Council is challenged on archives

THE boss of Plymouth's museum has snubbed historians and archivists representing about 40 organisations from Plymouth and the rest of the South West, writes Political Reporter Keith Rossiter.

Nearly 100 people turned up to a public meeting called to discuss the threat to Plymouth's ancient archives, which are housed in a sub-standard temporary building on an industrial estate.

The historians vowed to launch a national campaign to shame the council after Nicola Moyle, curator of the City Museum and Art Gallery, failed to turn up at the meeting in the Spurgeon Hall, Mutley Plain.

Organisers said Ms Moyle had agreed on November 4 to attend.

They tried repeatedly to phone Ms Moyle at the Museum. At one point a member of her staff admitted that she was "back in her office after lunch", but moments later said she was out.

The council has been given until 2013 to bring the Plymouth and West Devon Public Record Office in Clare Place up to scratch after the National Archives classified the building as unsuitable for storing records.

The city risks having priceless historic documents taken away. Many of the archives – some dating back to the 12th century – could end up being stored in a salt mine in Cheshire, said Dr Todd Gray, chairman of the Friends of Devon's Archives.

The city had been warned about the state of the record office in 1998, he said.

"We've had lots of different answers since 1998 about why the council didn't have the money."

Pointing to Ms Moyle's chair, he said: "This empty seat tells us the same as the council has told over the past year – nothing."

He said Plymouth's historical documents compared well with any other city in the country, and included the complete history of Plymouth Argyle.

Maureen Selley, chair of the Devon Family History Society, said it would cost the council about £1million a year to pay for the archives to be stored in Exeter, and only £1.5million was needed to convert a building like Mount Wise House.

She called on the council to use "a tiny part of the £20million it will get from the sale of Citybus".

The meeting was told that the historical records brought money into the city by attracting many visitors.

Dr Gray said the interest would only increase in the run-up to the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower sailing from Plymouth to America.

Professor Christopher Holdsworth, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Records Society, said he was responsible for Quaker records in Devon and Cornwall, many of which were stored in Plymouth.

He said the Quakers could consider withdrawing their documents.

A council spokeswoman said later: "Councillors and officers were not able to attend today's meeting but we would be happy to arrange a meeting with representatives of the Devon Archives and the Family History Society to discuss their ideas.

"Plymouth's records are a valuable part of the city's heritage and we have been working hard over the last two years to identify a suitable building that will not only house the collections in appropriate conditions, but will also bring together other historical collections."