Celebrating our collections dating from 780AD to the present day
By Nichola Court, Archivist 2021 marks the 75th anniversary of West Sussex Record Office [WSRO]. Although we now occupy purpose-built premises in Orchard Street, Chichester, the Record Office has had a number of other homes – not all of which have been very glamorous! Read on to discover more about our former homes… Door plaque…
Something light and fluffy this time, a diary entry of sorts of trip north west to some colleagues, catching the last of the good weather and enjoying endless amounts of cake!
Chosen by Tim Hudson, former Victoria County History Editor Incumbents of Anglican parishes must often keep lists of their parishioners with details about them; but most probably destroy them when they move on, as being too private and personal. The West Sussex Record Office has two such lists, compiled by the same man first as…
Continue reading ➞ Incumbent’s register of parishioners, c.1850 (Par 174/7/1)
Chosen by James Gaffney, member of staff This is the original Master Plan for Crawley New Town, one of eight new ‘satellite’ towns created by the Government in the late 1940s on the outskirts of London. The aim of these new towns was to encourage people to relocate from an over-crowded capital, which had been…
Continue reading ➞ The Birth of Crawley; Master plan for Crawley New Town, 1947 (Par 60/26/4)
Chosen by Martin Hayes, County Local Studies Librarian, West Sussex County Council Collected as oral history, the memories of those who have lived through fascinating times offer personal and individual first-hand experiences of events that provide us with a unique window into the past. This collection of interviews with veterans of WW1 is therefore of great significance,…
Chosen by Caroline Adams, former member of staff This charter grants land somewhere south of Chichester – we’re not sure of its precise location. The grant dates from 780 and is from Oslac, leader or King (styled ‘Dux’ in the charter) of the South Saxons at the time, to the church of St Paul the…
Continue reading ➞ 780 AD ‘Oslac’ Charter granting land south of Chichester (Cap/I/17)
In 2016, West Sussex Record Office is celebrating its 70th Anniversary. In celebration, we have asked our users, depositors, volunteers, supporters and staff to explore the archive and nominate their favourite document. Over the coming months, 70 of these unique records will be featured on this blog, each with its own story to tell and…
Continue reading ➞ Happy 70th Birthday West Sussex Record Office
West Sussex Record Office 