At their December meeting, the NMCT Trustees awarded grants totalling over £76,000 to nine conservation projects. The successful projects include:
South West Heritage Trust: The political papers of Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth. These form the most nationally significant collection held at the Devon Heritage Centre and some 4,000 items will be conserved.
Cambridge University Library: for the conservation of Coptic papyri. The collection being conserved includes several Biblical texts dated to c. 6–7th centuries CE and other items and letters. Although relatively small, this collection has already generated interest from scholars in the UK, Germany and Sweden. The second group are from a single, 7th–century Biblical codex (CUL Green 88), containing the Coptic text of Kingdoms I (Samuel I). It is one of is one of only 18 known witnesses to this text.
Chatsworth House Trust: the papers of Thomas Hobbes. This nationally important, and internationally studied archive containing annotated drafts of some of Hobbes’ (1588-1679) major publications, along with correspondence between Hobbes and his contemporaries, the papers are a unique resource of international importance
Library of Freemasonry: The writings of William Perfect. This manuscript includes prose and poetry written from 1755 to 1773 by Doctor William Perfect of West Malling, Kent.
Durham County Record Office: for the conservation of the Consett Locomotive Registers. Consett owed its existence to the Consett Iron Company and became synonymous with iron and steel, one of the world’s leading iron and steel making towns. Seven volumes will be conserved - registers of repairs to locomotives and locomotive cranes.
Oriel Mon: the conservation of the note and sketch books of Charles Tunnicliffe. 52 bound volumes of work by Charles Tunnicliffe will be conserved. The paintings and sketches are accompanied by extensive notes, making the collection of interest not only to artists but also wildlife and geographical researchers.
These grants bring the total awards made in 2017 to over £143,000.
Researcher consulting the papers Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth. Courtesy of the South West Heritage Trust.
