Letter: Historic archives under hammer
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Your report on the sale of Marconi archive material (10 February), coming so soon after the sale of Brunel material last November, raises once again the urgent need to protect our national heritage archives from loss by dispersal.
It is clear that there is a continuing haemorrhage of historically valuable documents through random sale to the highest bidder, and that there is a need for an agency to control such degeneration of the national heritage. Such an agency, preferably part of a government department, would aim at: identifying the owners of archival material with high heritage value; advising them about appropriate national repositories to which it might be sold, if not actually donated; arranging for independent valuation of such collections; and facilitating the flow of heritage funds for the acquisition of archives by approved institutions.
By firm but judicious action such an agency could rapidly improve the condition of our heritage archives, and establish public access to them for posterity.
R ANGUS BUCHANAN
Emeritus Professor of the History of Technology
School of Social Sciences
University of Bath
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments