Collection: Bawdsey Radar

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The collection has originated from several sources, since the formation of Bawdsey Radar Group in 2002.

  • There are physical artefacts, from the period 1930s to 1970s, which were given to the Group/Trust. The exhibition also contains artefacts which were part of the equipment originally in the Transmitter building (and which were too large to remove in the 1950s) and so date from the 1930s.
  • There is paper-based material (photos, reports letters etc) and other information which is computer based such as Word documents, photographs and the oral history audio and video records. These relate to the 1930s to 1990s and have been collected since that time. Most of the oral history records were collected in the years 2005 to 2007 in the Heritage Lottery funded ‘Shout and Whisper’ project.
  • Also recently donated to the Trust are items which were developed from radar or used technology which was developed for radar. These have usually been donated by people who have visited the transmitter block, or previously worked at Bawdsey or have seen the website.
  • There are some contemporary hands-on simulations and information boards and screens, which were designed and developed as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded project from 2016 to 2017.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2021

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The Scope of the Bawdsey Transmitter Block Museum collection is to acquire, conserve, document and make available to the public, items which relate to the discovery, development and use of radar at Bawdsey. The time frame is from 1936, when Bawdsey manor was acquired for radar research, to 1991, when RAF Bawdsey closed, with emphasis on the years from 1936 to 1976.

  The scope of the collection includes ‘Core Collection Items’, ‘Exhibition Items’ and ‘Handling Items’

  Core Collection Items include relevant radar-related artefacts from the above time frame. They include unique or rare, first hand, original photographs and written material, including letters, memoirs and books. They also include oral history sound and video recordings relating to the above time frame by the people who were involved with radar at Bawdsey, but which were often written or recorded more recently. Except in exceptional circumstances, these accessioned items are permanently kept at the museum.

  Exhibition Items are usually more modern and include interactive displays, computer-based illustrations of past and current radars and developments from radar. These are used especially for interpretation and teaching purposes, may change with time and are usually kept at the museum.

  Handling Items include copies of exhibition and core collection items which can be used for hands-on and educational purposes. They are used to inform visitors and the public of the life and work of people who were involved directly or indirectly with radar at Bawdsey. These are usually kept at the museum but can be used as part of external exhibitions and to accompany talks at other venues.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2021

  Licence: CC BY-NC