Share this page |
Selby's shipbuilding archives open to publicPeople in Selby are being given the chance to explore a selection of records from the archives of Cochrane and Sons, the town's major shipbuilders, later this month.
The North Yorkshire County Record Office is holding an event on Saturday 22nd September at Selby Community Centre, Scott Road, Selby, between 10.00am and 2.00pm. During this time visitors will also get the chance to share memories of the shipyard and find out more about the Record Office's £48,000 Heritage Lottery Fund project "Trawling Through Time". The event is one in a series designed to enable full access to the Cochrane archive. Cochrane & Sons played a vital part in Selby's industrial history for almost one hundred years from 1898 to 1992. The closure of the yard with the loss of 500 jobs ended a tradition of shipbuilding in Selby first recorded in the fifteenth century. One of the most significant employers in the region and an important supplier of vessels to the Admiralty in both World Wars, the yard built trawlers and coasters and later tugs, oil rig supply vessels, coastal tankers and ferries. As the Record Office has now acquired the extensive business archive of the firm, consisting of over 100 metres of records, this precious resource will enable the wider community to explore their heritage and celebrate Selby's proud tradition of shipbuilding for generations to come. The project will allow full access to this important shipbuilding archive for the first time and will discover and celebrate Selby's shipbuilding past through a series of outreach and educational events. It will involve schools, colleges, former employees and Selby and district residents and will capture people's memories of the shipyard and preserve them for future generations. County Councillor Chris Metcalfe, North Yorkshire's Executive Member for the County Record Office said: "Shipbuilding was a crucial part of Selby life and we hope very much that people will enjoy coming to these events which are helping to open up the archive to the community". Free refreshments and free parking are provided and there is no need to book. For more information please email archives@northyorks.gov.uk or telephone 01609 777585. 11 September 2012 |