Subfonds ARC - The Archive and Portrait collections records

Identity area

Reference code

GC/ARC

Unique identifier

GB 2198 GC/ARC

Title

The Archive and Portrait collections records

Date(s)

  • 1828- (Creation)

Level of description

Subfonds

Extent and medium

1 metre paper

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The College employed its first part-time professional archivist in 1955, primarily to produce more detailed documentation about College estates. This was not, of course, the first attempt the College had made to preserve its records and document their contents. Reference has already been made to the continued concern of the College to preserve and record its endowments, Dr Caius' scheme for the creation and preservation of corporate records, the removal of certain 'treasures' to the Library for safekeeping, and the work of John Venn to document the history of the College. The appointment did mark the start of the emergence of the Archive as a separate function within the College; with a commitment not only to a more systematic approach to preservation and documentation, but also to providing better access to the College's archival holdings. The College appointed its first full-time professional archivist in 1989. The traditional connection of the Archive to the Bursary has been retained, with the Senior Bursar being the line manager of the Archivist. The Archivist reports twice per year to the College Records Committee.

Since 1990, the Archivist has also acted as Deputy Curator of the College's portrait collection; taking responsibility for documenting, administering and arranging the conservation of College pictures and reporting to a Curator of Portraits drawn from among the fellowship.

(For further information relating to the history of the Archive and its holdings, see Anne Neary, 'Bare Bones and Living History' The Caian, 1990; and J. Venn, Biographical History of Gonville and Caius College introduction to Volume I and the chapter on College records in Volume III).

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records consist of

  • minutes of College Records Committee

  • administrative files relating to the use of the Archive

  • lists, schedules and transcripts of the contents of the Archive

  • lists of the contents of College portrait collection.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Archive files, except for lists and transcripts, are subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act, the Freedom of Information Act and any other appropriate legislation. Lists and transcripts are open access with no restrictions.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

    Script of material

      Language and script notes

      Physical characteristics and technical requirements

      Finding aids

      Allied materials area

      Existence and location of originals

      Existence and location of copies

      Related units of description

      • See images of the holdings of the Archive and the Portrait Collection in the Photographic Collection (PH)

      • See Library correspondence files dealing with enquiries about Caians and College history (LIB)

      Related descriptions

      Notes area

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Access points

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Description control area

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation revision deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Accession area