Walker Neesam Archive

In June 2022 Malcolm Neesam died, bequeathing in his Will a lifetime of material to North Yorkshire Council on the strict understanding that the collection (mostly paper) would never leave Harrogate. The Council accepted the terms and 54 document boxes containing a total of over 100,000 items were carefully relocated from Malcolm’s home to a specially prepared room in the Mercer Gallery.

It was here that the hard work really started. It was never in doubt that this important resource deserved proper curation and it was agreed that the archive should be preserved not only on paper but also digitally with every item being photographed, given a unique number and title and a short description of content. This was always going to be a project of legendary scale. Indeed, two years in, some 97,000 of the 100,000 items have yet to be catalogued.

Charged with day-to-day responsibility for this “Labour of Hercules” is Collections Assistant Danielle Little. Recruited into the North Yorkshire museums service at the start of this project, Danielle is eminently qualified, with three masters degrees to her name and blessed with infinite patience. She cheerfully acknowledges the scale of the challenge. Despite only being able to allocate a day a week or so to the archive, Danielle and her support team of loyal volunteers refuse to be daunted by what was always going to be a very long-term exercise.

So what is to happen to the archive while it is being curated?
First and foremost, it will be kept safe. Then it will be made accessible to all those (such as our own Paul Jennings) who need to consult it. But Danielle and the team are also keen to display elements to the public whenever time allows. There have already been two exhibitions, both held at the Mercer: “Harrogate’s Historian: a first look at the Walker Neesam archive” and, earlier this year, “Sounds of the Spa” which celebrated Malcolm’s love for Harrogate’s musical heritage. More are planned.

As for the digital database, this is being designed for eventual public access. But on exactly when “eventual” will be Danielle is rather more cautious, not wishing to press the button with so much of the archive still awaiting conversion. But the day will come. That much she promises. And when it does, we shall be among the first to know!