If you ever get a chance to visit the State Records of South Australia to research, or take part in a ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour which they offer from time-to-time, do it. It really is an incredible place to visit, and the collection of records they hold is phenomenal.
Anyway I wanted to share the following announcement that came from Simon Froude, who is the Director of State Records of South Australia …
In 2019, State Records is celebrating its centenary and we would like you to be involved in the celebrations.
On 1 February 1919, George Henry Pitt was appointed as Archivist to work in the newly established South Australian Archives Department. Pitt and Mabel Hardy, Assistant Archivist, were tasked with identifying, preserving and making accessible official records for the use of students, historians and future South Australians.
The Archives Department was first housed in an old military store, which is now the Radford Auditorium at the Art Gallery of South Australia. This central repository for official records and Pitt’s appointment as a professional Archivist were firsts for Australia.
Archives Department with the Archivist, Mr G.H. Pitt. August 1938
[SLSA, ref: B 10196]
The Archives Department would continue to be a leader in the management of official records throughout the 20th century. In 1925 South Australia was the first state to introduce legislation to regulate the destruction of government records.
State Records still works to identify, preserve and make accessible official records, but there have been many changes to our work in the last 100 years. The digital age has also changed the way records are created and preserved. State Records now also administers the Freedom of Information Act and the Information Privacy Principles Instruction, following the development of these legal concepts.
A range of events are planned for the year including an exhibition to be housed on North Terrace, days where we open the entire archive to the public, involvement in many local history events and an evening of celebration at our first home, the Radford Auditorium.
But follow State Records on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to find out the latest news and event happenings, and check their website to find out more about State Records and their history.
Again again, Happy 100th birthday to State Records of SA, and a huge congratulations to the State Records of SA archivists, thankyou for the incredible job you do in preserving, and archiving the equivalent of around 83 kilometres of records you hold.
