Category: Archive of Records

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Can Memorial Hall host our History Group Archive? 20 November 2018

We’ve asked the Memorial Hall Committee to help with storage of, and access to, our 3500-item archive. Here’s a copy of our request to them:

Letter to Memorial Hall Committee:

Packington Village History Group PVHG

From: Robin Boucher                    13th November 2018

To:  Mr. Chris Miles, Chairman Packington Memorial Hall Committee

Dear Chris,

Storage of History Group Archive

Following our brief word at the end of the World War One commemorations, I am writing on behalf of the History Group to make a formal request about storage of the archive at the Memorial Hall.

You will remember my previous letter of six months ago on this subject: since then we have put forward Robert Dilworth as our representative on the Hall Committee. I understand that at the Hall Committee’s last meeting, it was suggested that the History Group should put forward a proposal – hence this letter, on which Robert will be able to speak further at the meeting on 20th November.

The History Group requests agreement to place a large metal lockable cabinet in a suitable location in one of the storage rooms at the Hall, for the long term. This would be used to maintain archive material in a weatherproof and secure place, central to the village. The History Group would need access to the cabinet on an “ad hoc” basis during daytimes and possibly occasional evenings, while seeking to avoid any disruption to other users of the Hall’s facilities.

The History Group’s ultimate wish is to digitise the archive material, making it readily available to residents of the village (and of course to the wider world). However, the Group needs to carry out a good deal of work to prepare for this. If the material is stored at the Hall, the Group wishes to hold a number of sessions during 2019 (probably in the daytime) to undertake this preparation work. These sessions would be in addition to the Group’s schedule of evening meetings round the year.

We are aware that the constitution of the Memorial Hall includes references to the promotion of reading and other educational activities; we believe our intended usage is wholly congruent with these aims.

Robert will attend the meeting on 20th November hoping to progress our request, bringing queries back to the next History Group meeting on 27th November if required. I do hope your committee will feel able to support us.

Yours sincerely,

Robin Boucher
Chair, Packington Village History Group

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1901 Events – from the PVHG Archive

Some aspects of 1901 in Packington:

  • 22nd January 1901 – Queen Victoria died after 63 years on the throne. Read about Packington’s memorial service in early February, conducted by the vicar, Rev A S Mammatt,  at which the Earl of Loudoun and parishioners from both Willesley and Packington attended. (Burton Chronicle transcribed report below.)
  • November 1901 – In our Parish News, vicar Rev A S Mammatt described the Re-opening of the church. “..thoroughly overhauled and repaired..” “The outside walls, buttresses, parapets and roof have received attention, and the mullions of several windows renewed. The whole of the floor inside has been covered with a bed of cement concrete, four inches thick..” (Full details in  two Parish News text images below)
  • December 24th 1901 – Packington reeled at the sudden death of Rev A S Mammatt, who had been vicar since 1890 and who had been responsible both for the restoration of our Packington Church and for the new church of St Faith at Snibston. A sad Christmastide indeed.. (See Burton Chronicle transcribed report in the image below.)

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