British Records Association
| Abbreviation | BRA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1932 |
| Type | Learned society |
| Purpose | Archives and historic records |
| Location | |
|
Region served
|
United Kingdom |
|
Patron
|
The Marquess of Salisbury |
|
President
|
Sir Terence Etherton, Master of the Rolls |
|
Chairman
|
Julia Sheppard |
| Website | http://www.britishrecordsassociation.org.uk/ |
The British Records Association (widely known as the BRA, pronounced as three letters) is a British learned society founded in 1932 concerned with historic records and archives. It issues a journal, Archives, and other publications; hosts conferences and seminars; and undertakes other activities to promote the care and preservation of archives and the interests of archive users at a national level. Membership is open to all, and the Association (in contrast to exclusively scholarly bodies, and exclusively professional bodies) therefore plays a particular role as a forum which brings together owners of archives, academic and amateur documentary researchers, archivists and librarians, and institutions and societies concerned with archives.
The Association was formally founded in 1932, but it took over the Records Preservation Section established three years earlier in 1929 by the British Record Society (see below). The similarity of name between the two bodies was a deliberate choice, made in order to emphasise continuity.
The formation of the new Association – and its not entirely amicable split from the BRS – was largely the initiative of (Sir) Hilary Jenkinson. He remained the BRA's guiding force for nearly 30 years. From 1930 to 1932 he had served as Secretary of the Drafting Committee which established the Association; and he subsequently served as its Joint Honorary Secretary 1932–47; Chairman of the Records Preservation Section 1947–61; Vice-President of the Association 1954–61; and as a member of most of its committees. Other active members in the early years included G.H. Fowler, Joan Wake, Irene Churchill, Kathleen Major, William Le Hardy, and H.M. Cashmore.
Prior to the establishment of the Society of Local Archivists in 1947, the BRA was the closest that Britain had to a professional association for archivists, and it played a central role in laying down professional standards and principles, and in promoting the establishment of professionally staffed local archive services in the post-War years.
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