Borthwick Newsletter - March 2023

Posted on 28 February 2023

Welcome to the Borthwick's March newsletter

March in the Archives - delve into our catalogues with this month’s featured description

John Waiters of Low Dunsforth has surrendered, 27 March 1701, 4 beastgates in Thorpe Moor and 6 beast-gates in Thorpe Ox Close, to the use of George Allanson. Edward Ridsdale, under-steward. 31 March 13 William III, 1701

[Shaw Papers, Court Roll 31 March 1701, SHAW/2/1/60]

What’s new?

February seems to have flown by and we’re enjoying seeing more signs of spring around campus!

We’re really pleased to say that from today (1st March) we’re ending our lunchtime closed hour between 12.30 and 1.30pm, meaning that researchers can remain in the reading room for the whole day. This gives researchers more time with their documents and more flexibility in planning their bookings. Our general opening hours have remained the same with access to original archival records available Monday-Wednesday between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Please get in touch at borthwick-institute@york.ac.uk if you have any questions or if you’d like to book an appointment. Please also have a look later in the newsletter for an update on appointments and opening times at the Minster Library!

Over on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages, you might have spotted the launch of an exciting new project, forming part of the celebration of both the University's 60th anniversary and the Borthwick's 70th anniversary this year. YorStory explores our history, archives and communities, bringing to light and sharing some of the stories and achievements of the University and its students, as well as important and underrepresented histories. Over the year we will share a series of social media posts using material from the University archive to focus on important events, contributions and ‘firsts’ from our communities and students. YorStory really is all about your York story, so if you enjoy the content please do like and share with the hashtag YorStory - and get in touch with your own experience of life at the University of York. You can read more about the YorStory project through it's project page.

New Accessions

Since the last newsletter, we’ve taken in additions to several collections, including the Manning Payne archive, the archive of the University of York, the Marks and Gran archive and our parish records collection.

We’ve also taken in three new collections, including the papers of Professor Tom Lodge and the archive of Reverend William Pickering. The largest new accession is the archive of chartered architects Ferrey and Mennim. The company was formed just over 100 years ago and were originally based in Minster Yard, in York city centre, before moving to the University’s East Campus last year. They are the appointed architects for Hull Minster and St Magnus’ Cathedral in Orkney, as well as caring for over 180 churches across the Dioceses of York, Leeds and Sheffield. Their archive includes a huge array of architectural drawings and correspondence covering ecclesiastical work, residential projects and the repair and conservation of historic buildings.

New Catalogues

A close up section of a Brafferton parish map (PR BRAF 44/1) showing different field boundaries in various colours and a detailed illustration of the woodland

This month we have four new parish record catalogues added to Borthcat, as well as a new name index! We’ve added detailed lists for the parishes of Newton-on-Ouse, Moor Monkton with Hessay, and Brafferton. Brafferton’s parish chest material included a couple of especially interesting notes. The parish’s first baptism register begins in 1798, which is quite late for many parishes. The volume notes that the earlier records were destroyed in a fire in Brafferton Vicarage in October of that year and that details of baptisms taking place between April and July of that year have been retrospectively added to the register after asking the parents of those children baptised during that time. A fascinating insight into how parish administration worked, and also one of the many reasons why tracing your family history might not be as straightforward as you might think! For 50 years, between 1876-1929, Brafferton parish was served by Norman M’Neile, known as ‘the blind vicar’ having lost his sight completely at the age of 12. M’Neile went on to study at Trinity College Dublin prior to his ordination, and served as a curate in Worcester and Liverpool and as Chaplain Hospitaller in Ripon before taking up the position of Vicar at Brafferton - a role he held until his death in 1929.

We’ve also added the full catalogue to the records of the former York parish of Holy Trinity King’s Court. This inludes the first in a series of name indexes produced by volunteers from the York and District Family History Society, covering the parish rate books. The first index, to the first rate book (PR/Y/HTK/1), includes over 1,700 entries dating between 1837 and 1840. The entries give the name of the occupier of each property, the property owner and the type of dwelling and shows the assessments taken each month, moving to each quarter, during the three years covered by the volume. There are indexes for 22 further rate books, comprising over 21,000 entries altogether, and we’ll update you as we release more on to the catalogue.

Number of archival descriptions on Borthcat on 1st March 2023: 119, 130

News from Rare Books & Minster Library

The Old Palace which houses York Minster Library and Archives reopened at the beginning of February after three long years. We’ve been running booked appointments during that time but visitors haven’t been able to come in and browse the modern lending and reference collections or use our light and airy reading room for study.

Researchers sitting at tables in a lights, book-lined study room, with documents on book rests in front of them

We are open 9.30-4.30 from Monday to Thursday. We are keeping Friday as a closed day as that enables us to get on with collections work without disturbing researchers. You will still have to book an appointment if you want to see anything from the special collections or the archives. We are running appointments Monday-Wednesday and you can use the online booking form to reserve a place. For more information see the library’s webpage or contact library staff at collections@yorkminster.org

Borthwick Out and About

If you’re a fan of BBC Radio York, you might have heard University Art Curator Helena Cox and History of Art student Ella Sparrowhawk chatting to Jonathan Cowap yesterday morning! Ella and Helena were discussing the hidden treasures in our amazing art collection and about the student experience of getting hands on with curation. Listen to their conversation (from about 43 minutes in!).

Last week Helena, as part of a joint colloquium with the Friends of York Art Gallery on Women Artists in Britain 1900 to Present, also gave a talk introducing some of the 50 female artists in the University’s art collection. The whole day was a great success!

This evening (1st March) our Access and Digital Engagement Archivist Laura Yeoman is giving a talk at the York Family History Society, all about the Borthwick, updates on what’s new here and the various resources we’ve been making accessible that could help researchers with their family history. The meeting begins at 7.30pm at the Friends Meeting House in New Earswick and an entrance fee of £2 for members and £4 for non-members. Find out more on the York and District Family History Society website.

On 8th March Laura and Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Project Archivist Sally-Anne Shearn are contributing to an event as part of York International Women’s Week. The online talk, called ‘York’s Factory Women’ is run by The Rowntree Society and covers what it was really like to work at the Rowntree factory for women in the early 20th century. The talk will include an introduction to some images of archival documents and photographs from the Borthwick’s holdings here. You can find out more by contacting info@rowntreesociety.org.uk

Archive of the Month: Papers of Lady Violet Deramore

What is it? The personal and financial papers of Lady Violet Deramore, including correspondence, journals, recipes and photographs.

Where can I find it? The catalogue to the Papers of Lady Violet Deramore are available on Borthcat

Why is it Archive of the Month? Inspired by the Saltmarshe connections mentioned in last month’s newsletter, this month we focus on the papers of Lady Violet, nee Blanche Violet Saltmarshe. Lady Violet was born in the summer of 1884 in Dublin, to Colonel Philip Saltmarshe and his wife Ethel Muarry, and the family later settled at Saltmarshe Hall just outside York. In 1907, Violet married Robert Wilfred de Yarburgh-Bateson, the 3rd Baron Deramore, and lived at the Deramore family seat at Heslington Hall. Having joined the British Red Cross in 1909, Lady Violet transformed Heslington Hall into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers during the First World War. She maintained an interest in medical charities for the rest of her life, serving as a trustee of York County Hospital and a Vice-President of the Victoria Hospital for Sick Children in Hull.

A black and white photograph from the Lady Violet Deramore archive showing ladies and their dogs at Heslington Hall, early 20th century

The archive contains items relating to a mixture of global, national and personal events including both World Wars, the coronations of George V and Elizabeth II, and Violet’s personal hobbies and faith. Her personal papers include her diaries, press cuttings relating to members of her family, recipes for cake and gingerbread - and numerous photographs of her and her pet dogs.

We’ll be back with more news next month!