Tuesday 22 July: Sue has spent the day immersed in recording the details of the contents of Pringle in the database I set up on Monday. This involves recording, with unique identifying information, each and every document that it contains. We call this producing a ‘dummy’ (as in a dummy run, a practice or trial) of the collection, and she will be doing this box by box. I will then come along after her, box by box, and record the more technical information. This division of labour has evolved because we’ve found, working on the Forbes collection, that doing all the recording tasks at once produces muddles and omissions.

Andrea has been checking Price letters against some published versions. We’re now discussing in how much detail to record them, and from my viewpoint rough and ready will do apart from aspects we’ll work on in detail. From working on Schreiner’s letters, Andrea’s inclinations are towards perfection. However, this is a very different project. Preparing the database is something Andrea will do next.

Unlike both of them, my day has been fragmented and frustrating. There is no huge Bowker collection, although there are huge books about the Bowkers, and there is some but not a ‘family collection’. So, what to do with it? I don’t yet know, so more later on this. Consolidated Gold is more straightforward – it’s huge but I shall ignore all of it apart from things that directly interface with the Rhodes Papers, and also copy its outline inventory. The Moffat materials are different and will form a good case study. Nearly all these 50 or so letters are by Mary Moffat – mother of the Elizabeth Price whose letters Andrea is mapping – so there are interesting family connections also involving her daughter-in-law Jane Unwin Moffat.

We’re in the thick of it now… More tomorrow.

Last updated: 23 July 2014