The purpose of the Society of the Sacred Heart England and Wales Provincial Archives is to collect, preserve and make available records concerning rscj (Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus/Réligieuses du Sacré Coeur de Jésus) in Britain.
Collections held
Records relating to the England and Wales Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart, and to the Society worldwide. Includes:
- Books of biography regarding key rscj (Religious of the Sacred Heart/Réligieuse du Sacré Coeur de Jésus)
- Writings of Superiors General and Provincial
Papers relating to the administration of the Province, including Chapter documents - Personal papers and correspondence of many deceased members of the Province (e.g. photographs, published works)
- Records of Society communities
- Records (e.g. registers, journals) of Sacred Heart Schools
- Material relating to the overseas missionary work of the Province and the wider Society
Most of the material dates from the 19th – 21st centuries. Formats: paper, photographs, born-digital material (including video and cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, electronic newsletters).
The Archive is part of the Network of Archives & Libraries of the Catholic Church and as material is catalogued it will be made available online through the Catholic Heritage website.
Access
The Provincial Archives of the Society of the Sacred Heart is a private archive and access is at the discretion of the Archivist. Researchers are required to fill in a registration form at the time of their first visit and to abide by all the rules of the Archives. The Archives are open Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; other times by appointment where possible.
Archive staff are unable to undertake detailed research on behalf of enquirers. Limited research enquiries can be carried out free of charge. Photocopies or digital images of documents can be ordered subject to preservation and copyright restrictions. A full list of fees is available upon request. Researchers may take their own digital photographs free of charge, provided they fill in a permissions form.
The Archives are accessible to researchers with disabilities.
catholicarchivesociety.org 