A name change for the history books
On 1 July, the home of the county records – formerly known as the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies – changed to its new name: Buckinghamshire Archives. Cllr Patrick Hogan, Cabinet Member for Culture at Buckinghamshire Council, explained the reason for the change:
“We have found the name ‘Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies’ didn’t have a lot of meaning for people who didn’t know what the centre was, or about the unique collections in our care. We feel that the new name makes what we have to offer much clearer to the public .
The move to the new unitary council earlier this year provided the perfect opportunity to work with our in-house communications team to change the branding and the signage of the service to Buckinghamshire Archives.
Sadly, Buckinghamshire Archives remains closed to in-person visits for the foreseeable future due to Covid-19. However, the team is still busy behind the scenes planning a virtual history festival for September, and is also open to enquiries via email, including family and house histories. Get in touch with the team by emailing archives@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.”
A brief history of collecting archives in Buckinghamshire
1938
On 12 May 1938, the County Council resolved to appoint the first Archivist for Bucks, for a princely salary of £300 per annum. A Mr. R. Eaton of Aylesbury was employed to adapt rooms at County Hall for the use of an archivist. The original offices were in the old prison building, and records were kept in the cells, which are now used as treatment rooms for the Archway beauty salon!
1966
The opening of the new County Hall on Walton Street in 1966 saw bespoke accommodation built for the Record Office, as it was known then, which is still in use today – complete with strong rooms now packed to the rafters, and where the original features of Fred Pooley’s County Hall, such as the wood parquet flooring, can still be seen.
2001
In 2001 the Record Office joined with the county Local Studies Library, to become the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies. With the aid of National Lottery Heritage Funds, new premises were opened to allow the public better access to the facilities
2020
The service becomes Buckinghamshire Archives, at a time when the team are busy adapting to a situation that will certainly take up a lot of space in the history books…
Follow Buckinghamshire Archives on social media, as @bucksarchives on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
