Timeless magic: the black and white photograph.

Recently at the Archive we have received two boxes of materials from the depths of the Bath Spa Library containing all manner of interesting documents, objects and images. This week's box provided us with a rich collection of beautiful black and white photographs which we have fallen in love with, and our favourites have been shared below. The photographs show Newton Park students looking effortlessly glamourous when taking part in sports activities, science and art classes and agricultural studies. This has led to a discussion here at the office about the cyclical nature of fashion and how a simple lack of colour can aid to creating an air of class.

As we are now a wholly female team, our conversations can often drift towards what clothes we've seen recently and almost always leads to one of us finding the item online to get the approval of the others. Whilst this used to be confined to lunchtime chit-chat, the introduction of more materials provides us with new and interesting photographs to look through, and it seems that now our conversations about clothes are inspired by a particularly nice jumper, skirt or pair of shoes that a student is wearing in the images we're studying. In light of this recent discovery, I believe that the time we spend each week comparing items online, planning outfits and reminiscing about how similar things were in fashion when we were children all count as historical research! 

Despite how similar our tastes may be with our 1950s' counterparts, one can't help but feel that when comparing photographs from my own university life with the ones we get to enjoy at the Archive, mine will appear much less glamourous. This could be due to the magic of the black and white photograph, or perhaps we live in a less glamourous time! Nevertheless, that we covet the A-line skirts and gingham dresses of our former students shows yet again that we are not so different from our past generations after all, an important lesson that we are reminded of each week when we come to the Archive and delve into our collective past. 

Racing on the lake: students enjoying the lake at Newton Park

Biology class: students taking measurements for tree shapes.

Art class: two students sketching the impressive Main House.

Agricultural studies: a student working in the walled garden.

Guest Blog by third year Historian, Hayley Crymble

Reunions, Reminiscence and Reflections

During the past few months, the BSU archive team have been fortunate enough to be part of several Alumni Reunion events, organised by Ruth Russell from the Alumni office at the university.

Groups of former students are welcomed back to Newton Park, and enjoy refreshments and a chance to be together once more, in the beautiful surroundings of the main reception rooms of Main House. Later, there's the chance for a walk around the grounds, with a guide from the archive or alumni teams to talk about some of the new developments on campus. 

Sharing stories with the class of 1963-66

The women of 1963-66

The archive team always put on a display of materials, documents and images from the relevant era, and talk to the group about their memories and experiences of life at college in former times. If we're lucky, new donations are made to the collection by the people who come back. Alternatively, those who bring their photographs and documents for us to see can have them scanned on the spot, which was the case at the most recent events last week.

We can also make arrangements for people to come back for oral history interviews at another time, or take down the details of contacts for the future.

Each time one of these meetings occurs, we learn something new; yet another layer of history to add to our ever-growing archive collection. On Saturday we heard for the first time, about the protest and sit-in of 1976, when students occupied main house to demonstrate against the shortage of jobs in the teaching sector. Emulating the photographs taken back then, three former students climbed onto the window ledge outside main house in an echo of that long hot summer of  the mid-70s, when flares were at their most extreme, and seemingly everyone had loads of long hair...

Pictures of the past - images from 1975-76. The student sit-in is featured, top centre

Recreating the student sit-in. (Class of 1973-77)

Its a great privilege to be at these events, and share experiences of the past in a setting we all appreciate. The majority of people we've met so far were trained as teachers, and I feel there is something quite distinctive about them. They have developed in others a love of learning, kindled sparks in children and young people, and made themselves heard, one way or another, in decades of education. They are interesting, thoughtful, intelligent and appreciative of the education they received. Of course these are generalisations, but here in the archive we have had many chances to discuss the people we've met, and these are the conclusions we've come to.

We hope to be able to be an intrinsic part of these reunions for a long time to come, and to be there to hear and share many more stories. 

Lunch, a chat and a DVD of old photographs, with the class of 1973-77

(all new photographs taken by Kate James)

Guest Blog Post - Laura

This week, Laura gives her view of the last few months:

'Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,We have had our summer evenings, now for the October eves!' (Humbert Wolfe)

So, summer is coming to an end and autumn is taking over, creating beautiful scenery for us to admire on our way into the office (armed with jumpers and scarves) but before I begin my final, scary, year at university, I wanted to take the time to reflect on what we have been doing over the summer, and what I have discovered so far. 

Since my first trip to Corsham on the 17^th April, I have not only learnt a lot about working at an Archive, but also about the history of Newton Park and its residents, from the Gore-Langton family, to the students who walk around the campus today.

This summer we have been busy, from completing our exhibition preparation to cataloguing each and every item in our office! In between these two jobs, we have been transcribing oral interviews, as well as going to a number of re-unions organised by the Alumni Association at the university. My first ever day at the office was spent cataloguing, and though over the summer we changed our method, it is still one of the most important tasks we do, as it ensures easy and straightforward access for future historians looking to find specific documents relating to their research. It has meant many hours sitting at a computer screen and describing and numbering each and every item we have, before placing them into special archival-standard storage boxes.

Cataloguing - so satisfying once its done!

As I joined the Archive in April most of the oral interviews we have had already been conducted, though I did have the opportunity to sit in on one of them, which was fascinating, to meet somebody and have them share their experiences of what it was like to come to the university over thirty years ago. Writing transcriptions are also interesting, especially if you were not at the actual interview, as you get to hear people’s stories and memories, however the actual transcriptions are extremely time consuming, as on average it takes seven hours to transcribe one hour of audio! However despite how time consuming they are, they are interesting, and it is an invaluable skill to gain, especially as it has increased my typing speed significantly!

July Reunion at Newton Park

July Reunion - meeting new friends, re-visiting old haunts

Having heard the memories of many individuals through listening to their oral interviews, it was a fantastic opportunity to join some of them at their re-unions in July. Whilst we were there Hayley, Kate and I were asked to talk about our experiences of being students at Bath Spa, which was great, as it meant we reflected on our time here, and realised what a lovely place this university is. I really enjoyed talking to the alumni, hearing their stories as well as telling my own! One particular memory that we learnt had been shared by many students of the university, despite their era, was sunbathing on the roof! Having overheard a lady talking about how she used to climb onto the roof of stable block to catch some rays, Hayley felt obliged to share with her that I, also, found my way onto a balcony area of my halls to catch some sun. Obviously some things never change!

Graduations

Last week, two members of the archive team graduated, amidst the splendour and joy that is the Bath Spa University Graduation Ceremonies. In a change from the usual venue of Newton Park, this year's event took place in the heart of the city, at Bath Abbey.

Over the years, a variety of settings have been used, each one being ideal for a time, before expediencies of organisation dictated a change. In the early days, there was no formal 'graduation' as such, but a summer event marking the culmination of studies took place in the grounds and buildings at Newton Park. This 'Commemoration Day' saw large scale drama productions (including a full medieval pageant on one or two occasions) as well as family picnics and displays of work.

Historic pageant for Commemoration Day, June 1963

Commemoration Day dance display by students, c.1950.

In the 1980s, the Assembly Rooms in Bath were used for the event, but the growing number of students soon meant that the space was too small. The solution then was the huge marquee, on the lawn in front of Main House, which is where I first graduated (with the BA in History) in the Summer of 2011. 

The marquee itself is vast, and accommodates a large stage, with steps at either side. Nerves, high heels or a combination of the two can make these steps seem like a mountain. The fashion for ever-higher heels has presented an even greater challenge in recent years, too.

Graduation at Newton Park, July 2011

Students take their places at one end of the marquee, July 2011

The backdrop of Newton Park makes these graduation ceremonies very memorable. Registration takes place in the Library, gowns are donned in the University Theatre, and family and friends can congregate around the refectory at Moreton (formerly the assembly hall) 

Last Saturday, Bath Spa students, staff and families seemed to be everywhere in the centre of Bath. The Guildhall was a hive of activity for registration, gowning and official photographs. Downstairs, the Alumni Association were busy taking photographs to use in the alumni magazine. Students posed with a huge 'golden scroll', which was great fun. These pictures can be viewed through the Alumni Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BathSpaUniversityAlumni?fref=ts

The Academic Procession, ready to enter Bath Abbey for the second (of eight) ceremonies on 19th and 20th July 2013

Jubilation from some of this year's graduating Master's students and their tutor.

Walking over to the Abbey, capped and gowned certainly caused a stir. It was a lovely atmosphere, amongst the crowds in the Abbey Churchyard, and we raised the profile of the university as all sorts of people took photographs and watched everyone in their ceremonial glory. Some tourists asked to pose with groups of graduates! It was a joyous occasion all round. 

Plans for Summer

For most parts of the university, life becomes rather different over the summer, and this is reflected in the activities of the BSU Archive office, too.

Most of the undergraduate students have now left for the vacation, and a proportion of these will attend their graduation ceremonies later this month. 

Postgraduate students are still in evidence, as their academic year usually lasts from September to September, but these are far fewer in number and a little more difficult to spot anyway, being always so studious and with their noses so firmly to the grindstone!

The archive work during this 'quiet time' is supplemented by attendance at College Reunions, organised by the Alumni Association, and taking place much more frequently now that the alumni office has grown over the past months. There are three such reunions taking place in the next few weeks. The archive team will be there to meet groups of former students, and we arrange displays of archive materials to show them. More news of these events will follow in future blogs.

Former student Christine, contemplates the Newton Park scenery July 2013

Summer is also a time for rest, recuperation and research, and some of the team, moving from the second to the third year of study here, will be hard at work with dissertation research. This is the case for Adam, Hayley and Laura. Richard is preparing for his MA postgraduate studies which begin in September, and Kate has officially been a PhD student since 1st July. Research is continuing in earnest!

Over the summer months, Corsham Court continues to be gently buzzing with postgraduate activity, but Newton Park, now almost empty of student activity, returns to its grand, peaceful splendour as a country estate. Its at this time that one's imagination can drift to former ages and times, and picture a life here before college habits took over. I recall interviewing a former student, now almost 90, who came to visit on a September Sunday morning; we sat on a bench outside Main House, and she told me wistfully that it was 'Just the same. Just the same...' 

Two sets of people here are still extremely busy at this time, of course. These are the teams involved with the Graduations, and with Admissions. Both groups are even now, bracing themselves for the challenges ahead. This year's graduations take place on 19th and 20th July at Bath Abbey. 

The Admissions team swing into their busiest period of activity in mid August, when they will be on hand during many long working days, to receive, placate, reassure and welcome another cohort of students. Another set of memories is about to begin at Bath Spa University.