Might this be an interesting topic for discussion?
Paul Sillitoe
Borough Archivist
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The views expressed are personal and may not reflect those of Wolverhampton
Council, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
-----Original Message-----
From: Lyndon Bate <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 10 July 1999 05:15
Subject: International transfers of archives
>Dear UK Archivists.
>
>One of your colleagues suggested I place my request for advice on your
>listserv.
>
>Can anyone recommend a company to pack and move records from Yorkshire,UK
>to Melbourne?
>If anyone has managed an international transfer of records / archives,
>could they please offer some advice - especially on potential problems.
>The records are to be transferred from a company where staff have no formal
>Records Management or Archives training.
>Would appreciate any assistance, on or off list.
>
>The check list below was provided by a New Zealander - so if anyone has
>anything to add, or can recommend a particular company I would appreciate
>any input.
>1. You need a complete inventory of what you are transferring.
>
>2. You need to use your own staff, if at all possible, to do both the
>listing and packing. You need someone to check what has been done so that
>lists match box contents.
>
>3. Make sure you have copies of all lists (one for you, one for removals
>company, one for insurer, one for the sending office, one for the receiving
>office - sent ahead by airmail or email or whatever, and one copy of
>contents for each box inside the box)
>
>4. Make sure your containers are strong, i.e., cardboard cartons are not
>satisfactory unless a number of them are to be placed inside wooden
>containers (not totally unlike coffins!). The containers (wooden boxes)
>should preferably be made of something like plywood (panels) with robust
>frames (2x2 pine or similar). Bot not too big or they become hard to
>physically manage.
>
>5. Use someone like Pickford who is well established and operates
>internationally (no middle brokers please)
>
>6. When your packing is done make sure that you get copies of all shipping
>lists, manifestos, shipping schedule, time of uplift and time of delivery
>at
>destination.
>
>Watch Out
>
>1. If you do not pack your records well you may find them damaged or even
>lost.
>
>2. Some cargoes get swapped from one ship to another - find out about all
>trans-shipping if such is likely
>
>3. Some cargoes get changed from one container to another - sometimes in
>dockside warehouses and freight depots, sometimes in the rain - find out if
>the records have to wait on a wharf in Cape Town or Colombo or somewhere,
>and for how long.
>
>4. In any tender or proposal to ship, look out for a change of company and
>therefore responsibility along the way - and if you see it try to avoid it.
>
>
>Above are just some pointers. My experience? Involvement in shipping large
>quantities of files and other mainly paper records from Suva Fiji to
>Honiara
>Solomon Islands, Tarawa Kiribati, and London UK.
>
>
>
>Regards
>Lyndon Bate
>Home email: [log in to unmask]
>Work email: [log in to unmask]
>
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