Community archives project needs help

The society is appealing for help from the community as the archive of local history has steadily outgrown a number of storage spaces over the years.

It now includes nearly 200 photographic albums with around 9,000 photographs dating from the 1880’s, six filing cabinets of indexed material, scrapbooks, community files for loan, publications, posters and pictures, and later material which needs indexing. Much of this material is also available digitally.

The society also has ownership and maintenance of the ‘Potton Car’, ehibition panels and display materials.

All this material had been housed in some disused stables since 1994, but has been in storage for a year after it had to be moved out.

The society, formed in 1977, now has a plan to build an annexe onto the town’s Mill Lane pavilion which the Potton Consolidated Charities provided in 2003. A substantial grant from the charities, along with a smaller grant from the William Delafield Charity towards the project, leaves the society to find £15,000 by the end of April, which could see it complete in the autumn.

Potton Town Council lease the building and are sympathetic to helping the society to find a lasting home.

The society is paying for the costs of the planning process from its own funds. Further information about the project and how you can help by becoming a supporter of the Archive Store project can be found at www.pottonhistorysociety.org.uk or on the groups Facebook page.

One of the founding members, Peter Ibbett, said: “This project would enable 40 years of work to have a lasting home for future generations of Pottonians to enjoy and add to.”