Cardiff University is home to the world’s largest collection of writings by Edward Thomas (1878-1917). The collection includes a set of deeply personal manuscripts and notebooks that underpin his artistic method as one of the most significant British poets of WW1. This project aimed to conserve nine of these manuscripts and notebooks, which were unable to be handled without a high risk of further damage and were therefore inaccessible to scrutiny, celebration, digitisation and study. Cardiff University was eager to preserve these items in preparation for the upcoming international centenary of Edward Thomas’ death in 2017.

Only with the help of NMCT have we been able to:

Permit physical access to the items for research (in perpetuity): These items can now be handled and consulted safely, appropriately and responsibly by students, academic staff, visiting researchers and members of the public. This was not possible before the grant award. The testing & treatment of iron gall ink has also prevented further degradation to the collection. Testing of the herbarium items has also ensured that health and safety measures are met for users and archivists as herbarium can be contaminated with mercury, arsenic or lead.

Support the next generation of conservators: Pamela Murray, Cardiff University MSc Conservation in Practice student, shadowed and assisted Lydia Stirling with most of the conservation work. This provided invaluable real-life experience of the conservation life-cycle and applying theoretical knowledge in a laboratory setting.

“Personally, the project gave me an opportunity to learn new skills - fasiculing, herbarium mounting, rebinding, iron gall ink testing and treating - and to improve my basic skills – humidifying, infilling and tear repair. Also, working with different organisation has taught me how to collaborate and communicate with different stakeholders. I found it very beneficial working with a large project from start to finish. It was very satisfying seeing the collection from packaging and transport to cleaning, repairing and testing and even to seeing the final exhibition and related events surrounding the collection.”  Pamela Murray (MSc Conservation in Practice student)

All  images courtesy of Cardiff University

2017
Selection of items from the collection.

Selection of items from the collection.

Edward Thomas (1878-1917).

Edward Thomas (1878-1917).

Pamela Murray treating iron gall ink.

Pamela Murray treating iron gall ink.