The Archives
Annually around 30 classes from 15 Southwark primary schools book to visit the James Caird, lifeboat of explorer Ernest Shackleton, housed in the Laboratory building.
Year-four pupils at St Peter's Church of England School, Walworth have been learning about the expeditions of Ernest Shackleton. We were delighted to welcome 24 of them to see the objects we hold; including the James Caird.
Information from The Archives is provided on a global basis. There are around 200 enquiries each year from external enquirers (poets, social researchers, researchers of books, TV, and film) for whom our archivists conduct research.
Access is provided to approximately 100 external researchers every year who come to the archive facility.
Material from our Archives has been loaned to the V&A and the Military museums.
Our archivists give talks to local groups and to schools.
To arrange access to The Archives contact:
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"I was researching WW1 men remembered on the War Memorial in Bromley. I emailed asking about 18 men late on Monday; by the next day I had their photos and by Friday I had all the documentation. Thank you so much."Researcher
"I'm in my second year at Oxford and have just started my Shakespeare portfolio. I went to The Charter School and during my A Levels was lucky enough to look at your Shakespeare collection. I would be really interested in doing some work on textual/material culture for my portfolio"
Researcher