From the Book Shelves: Herefordshire Archive Library

‘Hoping that the book ‘is a useful contribution to your excellent local history section’

Commendation from a local donor:
Books displayed on shelves in the Herefordshire Archives

The most exciting and pleasing event that has happened to the HARC Library is that the library catalogue is now online after many years of pressure from the FHA and myself.

On the HARC website just click on Search HARC’s Library Catalogue and look under author, title, keyword (subject) etc. Although it has been noticed that some books have been missed from the spread sheet these are now being added to complete the catalogue of over 1,600 volumes.

During 2017 thirty-two volumes have been added to the library stock, this number includes books donated by authors and the Friends and quite a number put aside by Elizabeth and me from the autumn book sale.

Many of these were withdrawn by Hereford Library as duplicates but serve as a valuable addition to the HARC Library. Amongst these are Burke’s & Savills Guide to Country Houses, Cyril Hart’s Archaeology in Dean, Gentleman’s Magazine – English Topology and part 1 and 2 of the large oversize volumes of Gloucestershire by Atkyns.

Donations from authors are always welcome at Herefordshire Archives
Donations from authors are always welcome
Books are also received into the Archives from a book sale
From a book sale

One book from the sale bears a misleading title on its cover Agricultural Survey of the County of Hereford. Inside a handwritten index lists the book’s contents including this survey together with sections of Charles Heath’s Excursion down the Wye, Philip’s Geology of the Malvern Hills, Benefactions of Ross, Ross Funeral Sermons and an extract of the Accounts of a Tobacco Factory – what an eclectic collection!

Agricultural Survey of the County of Hereford – handwritten notes inside
Agricultural Survey of the County of Hereford – title page showing the eclectic contents

The full list of new titles are as follows:

  • Story of Eignbrook Church 942.44
  • The Bomb Girls 355
  • The Forest and Chase of Malvern 942.47
  • Gardens and Green Spaces 712
  • Gallipoli 1915 (Coddington) 942.44
  • From Memory to Written Record 942
  • Lewstone Estate 942.44
  • Church Tiles of 19th century 726
  • The Houses of Hereford 942.44
  • Hereford Cathedral School 378
  • The Parish Atlas of England 912
  • East Herefordshire Farms 942.44
  • What’s Your Story? 942.44
  • Collected Radnorshire Wills 942.9
  • Upton on Severn 942.47
  • Life in the Victorian Asylum 361
  • The English Alehouse 647
  • Lordship in Four Realms 920
  • Mounton Valley Paper Mills 660
  • Local Locals 647
  • The Journals of a Tourist in 1790s
  • Briton’s Cathedrals 726.6
  • Mistress Blanch (revised) 820
  • River Voices 942.44
  • Aspatria Carriage Builders 388
  • VCH Shropshire 922.45
  • Hereford City Excavations Vol 1-3 942.44
  • Castlemorton Farms 942.46
  • Short History of Hereford 942.44
  • Agricultural Survey of Hereford 630
  • Bredenbury 942.44
  • History of Bristol 942.41
  • Cathedral Cities 726.6
  • Two Paper: meaning of Minster 942.44
  • Apple Pies & Welsh Cakes 942.44
  • Catholicism community and identity 271.1
  • The Industrial History of Dean 942.41
  • The Birds of Herefordshire 2017 598

Care of the Library Collection

Two volumes of the Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club (57-59 and 60-62) have been returned from the binders, and other repair and refurbishment to books are being carried out by Liz Bowerman with her team of volunteers on a Monday. On the library shelves regularly used books showing wear and tear have been provided with polythene dust jackets and slip cases, while loose and torn pages are being carefully repaired. Please note the binding and in house repairs have been generously funded by the Friends.

Heather Hurley, Hon Librarian