2012 Archives - The Colony

Community Project: Archival Research
Lead: Jackson Armstrong, Dept of History, Aberdeen University
Staff of Aberdeen University Library, Special Collections.

Activities and Results
A small group of volunteers have been supported by university staff in accessing and studying a number of documents related to the landscape development and organisation of the area. A sixteenth century charter relating to the area of Oldmeldrum provided one study whilst a stipend agreement from the Chapel of Garioch dating to the early 18th century formed another focus. The local group was joined by a group of volunteers from the Mearns. The volunteers also helped University library staff by cataloguing some of the archives pertaining to the Leslies of Balquhain. Such work is vital to promoting the accessibility of such documents but resources to carry out such work by University staff is limited. This is yet another case where volunteers can make a real difference in increasing accessibility and awareness of the rich local heritage.