BRITISH RECORDS ASSOCIATION: 'THE PHILANTHROPY FILES'
7 December 2010, Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ

The archives of charitable and philanthropic bodies are an exciting and comparatively under-used source for British history while their interpretation, custody and care can be challenging.  The BRA conference this year puts these important collections directly under the spotlight.  It will be of special value to historians, archivists and anyone with an interest in the rich documentary record of British benevolence.     

The conference addresses the impact that historical events have made on the types of records created and saved.  Themes covered are medieval hospital records, freemasonry’s involvement in almsgiving, Christian-Jewish collaboration 1880s-1920s and the bias and gaps  found in the records of it, the role of the Salvation Army in the welfare of women in Belfast in the twentieth century, and the changing work and records of missionary organisations from early charitable ventures to the large international charities such as Christian Aid.

The speakers are: Dr Carole Rawcliffe, Professor of Medieval History, University of East Anglia; Susan Snell, Archivist and Records Manager, Library and Museum of Freemasonry; Dr Anne Summers, Honorary Research Fellow, Birkbeck College; Dr Leanne McCormick, Lecturer in Modern Irish Social History, University of Ulster; and Susannah Rayner, Head of Archives & Special Collection, School of Oriental & African Studies. In addition, Rob Baker, Head of Archive and Library, Royal Society of Arts, and Ian Wakeling, Records, Archive and Data Protection Manager, The Children's Society, will consider current problems facing those caring for the archives of charities and discuss survival strategies, the implications of financial cuts and the impact of digital technology.

The annual Maurice Bond lecture, which links the themes of the conference, is by Dr Frank Prochaska of Yale University and will be titled 'The Changing Fashions and Fortunes of Philanthropy'. Dr Prochaska has studied many philanthropic and charity archives; his extensive publications include 'The Voluntary Impulse: Philanthropy in Modern Britain' (1988) and 'Royal Bounty: The Making of a Welfare Monarchy' (1995).

There will be time for questions during the day and the opportunity to meet others over lunch and drinks at the end of the day. 

The Conference  takes place at the Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ, on Tuesday the 7th December 2010. This link takes you to the BRA’s site where you will find full details of the programme and booking form:  

http://www.britishrecordsassociation.org.uk/pages/events.htm 

As  last year, we offer a concessionary rate for students and the unwaged.


We look forward to meeting you at what promises to be a rewarding and stimulating day.

Contact the list owner for assistance at [log in to unmask]

For information about joining, leaving and suspending mail (eg during a holiday) see the list website at
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=archives-nra