Featured Database

West Sussex Past Pictures: the museums and public libraries database of heritage photographs and pictures on the web

Background

There are over a quarter of a million heritage photographs, prints, drawings and paintings held in the public libraries and museums of West Sussex. To improve access to these rich collections of images, West Sussex County Library Service and seven local museums formed a consortium to create a new web-based database. The Heritage Lottery Fund provided almost 90% of the total cost of this £100,000 project.

The website was launched in summer 2004, is free to use and contains over 8,000 images of the County between the 1640s and the present day. More are being added regularly. Each image is described in detail, using the latest database software, which allows both Quick or Advanced searches. You can download and print images free for use in school or college work, or in private research. Prints on photographic paper can be ordered and we welcome commercial use of the pictures, for which fees are payable.

The Collections

The Library Service has a comprehensive collection covering every town, village and hamlet in the County and most periods back to the mid-17th century. Three of the museums’ collections are of national, even international importance, namely Amberley (industrial heritage), Fishbourne Roman Palace (largest Roman building in Northern Europe), and the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum (traditional vernacular buildings). Four of the museums have specialist collections, which are the most comprehensive available on a particular town and catchment area, - Arundel, East Grinstead, Marlipins (Shoreham) and Steyning. The collections include photographs from the 1850s to date, including rare Victorian examples, Edwardian postcards, 35mm and lantern slides, engravings from the 1640s to the early 1900s and original drawings and paintings. Of particular importance are views illustrating the social history and changing landscape of the chalk downland, rural life, Roman Sussex, early aviation, maritime and seaside topics, the development of historic towns, village street scenes, churches, local events, industrial heritage, and timber-framed, brick and flint buildings special to the Weald and Downs.

Consortium Members

Amberley Working Museum
Arundel Museum and Heritage Centre
East Grinstead Town Museum
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Marlipins Museum, Shoreham-by-Sea
Steyning Museum
Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton
West Sussex County Library Service

Project Manager

Martin Hayes,
County Local Studies Librarian
Worthing Library,
Richmond Road Worthing,
West Sussex BN11 IHD

Telephone: 01903 704811
e-mail: martin.hayes@westsussex.gov.uk

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