Old MarlburianCollege Archives

Compared with many schools, M.C. is fortunate in its Archives. We may not have the priceless items which can be boasted by Eton, Winchester and Harrow, but, because we are still only just over 160 years old, much data concerning Marlborough`s foundation, early struggles and subsequent development has survived. The result is that it is usually possible to document what the key factors influencing the evolution of the College have been at every stage and to understand the thinking behind decisions taken by the College`s Council throughout its history.

In addition to the obvious items (eg complete runs of “The Marlburian” and of “Proceedings of the College Natural History Society”, minutes of the College Council, Registers, Almanacs and ABC Lists) we have a great range of other material in the College Archives : house albums, Year Boxes of play programmes etc., Boxes of material filed by subject (eg sports, famous OMs, Chapel, society minute books, photographs of teams and of College buildings, bursarial correspondence, account books and College audits, examination papers - and results! – boxes of obituaries, architects` plans of buildings and many books. In addition, there is a cornucopia of oddments ranging from a “squaler” used by boys in the early days to kill squirrels, collections of butterflies and birds eggs and even extending to a cigarette card bearing the crest of Marlborough College! No wonder I often feel like a little boy in a sweet-shop when I am in the Archives!

How the Archivist Can Assist O.M.s

In receipt of an honorarium, this archivist is very much a part timer and works irregular hours. In term time, however, I can often be found in my office from about 10am until late afternoons on the majority of week days and I am very happy to be contacted by O.M.s at any time (by post, by telephone – 01672-892472 – or by e-mail: ter@marlboroughcollege.org ). If you wish to visit the archives to research something yourself, that can usually be arranged and you can be assured of a warm welcome.

I have agreed that there should be an Archive Section on The Marlburian Club`s website and I have undertaken to update this every few weeks with new archive “snippets”.

In an ideal world, it would be desirable for O.M.s to be able to search the College`s Archival database through the Club`s website. Sadly, however, when the database was set up it was devised solely for internal use and it will, I fear, be a huge job – and one I just do not have the time to undertake – to get the database into a form which would be both understandable and helpful to the uninitiated

title	Hon. Archivist and Beak 1964-1996
email	ter@marlboroughcollege.org
telephone	01672-892472

How O.M.s Can Help the College Archives

The College Archives owes a huge debt to Old Marlburians who, over many years, have either taken the trouble to write in with their reminiscences of their schooldays at Marlborough – there is nothing better than first-hand memories for bringing the past alive – or been kind enough to donate items of Marlburiana to the Archives. And neither memories nor items need to be large to be of value – the most recent treasure to be donated was a 1950 railway ticket for a boy`s bicycle being taken home at the end of term!