gateways to entry, lobby to protect the profession, define the training and
education required and engage with policy and law makers.
In 20th century England, archivists gradually developed a sense of professional
community and established professional associations to represent them. The
British Records Association was formed in 1932 to address the development of
national archive policy. The Society of Local Archivists (1947, renamed the Society
of Archivists in 1955) was the first body which was primarily for archivists as a
profession rather than simply including archivists and archive activities within
its objectives.
In the late 1940s, local archives grew in number and strength. In 1946, eleven
local archivists met informally in London 'to consider the question of forming
some kind of Local Archivists' Committee, the chief object of which would be
to hold meetings at which archivists' practical problems could be discussed'.18
A Society of Local Archivists was founded, with a London headquarters
and six regional groups. The National Register of Archives Registrar, Malet,
helped to draft the rules and organise the regions. The significant issue which
differentiated the new body was its membership. The 1947 rules gave the power
to elect members who 'are responsible for and are occupied in the practical
care of local archives', that is archive professionals, not amateurs or owners of
archives. In 1954, the membership was widened to embrace archivists working in
any sector. It sought to foster the care and preservation of archives, to promote
the better administration of archive repositories, to enable archivists to discuss
common problems, to exchange technical knowledge and to encourage research
in archive problems.
Throughout the 20th century, new archival developments in England usually
resulted in the foundation of new bodies, rather than an extension of the
scope of existing organisations. This is seen over and again: the British Records
Association broke away from the British Record Society in 1932; the Society of
Local Archivists was created separately from the British Records Association.
A separate association for records managers The Records Management Society
formed in 1983 as a split from the Society of Archivists. The National Council
on Archives formed as an umbrella group in 1988 to fill a policy gap. In a small
domain, multiplicity rather than uniformity made the stability of the various
bodies uncertain and there was a lack of clarity about their roles. By the late 20th
century, many of these bodies lacked resources, relied on voluntary officers, and
duplicated effort. In 2010 discussions were under way about the amalgamation of
the leading associations and the establishment of a single new organisation.
Appropriate archives and records management education
and development
The final theme is the provision of appropriate archives and records management
education and development. Education sets parameters for professional work,
46
PROFESSIE
18 Minutes 23 Feb 1946, SA 88/1/1, held at London Metropolitan Archives, Clerkenwell, London.
19 Committee appointed to enquire as to the existing arrangements for the collection and custody of local
records...Report on Local Records, Cd.1335 London: HMSO (1902).
