Preserving 1,000 years of Sheffield history at city archive

The 400-year-old parchment, yellowed with age, is tough and flexible between my fingers.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

“This is infinitely stronger than the paper we write on today, which just disintegrates with age,” explains archivist Pete Evans as he holds the leather-bound book – containing Sheffield baptism records from the 17th century – in his hands.

“Digital records are also quite fragile, in reality, so parchment is hands-down the best medium for recording information; it works, it survives thousands of years - it will outlive us all!”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As Pete slides the book back onto the shelf, I glance down the corridor, lined on either side by large metal bookcases; row after row, Sheffield City Archives stretches ahead – millions of documents, photos, audio cassettes, and maps dating back nearly 1,000 years, all stored under one roof.

Archivist Pete Evans holding the archives oldest document, dating back to 1150, at the Shoreham Street buildingArchivist Pete Evans holding the archives oldest document, dating back to 1150, at the Shoreham Street building
Archivist Pete Evans holding the archives oldest document, dating back to 1150, at the Shoreham Street building

It’s a history-buff’s heaven, and I can see how somebody could lose themselves for several days in here, digging through the treasure trove that has been accrued in the city over the last century.

“I do have some favourites in here,” confesses Pete, who has worked in the city’s archive for more than 15 years, and has worked as an archivist for over 30.

“There’s our oldest document, the Foundation Charter of St Leonard’s Hospital in Sheffield, which was written in 1150, and is beautiful to look at.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The admission records from South Yorkshire Lunatic Asylum also make for fascinating reading,” he adds with a smile.

Archivist Pete Evans at the Shoreham Street buildingArchivist Pete Evans at the Shoreham Street building
Archivist Pete Evans at the Shoreham Street building

"Our understanding of mental health has obviously changed dramatically in the last hundred years, and these records provide a really fascinating insight into the Victorian response to mental health.

"Reasons for admission at the asylum, which later became Middlewood Hospital, include everything from being ‘unlucky in love’ to having had a bad day at Doncaster Races."

Like many other publicly-accessed spaces, the city archive has spent much of the past year closed, which Pete explains he and his team have used as an opportunity to catch up on digitising.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"There are 50,000 boxes containing hundreds of thousands of documents in this room, all in need of cataloguing and digitising,” he says.

Pete Evans looks at an old glass negativeaPete Evans looks at an old glass negativea
Pete Evans looks at an old glass negativea

"We were able to spend a lot of time scanning and processing in 2020, so that even more documents could be made available for people all across the world to access.”

The team also hit something of a personal milestone, recently publishing a collection of 100,000 photographs of Sheffield on Picture Sheffield.

"That was a big achievement for us,” says Pete.

"It’s taken us about 12 years to get those first 100,000 on, and we probably have another 100,000 to go, so it’s nice to feel we’re chipping away at it.”

Sheffield City ArchivesSheffield City Archives
Sheffield City Archives
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When it comes to digitising, Pete says that he and his team focus on the pockets of interest, dedicating their time to the most popular records – largely, Parish records.

"People love to research their family trees, and our customers live all around the world, so we focus on ensuring things like that, that are most in demand, are most readily available online.

“We add about 500 boxes of stuff annually to our collection here at the archive, so the job is never done, and we’re always surprised by the age of some of the stuff that comes into us, and that it hasn’t made its way here before.

"It’s incredible what treasures people continue to unearth in their attics.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Our team is also all quite skilled now in reading the variety of documents that come to us, which are sometimes in Latin and can be very hard to read.

"The styles of writing vary greatly from the 15th to 19th century, and once you get used to the style, it’s easier to decipher – a bit like reading doctors handwriting.”

Archivist Pete Evans at the Shoreham Street buildingArchivist Pete Evans at the Shoreham Street building
Archivist Pete Evans at the Shoreham Street building

Of course this year, a big part of the archives team’s job has been in building up its ‘Covid collection,’ to ensure the story of 2020 is preserved for generations to come.

"What a year it’s been, for all of us,” says Pete, with a shake of his head.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“In 100 years time, we want people to be able to look back at what happened, and how we responded to it.

"We’ve been collecting photographs, diaries, people’s experiences, poetry, newspaper clippings, and radio station news bulletins, as well as all the official documents from the council and NHS, to help build up a complete picture of 2020.”

And although space dictates what the archive can accept, Pete adds: “If you have something that records the lives of people in Sheffield and the surrounding areas, from any time period, of course we’d love to take a look at it.”

As the archive offices, on Shoreham Street, reopen to the public this month, Pete says he’s looking forward to welcoming people back into the building, though all visits must be booked as an appointment in advance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We’re asking people to email us with what they’re looking for, so we can get things prepped and pulled out for them in advance.

"Some people might visit us just once – to research their family, their home, their village – while others return year after year to see what has been added, there’s so much to see here.

"Our job is to help them find their way through the system, and access what they need.

"Whatever the purpose, whatever your query, our teams is always here, and happy to help.”

Related topics: