Historic documents dating back to 15th century set to move from Welsh museum

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter 

Documents dating as far back as the 15th century are set to move after museum claim they are unable to provide controlled access.

Documents, including some auction catalogues and deeds dating as far back as the 17th and 15th century, and medical records from Monmouth General Hospital, are currently held by Monmouthshire County Council’s museum service.

But it has had funding, from the Welsh Government, to employ an archivist to dig through its mounting collection of dusty documents gathered over time and consider which could be transferred to the Gwent Archives in Ebbw Vale.

The museum service has been reviewing its collection, including papers deposited for its archive, ahead of Monmouth Museum moving to the town’s revamped Shire Hall .

Monmouth Museum currently holds school records and hospital notes from Monmouth General Hospital which detail medical records, procedures and operations from 1926 to as recently as 1986.

Though the school and hospital papers are public records as they contain sensitive information they are subject to a “closure period”.

A report for Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet member responsible for museums, Sara Burch, stated the school and hospital records would “benefit from being in a county record office which can more able provide controlled access.”

It also said museum staff currently don’t have capacity to provide controlled access to the records.

Also set to move to the Gwent Archives are papers related to land and property sales.

The council has some seven boxes full of property deeds and conveyances from the the 15th century through to the 1940s and 50s.

They have been deposited from local solicitors in and around Monmouth who previously stored such deeds and the report said the public will have easier access to them at the Gwent Archives.

Well-used documents

Many people continue to search these records to help settle boundary disputes and when researching homes and house purchases.

Three full boxes of auction catalogues, some of which date back the 17th century, and contain information on house purchases and land exchanges through to the 1950 are also set to be placed Gwent Archives to make them more accessible.

The transfer is due to be approved by Cllr Burch and the report also sets out the guidance and advice followed by the council when consider rationalisation of its museum collection.

If Cllr Burch was to decide against transferring the items the council would have to continue to meet ongoing costs of storing them, as well as potential future cost of re boxing, and of making them accessible for the public.

The report explains “accessioning” is the process of formally recording a museum’s governing body has taken legal ownership of objects and committed to care for them over the long term while “deaccessioning” is the formal decision to take objects out of the “accessioned collection” and manage their disposal or transfer.

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