How the charity came about
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The Friends of the Keep Archives is the legal successor of the Friends of East Sussex Record Office, formerly Charity number 296062, supporting all of the partners at the Keep.
It became clear when the Keep was being built that an overarching charity serving all of the partners at the Keep would serve the partners better than three separate and potentially competing supporting charities. The Trustees of the Friends of the East Sussex Record Office offered their services in setting up the new charity and their offer was accepted by all of the partners at the Keep. |
There followed the lengthy process of setting up a new charity with the guidance of Brighton Solicitors and the equally lengthy process of opening new Bank accounts. The Trustees opted for a Charitable Incorporated Organisation following closely the guidance of the Charity Commission. The new organisation has the advantage of a modern constitution coupled with limited liability: essential if we were to attract new Trustees. There were detailed discussions about the objects of the new Charity, which were drafted widely to enable the new Charity to meet the anticipated future needs of the partners of the Keep. These new objects include supporting the archive services; raising funds; providing assistance whether financial or physical in the conservation and digitisation of records; increasing public awareness and stimulating interest; and arranging both lectures and visits.
Once the constitution had been approved in draft the consent of the Charity Commission was sought and obtained for the new Charity. There followed a final Annual General meeting of the Friends of East Sussex Record Office when final accounts were presented to members and they voted unanimously to merge their assets with those of the new Charity. This in turn was reported to the Charity Commission which has now removed the Friends of the East Sussex Record office from the list of active charities, recognising that the new Charity is the successor in all respects to the former Charity, and entitled to any benefits which might otherwise have gone to the former charity. This website celebrates much of the work already achieved by the new Charity, which its Trustees are proud to serve.
Once the constitution had been approved in draft the consent of the Charity Commission was sought and obtained for the new Charity. There followed a final Annual General meeting of the Friends of East Sussex Record Office when final accounts were presented to members and they voted unanimously to merge their assets with those of the new Charity. This in turn was reported to the Charity Commission which has now removed the Friends of the East Sussex Record office from the list of active charities, recognising that the new Charity is the successor in all respects to the former Charity, and entitled to any benefits which might otherwise have gone to the former charity. This website celebrates much of the work already achieved by the new Charity, which its Trustees are proud to serve.
The Keep and its Friends
Perhaps not everyone could readily describe what a County Record Office is all about. But once you start to research your family, or the history of your town, or previous owners of your house, you will soon become very familiar with the wealth of material which has been gathered and, most important, catalogued and conserved so that it is accessible to the public.
Today, much of the material has been digitised so that it is available online. The maintenance of archives is a public responsibility, but for many years public funding has been unable to keep pace with the vast amount of material which we and future generations want to see preserved. Since 1987, the Friends of the Keep Archives have contributed to saving historic and often beautiful documents which might otherwise have disappeared into private hands or gone abroad. Archivists from the East Sussex Record Office have tracked down mediaeval charters with elaborate seals, and have reunited family papers previously scattered, at a cost of thousands of pounds; our eagle-eyed volunteer scans eBay for photographs and postcards which we can buy for a few pounds.
The building also includes the library and headquarters of the Sussex Family History Group and is open to anyone who wants to use the public search rooms and facilities.
FoTKA members are looking forward to an exciting future collaborating with colleagues at The Keep to ensure that its remarkable work can continue.
Today, much of the material has been digitised so that it is available online. The maintenance of archives is a public responsibility, but for many years public funding has been unable to keep pace with the vast amount of material which we and future generations want to see preserved. Since 1987, the Friends of the Keep Archives have contributed to saving historic and often beautiful documents which might otherwise have disappeared into private hands or gone abroad. Archivists from the East Sussex Record Office have tracked down mediaeval charters with elaborate seals, and have reunited family papers previously scattered, at a cost of thousands of pounds; our eagle-eyed volunteer scans eBay for photographs and postcards which we can buy for a few pounds.
The building also includes the library and headquarters of the Sussex Family History Group and is open to anyone who wants to use the public search rooms and facilities.
FoTKA members are looking forward to an exciting future collaborating with colleagues at The Keep to ensure that its remarkable work can continue.
