Honorary Archivists

The report of the first meeting of the Unions war memorial Committee on 4 July 1922 included the decision that:
"a book containing a list of names of all who served should be compiled in an artistic and permanent manner. Such a book to be an academic and service record of each individual."

This concept was to be taken up later by the War Memorial Committee appointed by Senate in 1924 to administer the construction of the War Memorial Carillion.

Many of the sponsors wished to have particular inscriptions on the bells as well as the names of those commemorated. However, some limits had to be placed on what was to be inscribed on the bells. Professor John Peden proposed that the room on the first floor of the tower, over the archway be termed the Memorials or Muniment Room and would contain the inscriptions suggested by the donors as well as other war memorials such as the Golden Book of names of members of the University who served during the War.

At a meeting of the War Memorial Carillion Committee in December 1931 an unsigned report was received making recommendations for the development of the University's War Memorial following the installation of the Rolls of Honour in the archway under the Tower. Included amongst the recommendations was:

The securing of a voluntary worker, perhaps an Honorary Archivist of the War Memorial to review, rearrange, and afterwards to keep in perfect order, for at least the time between this and next Armistice Day, all the records of the War memorial, including the Roll of Service of the University, the material relating the war which the Union gathered and placed in its archives in the Fisher Library, and all other historical matter having reference to the University's Roll of Services as, for instance the Commonwealth records of the war, and especially those personal records now kept in the office of the Commonwealth Historian, Dr. C.E.W. Bean.

The committee resolved to ask Professor E.R. Holme to act as Honorary Archivist. He was able to appoint an Assistant Archivist, or other such help to bring the records of the War memorial, including the Roll of Service, into good order and be available for (the) development requiring them.

The same meeting of the War Memorial Carillion Committee decided that a Book of Remembrance should be compiled as soon as possible. This was to record the names of the members of the University who were being commemorated by the Carillion.

Holme appears not to have been particularly active as Honorary Archivist, although he did appoint an assistant. Mr. George Edward Hall B.E. (1914) commenced duties in early 1932 with the title of Honorary Archivist, although Holme himself apparently did not immediately relinquish the title. A letter from Holme to Hall in February 1933 shows that Holme considered that they were working together and should submit a joint report to the War Memorial Committee. The report, submitted to the July meeting of that Committee, was however, signed by Hall alone.

Halls report, written prior to his going overseas, was dated 14 February 1933. In it Hall recorded his progress with the Book of Remembrance and Carillion records. He had examined all the papers relating to the war memorial and put them in order, destroying those of no further value. Files were being generally reduced and consolidated into two drawers by an otherwise unidentified Miss Lee. Much time was apparently spent in collecting and indexing published material, including music, relating to the Carillion and carillons generally. Details were given in Halls report on the draft of the Book of Remembrance, including the type of information to be recorded in each entry. A problem was encountered in the lack of complete information on nine hundred individuals but some suggestions for soliciting the information were made.

Following Halls departure overseas Mr Arthur Cousins B.A. (1911) was appointed Acting Honorary Archivist by the Acting Vice Chancellor, W. A. Selle.

Cousins also reported to the July meeting of the War Memorial Carillion committee on his work since his appointment, most of which related to obtaining the complete service details of each individual. On Halls return it was decided that Mr. Cosuins be asked to become Honorary Archivist. The two had been working together for some time prior to the meeting of the War Memorial Committee at which this was decided, and they had written to the Committee indicating their intention to continue to co-operate.

The Book of Remembrance was published in 1939 following seven years of dedicated and meticulous research by Hall and Cousins. They were based in the room on the first floor of the Tower which was known as the Muniment Room. The Unions war records had been transferred from the Fisher Library to the Muniment Room and was supplemented by additional material collected by Hall and Cousins. In 1941, following the publication of the Book of remembrance, the records were to be transferred back to the Fisher Library, although this appears not to have happened. It is not clear how the material went to the Union.

Many of the files contain photographs, letters and other documents related to the war service of members of the University. A standard form was used to collate the biographical data.