Improving discoverability, through metadata enhancement and handwritten transcription

Why the Work Matters

Professor Andrew Lambert, Naval Historian in the Department of War Studies, said: ‘This archive offers access to a startling transformation that lies at the heart of British identity. In 50 years the Hanoverians went from German interlopers to British icons, while the first George was German soldier, his great-great grandson William IV was that most unique of national heroes, a British Admiral. The reconstruction of the Hanoverian dynastic brand for a British audience was carefully contrived and wholly successful.’ This is only one of many perspectives of how access to this largely unknown archive has the potential to transform our understanding 18th history internationally.

“This archive offers access to a startling transformation that lies at the heart of British identity.”

- Professor Andrew Lambert
Naval Historian, King's College London

Partners in Scholarship, Access, and Interpretation

 

Launched on 1 April 2015 by Her Majesty The Queen, the Georgian Papers Programme is an ambitious project to transform access to the extensive collection of Georgian papers held in the Royal Archives and Royal Library at Windsor Castle. At the heart of the Programme is a partnership between the Royal Archives and Royal Library with King’s College London. The Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture and William & Mary are sharing in this work as primary Programme partners for the USA. Our academic role is to provide publicly accessible interpretation and support discovery within the archives of innovative digital technologies. King’s, Omohundro and Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association are all sponsoring fellowships to support original research and further interpretation. We are also joined in this initiative by visiting professors to King’s College London sponsored by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Why Digitization?

Digitization of archival records improves access and ensures the long-term preservation of these often fragile documents. By allowing online publication of the records it allows researchers to access the material remotely from any part of the world. From a practical perspective, the digitisation of these papers eases the capacity pressure on the Royal Archives, which being situated in a medieval tower in Windsor Castle can only allow limited access to scholars.