Take a Delve into our Archives – An Array of Historic Heritage Artefacts at Bournemouth and Poole College

At Bournemouth and Poole College’s Learning Environment and Library department, you can find a hidden selection of fascinating archived material. The archives will see the light of day once more with plans to incorporate copies of the materials into various exhibitions throughout the year. 

There are old newspaper clippings about the college, some old degree papers belonging to prior members of staff, college reports from 1912, photographs of the Bournemouth Lansdowne site clocktower and aerial images of the sites. There are other historical items such as an ink supply costing ‘8d’, a painting from 1946 and booklets, leaflets and site proposals for buildings. 

The Learning Environment team have now become the custodians of this wonderful collection. Jack Spenceley, a Learning Environment Advisor (Digital Education and Learning Environments – Poole campus) is currently working on a large project to scan in documents electronically and ‘open up’ the archives; with planned visits for students to come and view what we have on-site through the exhibitions. 

Jack said: “I’ve been tasked with making as many documents electronic as possible. This is both an invigorating and interesting project. I look forward to seeing our current students come in to visit our amazing interactive exhibitions and see what cultural heritage the library holds of the history of the college. 

So far, Jack has put together displays in the Learning Environment’s VR Suite containing material relating to Remembrance Day and Women’s History Month as well as a display board containing covers of some of the College’s earliest prospectuses. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about the artefacts from the archives, please feel free to contact the Learning Environment team.