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It is with the greatest sadness I have to report that Jean Kennedy, the former County Archivist of Norfolk, died at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on Sunday, 25 January 2009.
Jean was City and County Archivist in the joint Norfolk and Norwich Record Office between 1962 and 1974, then, on local government reorganization in 1974, became County Archivist of Norfolk, a post she held until her retirement in 1997.
Her early education was at Sevenoaks in her native Kent. After graduating in history at the then University College of Hull, where she also did a postgraduate teacher training course, she took the diploma course in archive administration at the University of Liverpool.
After a brief first appointment at the Devon Record Office, she moved to Norfolk in 1955, to become the first professionally qualified archivist at the Norwich Public Library. In 1960, she was promoted to Senior Archivist, then became the first City and County Archivist in 1962, when the new joint Record Office was opened.
A founder member of the Eastern Region of the Society of Archivists, Jean Kennedy was also its first Secretary, and served as a regional officer of the Society for no less than nineteen years: five as Secretary, six years as the Region’s representative on Council and eight as Chairman. She was also a longstanding member of the Councils of the Norfolk Record Society and the Norfolk and Norwich Genealogical Society (now the Norfolk Family History Society), and, since retirement, was Chairman of the Bishop of Norwich's Committee for Books and Documents.
Following her retirement, she was made an MBE in the New Year's Honours for 1998 and received an honorary Master's degree from the University of East Anglia.
Jean Kennedy was held in high esteem by all who knew her. Her professional dedication and calm determination were qualities for which she was widely admired. She will be greatly missed and our thoughts go out to her sister and family.
Jean's funeral will take place at Earlham Crematorium, Norwich, at 2.15 p.m., on Tuesday, 10 February 2009.
Dr John Alban
County Archivist
Norfolk Record Office
The Archive Centre
Martineau Lane
Norwich NR1 2DQ
Tel.; 01603 222599
Fax: 01603 761885
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://archives.norfolk.gov.uk
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