The BB Society - Denys Watkins-Pitchford

BB SOCIETY ARCHIVE

The BB Archive was established in 2005, as one of the Society’s Centenary Projects and now has over 900 items catalogued. These include 200 general items and photographs, 100 letters, 60 radio scripts and 550 magazine articles of which 400 come from ‘The Shooting Times’ .

An archive is a place where documents, film and ephemera, that have some permanent or continuing value, are selected, preserved, and then made available for research.  Because of historical, sociological, artistic and literary value, the BB Archive has letters, photographs, artwork, books, notebooks and scrapbooks relating to the life and work of BB.  Most of the material has been, and continues to be, kindly donated or lent and will be either originals or copies of the same.

It is of course invaluable to be able to house such an archive in conditions providing physical protection from handling, theft or the deteriorating effects of the environment, including light, temperature and humidity.  The Archive is currently located at Lamport Hall, Northamptonshire.

The search for first editions of BB’s books, or indeed other copies used for research is ongoing. The collection is growing. Equally the search for photographs and letters concerning BB which can be copied and the originals returned to the owners is thriving.

The BB Archive aims to accommodate the interests of Society members by displaying new additional items at each Society meeting before they are archived.

It is hoped that as the collection grows, it might encourage some in-depth study into BB’s life and work - a worthwhile thesis which can clearly benefit from the Archive.

All details of the Society Archive can be obtained from the Archivist. (See ‘Who's Who’ contact detail page.)

Illustration by Denys Watkins-Pitchford (BB) - Heart of the Forest Illustration by Denys Watkins-Pitchford (BB)