To find out about other archival collections within the Lothian region, especially those with closely-related archive material, to forge links, and to find out how other archive professionals do their jobs, in 2012 we have visited:
· West Lothian Council Archives and Records Centre, Livingston (January)
· Midlothian Archives, Loanhead (May)
· East Lothian Archives, Haddington (August)
We gained an insight into the exciting resources which are provided in parts of the region such as the new John Gray Centre which contains the East Lothian Archives, opened in March 2012. We also learned how archives employ different work practices regarding records management, and make use of dedicated volunteers to add value to their resources.
During our visits we learned about the Council archives’ holdings such as parish records, Poor Law records, court records, school records and cemetery records. LHSA’s medical records form a picture of just one part of people’s lives and it is useful to be aware of other collections which provide details of their lives outside of hospitals, and to be able to direct researchers to them. Those of particular significance are those related to the District Asylums including Rosslynlee and Haddington, and also poorhouse records such as those of Linlithgow Poorhouse, later St Michael’s Hospital.
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| Laura and Stephen with Ken Bogle at Midlothian Council Archives |
We were delighted to welcome staff from the Council Archives back to LHSA, to provide information about our collections which they can share with their users, and to talk about our working practices.
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