excitingexcitingexciting

Day one at Suffolk County Archives and decided to see what it was like as a member of the public! Armed with the few notes I made at a meeting with Kate, Judith and Bridget. I started out trying to look at title deeds - but - they are obviously not catalogued by their level of folding techniques - so - the first of many incredibly helpful conversations took place with an archivist – I was pointed to the work of AA Dibben, who has written extensively on the subject - after becoming acquainted with the world of lease and release, deed, conveyance, trusts, copyhold, settlements and wills I decided to look up local book printers, sellers and publishers (Book distribution and printing in Suffolk 1534-1850 by Tony Copsey was on the same shelf as the Dibben) now armed with some names and places I was able to start to search - James Bird arrived in Yoxford in 1814 set up a shop and wrote poetry - HD 497/1 led me to a collection of his letters, unfolded, printed tracts and death notices all tipped in to sections and bound in grey board with a marbled cover - wonderful. The day just got better with numerous documents of velum with seals and stamps and ribbons embedded within the landscape of folds - held within fascinating archival boxes, folders and portfolios. The final boxes held numerous tiny documents written in Latin with fragile seals attached and held within a very specific cut and folded structure.