From Friday, 12 February, a free digital film and sound archive with access to footage which brings the region’s past to life will open to all.
People using the award-winning new archive will be able to see the region after the blitz, local industry, life in the towns and villages of the East Riding and even the wreckage of the Howden R38 Airship crash in 1921.
Sound archives including interviews with local people talking about their lives, local music and even church services of the past will also be made available through the new service which has been set up under the Digital History for a Digital Future project.
Councillor Jane Evison, portfolio holder for cultural services, housing and public protection at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The Film and Sound Archive is part of our answer to the growing challenge of digital preservation. It’s not just about film reels and cassette tapes, but also the records that we produce on our computers. All of these are fragile and in danger of becoming obsolete due to rapid changes in technology.”
“The digital records that we create today will form the history of tomorrow, and the Film and Sound Archive is the first step towards safeguarding the East Riding’s digital heritage for future generations.”
The East Riding Archives and Local Studies Service has already received an award for this new service.
The National Council on Archives has given the project an Archive Pace Setter award, which is given to archives which provide access to their collections in innovative ways. Currently, only one other service in the country has received this accolade.
The facility is due to be officially opened on the evening of Thursday, February 11, by Councillor Christopher Matthews, chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
He said: “I am so pleased to open this new facility which will be of interest to people from throughout the East Riding and further afield. It is not often that I have the chance to open something which is already award-winning, and people should be very proud that we have such a fantastic facility here to help with study and research for years to come.”
As the facility opens there will be 55 film recordings and 28 sound recordings, ready for public use.
This is expected to at least double over the next six months as film and sound records are converted to digital format, and as new material is deposited.
To book a time to use the Film & Sound Archive, simply visit the Research Room at the Treasure House, in Champney Road, Beverley, or call (01482) 392790.
