Archive concerns

Published on 23/07/2012 00:00

Professor Tom Gallagher’s comments (Letters 17 July) on the threatened break-up of the Scottish Catholic Archives show how serious are the concerns raised among historians outwith Scotland. Archbishop Conti’s apparent determination to force the issue contrast with the active encouragement given to SCA by his predecessor, Cardinal Winning.

On 29 October, 1986, in my then capacity of Keeper of the Records of Scotland, I formally handed to the cardinal the 15th century Liber Ruber of Glasgow Cathedral, which had been in the National Archives since 1879. I had found that its deposit in Register House had been conditional on its being handed over to anyone who could show right to it and Mark Dilworth, the SCA archivist, had found the original receipt given by the antiquary, George Chalmers, when he borrowed it in 1798. Cardinal Winning ensured that this happy occasion received full publicity in The Scotsman, Glasgow Herald and catholic press.

The handover was in line with the policy initiated by my predecessor, John Imrie, of encouraging the deposit of records in the most appropriate institution, whether national or local, recognising that the Scottish Record Office could never command the resources to deal with all types of records from anywhere in Scotland. Over the last 20 years digital imaging has helped to make records available without the need to travel to the location where they are held, but this is far from being a complete answer because of the high costs in both money and manpower, the sheer volume of records involved, and the fact that there are questions which can only be resolved by an examination of the original.

The Scottish Catholic Archives are of international, not just national significance and should be kept intact under a qualified archivist and in a location where they are freely accessible to those who wish to consult them.

Dr Athol L Murray

Inverleith Gardens

Edinburgh