRS archivist Simon Johnson and conservator Jackie Thorburn recently collaborated on a six-month project to improve public access to the trial papers of the Scottish ‘Radical Rising’ of 1820. This facilitates our plans to mark the 200th anniversary of the Rising in September 2020. In the first of two … Continue reading The “Radical Rising” of 1820, Part One
#LockdownLearning – Preserving Your Papers
The National Register of Archives for Scotland (NRAS) was set up in 1946 to compile a record of collections of private papers in Scotland, to encourage their care and to make information about them available to researchers and others. Today, Dr Alison Rosie of NRAS provides some helpful advice on how you can preserve your … Continue reading #LockdownLearning – Preserving Your Papers
Open Book 