Husband and wife, Anne and Gerry Griffith, talk about their experience of working as volunteers on the Shippam’s project, and why they chose to get involved.
"We are both retired education professionals. Having spent over 40 years explaining, enthusing and encouraging others to learn, the Shippam’s project followed naturally in using our skills.
We were already volunteering in related fields, Anne at Chichester Cathedral’s library and Gerry at the Weald and Downland Museum. Anne has a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies, gained while working at Manchester University’s John Ryland’s Library. Gerry has a first degree in Social and Economic History and recently completed an MA in Cultural History, so the Shippam’s project tied in nicely with our interests, knowledge and research skills.
Anne has always been interested in local social history, making a point of researching each community we have lived in. She has used the knowledge gained in her teaching career, sharing the material to create learning resources for her lessons. Anne’s work in cataloguing the Shippam’s advertising resources and entering data onto The Novium Museum’s database is interesting and helps develop her existing approaches to recording information. She really enjoys looking at the illustrations and changing styles to suit the changing demographics which Shippam’s were seeking to influence.
Gerry has been researching the Shippam’s business and family using the British Newspaper Archive (BNA), an online resource provided by the British Library. This is a resource he first used while researching his dissertation on how the British local and regional press reported the 1918-19 Influenza Pandemic. The BNA enables the user to select specific names, topics, time periods, newspapers and regions from the 1700s to the present day. There is a vast amount of information about the Shippams, their involvement in Chichester’s business, artistic, social and political life. The family’s philanthropic work is reported, as well as the welfare they provided for the workforce. For example, the company provided their workers with annual health checkups by Harley Street doctors at a time when there was limited public health provision. They also provided holidays, enabled staff entertainments and sports clubs all of which were reported in local newspapers. The family’s involvement in local politics was well reported, especially in the campaign to provide Chichester with an effective sewage and clean water systems.
The development of Shippam’s advertising in newspapers is fascinating. Gerry discovered that the brand was advertising in The Tatler during the 1930s. Styles of advertising in the newspapers evolved along with the display advertisements used by grocers, which Anne has been cataloguing.
As a couple it has been fascinating to compare and contrast the materials we have found. Having completed the research phase of the project, Gerry is now assisting the digitising and recording of the materials which Anne and her colleagues are cataloguing. This is a completely new discipline for him and one that may be useful in future projects. It has been rewarding to work with Sally and her colleagues at The Novium Museum who have provided invaluable training, encouragement and support."
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