Our depositors and how to become one

What Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service Does

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service exists to preserve local records, to make them available for use and to promote the study of the county's past. It exercises statutory functions in respect of certain classes of public and ecclesiastical records and also accepts and preserves private and business archives relating to Bedfordshire. In brief, Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service collects two main category of record:

• documents relating to the topography, ownership, occupation and use of land in Bedfordshire;
• documents recording or illustrating all aspects of human activity in Bedfordshire.

What we collect

• Documents of sufficient evidential and/or informational value to merit permanent preservation.
• Documents of any date - deposit of important material created today is positively encouraged.
• Documents in any physical form or media, provided Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has suitable facilities for storage and access.
• Local topographical prints, drawings, photographs etc.
• Archive copies of local newspapers.
• Microform and facsimile copies of Bedfordshire material held in other repositories or private ownership.

What we do not collect

• Three dimensional artefacts and specimens falling within the collecting policies of local museums.
• Frames, tin trunks, deed chests and other containers, which will be returned to the owner or destroyed.
• Film and sound archives, since we do not currently have suitable storage or access facilities.
• Literary manuscripts unless associated with other archive material falling within our collecting criteria.
• Works of art of primarily visual interest and appeal.
• Printed or published books, pamphlets or documents falling more within the scope of the public library service, unless the material is suitable for our searchroom reference library.
• Duplicates of documents already held unless they are in better condition or are gifts and duplicate material on loan

Can you help us fill gaps in our holdings?

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has acknowledged strengths and weaknesses in its holdings - it is eager to turn weaknesses into strengths and also to further boost existing strengths. Can you deposit or donate material with us which falls into either category? If so please e-mail, telephone, fax or write to us to chat to us about making a deposit or donation.

Strengths in our countywide coverage

• Quarter Sessions and Petty Sessions archives*
• Local Authority archives (County, District and Borough Councils)
• Town and Parish Council archives
• Ecclesiastical parish records
• Nonconformist church records (especially Methodist archives)
• Family and estate archives
• Title deeds and related documents
• Prison records
• Military records
• Material on trades specific to Bedfordshire
• Hospital and mental health records
• Illustrations
• Genealogical material
• Records of agriculture, husbandry and land management
• Solicitors records

Weaknesses in our countywide coverage

• Political papers - of parties, societies and individual politicians
• Minority groups - ethnic minorities and non-Christian religions
• Business archives - especially local and smaller businesses and industries
• Records of trades unions and of pressure groups
• Records of voluntary services e.g. WRVS, CAB, RELATE etc.
• Clubs and Societies - social, recreational and sporting
• Private archive material of 20th century generally

Donating or depositing records and archives

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service accepts material from individuals or bodies in one of two ways, either as donations or deposits.

Donations

You donate the material to the office and we store it and make it available to people to study. Any material we do not want we will either return to you or destroy, as you instruct.

Deposits

You may deposit material with us, which means that you continue to own it whilst we store it on your behalf and make it available to people to study. There is no charge for storing the material. Any material we do not want we will either return to you or destroy as you instruct us.

If you have archives you would like to donate to the service please contact Martin Deacon, Operations Manager for Records Management and Cataloguing on (01234) 228827 or e-mail: Contact Us|