Dorset History Centre gets grant to protect Thomas Hardy archives
They want to catalogue an extensive collection of works
£35,000 has been granted to the Dorset History Centre, towards a project to archive the works of the county's arguably most famous son, Thomas Hardy.
The charity's had support from the National Archives, and their Archives Revealed programme.
The money will go towards employing a dedicated Archivist to work on the collection, with the aim of creating a new freely-accessible catalogue of Hardy's archives.
The History Centre says that would 'open up the collection in a way never seen before':
"The project will change all that with detailed descriptions of Hardy’s archives – the letters, photographs, poetry, manuscript novels (including the Mayor of Casterbridge and Under the Greenwood Tree), musical scores and printed material so making them accessible to the wider world. Understanding the archive is key to understanding Hardy and his world – his intimate thoughts, political opinions and the world of which he formed part."
The archived works are classed as heritage works by UNESCO.
Dorset History Centre's support charity, the Dorset Archives Trust has fundraised £68,000 for the project so far.
They've said they're still hoping to raise the additional £26,000 to meet their target and start work this autumn.
A fundraising campaign is still ongoing through the charity's website.